Current shared by cables connected to down conductor and tower during a lightning strike

With growing number of communication towers, the lightning protection to the sensitive equipments mounted on them has acquired immense importance. However development of adequate protective measures requires a clear knowledge on the lightning current shared by the cables routed on the tower. The literature regarding the current shared by the cables on the towers is rather scarce. The present work has made an attempt to estimate the current shared by the cable for different cable locations on the tower, as well as, for different lengths and relative radii. The experimental, as well as, numerical simulation results are interpreted. The results have provided a better qualitative knowledge for developing suitable protective measures to the cables on communication towers.