7/29/2019 Calculate Lightning Protection for Building / Structure | Electrical Notes & Articles

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Sharing Abstracts,Notes on various Electrical Engineering Topics.

Calculate Lightning Protection for Building

/ Structure

MARCH 12, 2016 38 COMMENTS

(HTTPS://ELECTRICALNOTES.WORDPRESS.COM/2016/03/12/CALCULATE-LIGHTING-PROTECTION-
FOR-BUILDING-STRUCTURE/#COMMENTS)

Example: Calculate Whether Lightning Protection is required or not for following Building. Calculate No of
Down Conductor for Lightning Protection

Area of Building / Structure:

Length of Building (L) = 60 Meter.

Width of Building ( W ) = 28 Meter.
Height of Building (H) = 23 Meter.

Lightning Stock Flushing Density

Number of Thunderstorm (N)= 80.00 Days/Year

Lightning Flash Density (Ng)=69 km2/Year
Application of Structure (A)= Houses & Buildings
Type of Constructions (B)= Steel framed encased without Metal Roof
Contests or Consequential Effects (C)= Domestic / Office Buildings
Degree of Isolation (D)= Structure in a large area having greater height
Type of Country (E)= Flat country at any level
Maximum Acceptable Overall Risk Factor =0.00000001

Reference Table As per IS:2309

Lightning Flash Density (Flashes to
Thunder Storm Days / Year
Ground /km2/year)
5 0.2
10 0.5
20 1.1
30 1.9
40 2.8

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50 3.7
60 4.7
80 6.9
100 9.2
Application of Structure Factor
Houses & Buildings 0.3
Houses & Buildings with outside aerial 0.7
Factories / workshop/ Laboratories 1
Office blocks / Hotel 1.2
Block of Flats / Residences Building 1.2
Churches/ Hall / Theaters / Museums,
1.3
Exhibitions
Departmental stores / Post Offices 1.3
Stations / Airports / Stadium 1.3
Schools / Hospitals / Children’s Home 1.7
Others 1.2
Type of Constructions Factor
Steel framed encased without Metal Roof 0.2
Reinforced concrete without Metal Roof 0.4
Steel framed encased with Metal Roof 0.8
Reinforced concrete with Metal Roof 1
Brick / Plain concrete or masonry without Metal
1.4
Roof
Timber framed or clad without Metal Roof 1.7
Brick / Plain concrete or masonry with Metal
2
Roof
Timber framed or clad with Metal Roof
Contests or Consequential Effects Factor
Domestic / Office Buildings 0.3
Factories / Workshop 0.3
Industrial & Agricultural Buildings 0.8
Power stations / Gas works 1
Telephone exchange / Radio Station 1
Industrial key plants, Ancient monuments 1.3

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Historic Buildings / Museums / Art Galleries 1.3

Schools / hospitals / Children Homes 1.7
Degree of Isolation Factor
Structure in a large area having greater height 0.4
Structure located in a area of the same height 1
Structure completely Isolated 2

Calculation:

Collection Area (Ac)=(L x W) + 2 (L x H) + 2(W x H) +(3.14 x H2)

Collection Area (Ac) = (60×28)+2x(60×23)+2x(28×23)+(3.14x23x23)

Collection Area (Ac) =7389 Meter2

Probable No of Strikes to Building / Structure (P)= Ac x Ng x 10-6 No’s / Year

Probable No of Strikes to Building / Structure (P)= 7389x69x10–6 No’s / Year

Probable No of Strikes to Building / Structure (P)= 05098 No’s / Year

Overall Multiplying Factor (M) =A x B x C x D x E

Application of Structure (A)= Houses & Buildings as per Table Multiplying Factor = 0.3
Type of Constructions (B)= Steel framed encased without Metal Roof as per Table Multiplying Factor =0.2
Contests or Consequential Effects (C)= Domestic / Office Buildings as per Table Multiplying Factor =0.3
Degree of Isolation (D)= Structure in a large area having greater height as per Table Multiplying Factor
=0.4
Type of Country (E)= Flat country at any level so as per Table Multiplying Factor =0.3
Overall Multiplying Factor (M) =0.3×0.2×0.3×0.4×0.3
Overall Multiplying Factor (M) =0.00216

Overall Risk Factor Calculated (xc)= M x P

Overall Risk Factor Calculated (xc)= 0.00216 x0.05098

Overall Risk Factor Calculated (xc)= 000110127

Base Area of Structure (Ab) = (LxW)

Base Area of Structure (Ab)=60×28

Base Area of Structure (Ab)=1680 Meter2

Perimeter of Structure (P) =2x (L+W)

Perimeter of Structure (P)=2x(60+28)

Perimeter of Structure (P)=176 Meter

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Lightning Protection Required or Not

If Calculated Overall Risk Factor Calculated > Maximum Acceptable Overall Risk Factor than
only Lighting Protection Required
Here Calculated Overall Risk Factor is 0.000110127 > Max Acceptable Overall Risk Factor is 00000001
Lightning Protection is Required

No of Down Conductor

Down Conductors As per Base Area of Structure (s) =1+(Ab-100)/300

Down Conductors As per Base Area of Structure (s) =1+(1680-100)/300
Down Conductors As per Base Area of Structure (s) =6 No’s
Down Conductors As per Perimeter of Structure (t)= P/30
Down Conductors As per Perimeter of Structure (t)= 176/30
Down Conductors As per Perimeter of Structure (t)= 6 No’s
Minimum No of Down Conductor is 6 No’s

Results:

Lightning Protection is Required

Down Conductors As per Base Area of Structure (s) =6 No’s
Down Conductors As per Perimeter of Structure (t)= 6 No’s
Minimum No of Down Conductor is 6 No’s

FILED UNDER UNCATEGORIZED

About Jignesh.Parmar
Jignesh Parmar has completed M.Tech (Power System Control), B.E(Electrical). He is member of Institution of
Engineers (MIE) and CEng,India. Membership No:M-1473586.He has more than 16 years experience in
Transmission -Distribution-Electrical Energy theft detection-Electrical Maintenance-Electrical Projects
(Planning-Designing-Technical Review-coordination -Execution). He is Presently associate with one of the
leading business group as a Deputy Manager at Ahmedabad,India. He has published numbers of Technical
Articles in “Electrical Mirror”, “Electrical India”, “Lighting India”,”Smart Energy”, “Industrial
Electrix”(Australian Power Publications) Magazines. He is Freelancer Programmer of Advance Excel and
design useful Excel base Electrical Programs as per IS, NEC, IEC,IEEE codes. He is Technical Blogger and
Familiar with English, Hindi, Gujarati, French languages. He wants to Share his experience & Knowledge and
help technical enthusiasts to find suitable solutions and updating themselves on various Engineering Topics.

38 Responses to Calculate Lightning Protection for Building

/ Structure

Gopala Krishnan says:

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March 12, 2016 at 5:54 pm

Very useful datas

Reply
Rashid Arafat says:
December 26, 2018 at 10:04 am
hello sir, then how to check no. of air terminals needed and size of conductor of down conductor and
mesh at roof.

Reply
Zaw Maung says:
March 12, 2016 at 6:16 pm
Thanks a lot. Could you explian about selection of air terminal , surge arrester, please?

Reply
Tushar Mahajan says:
March 12, 2016 at 7:35 pm
Dear Sir,

Nice Information

Thanks Tushar Mahajan.

Reply
GUILLERMO FERRANDO says:
March 13, 2016 at 12:54 am
Hello, do you have any software to simulate the artistic lighting of bridges? – Thank you!

Reply
K R Nair says:
March 13, 2016 at 9:11 am
Any one interested to undertake insulation coordination study of HV andEHV Transmission Lines? If so
please do contact. Though we performed in the past and performing at present, we wish to oursource this
study, if find viable.

Reply
Dinesh Kumar Sarda says:
March 13, 2016 at 1:12 pm
Dear Sir,

Thanks for the information. I humbly request you to provide me with a similar working on substations 220
KV and above DSLP calculation. urgently required for an interview. Please help

Reply
Prathamesh Bagav says:
March 14, 2016 at 12:45 pm
Maximum Acceptable Overall Risk Factor =0.00000001 value is fixed or may change as par building type?

Reply
Prathamesh Bagav says:
March 14, 2016 at 12:47 pm
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7/29/2019 Calculate Lightning Protection for Building / Structure | Electrical Notes & Articles

Hi Sir, Maximum Acceptable Overall Risk Factor =0.00000001 value is fixed or may changed according to
building type?

Reply
ayman zaher says:
March 17, 2016 at 9:36 am
there is a missing table
you referred to 5 factors we already have 4 above
where is the table of E factor (type of country ) your choice was ( flat country at any level = 0.3 ) its not
stated above where is the fifth table

before i also put a statement about the equation of voltage drop in wires and asked why we use (r cos phi +
x sin phi ) instead of sqrt (( rcos phi) 2 + ( x sin phi ) 2 ) and still no answer

anyways thanks alot for your efforts

Reply
ayman zaher says:
March 17, 2016 at 9:58 am
there is something make me confuse about the data input

in the start of the data input you put

Maximum Acceptable Overall Risk Factor =0.00000001 and this is 1 to the power -8

and after the example near the end you put

Here Calculated Overall Risk Factor is 0.000110127 > Max Acceptable Overall Risk Factor is 00000001

in the excel sheet we have from your site as you are the author of it you put the overall risk factor is
.000001 that means only 1 to the power of -6

so please advice is it 0.00000001 or 0.000001

thanks for the efforts in this blog

Reply
Mustaqeem Shaikh says:
April 4, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Dear sir how to calculate the cable size of lightning arrestor ?

Reply
Rupali Patil says:
May 4, 2016 at 11:56 am
Sir, Thanks for your guidelines. One thing i need to confirm this is for rectangular, square types of
building. How to calculate No of Down Conductor for Lightning Protection for circular building?

Reply
Debasis sahoo says:
May 23, 2016 at 6:11 pm
Is earthing of pure metallic structure required?

Reply

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devang says:
June 15, 2016 at 10:34 am
Dear sir,

1. Can we connect static earthing system and power [electrical] earthing system?

2. Which of the earthing pits [Power, instrument, lightning, static, telecommunication] we can
interconnect without hazard?

Reply
khin shwe says:
June 24, 2016 at 3:10 am
Thank for your information.

Reply
Bala says:
July 22, 2016 at 11:12 am
very informative..
Could you explain about the rolling sphere method

Reply
Mahipal says:
October 6, 2016 at 7:26 am
Thank you for your information.

how to calculate the lightning protection calculation for tall metal structures? ex: Telecom towers

please give some suggestions.

Reply
Dick Ramirez says:
October 11, 2016 at 5:53 am
what is the size of bare copper wire for 800 square meter area of a building and 10 meters in height?

Reply
Abdalnasser shhwan says:
November 2, 2016 at 1:32 pm
Dear Sir ,
I would like to say thank you so much
your website very useful
God bless you

Reply
bryan says:
December 17, 2016 at 9:00 am
how much the height of building required lightning protection

Reply
hari says:
January 11, 2017 at 10:47 am

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Dear Sir
Thanking for your information kindly provide the information about number of lighting arrester
requirement

Reply
sagar says:
April 15, 2017 at 3:35 am
sir this is sagar, I want to how many lights using in one bed room, L-50 MTR B-30 MTR H-40 MTR,, PLZ
CAN U GIVE THE EXPLAIN THIS PROBLEM

Reply
VEENA gore says:
April 18, 2017 at 3:54 am
Jinesh
Your notes compilation is excellent and I have downloaded that.
However I want to highlight that this calculation as per is 2309 is no longer applicable now since this IS
has become obsolete now. And is replaced by ICE 62305.
Veena Gore

Reply
Sunil R Tripathi says:
April 22, 2017 at 6:55 am
Dear Sir,
Thanks for these nice information. Sir, what size of cable must be used if my Down conductor increases
and whether earth pits are required for each DC. And the distance between these earth pits if applicable.

Kindly do the needful.

Sunil.

Reply
shivraj says:
August 1, 2017 at 3:56 am
jignesh
Can u pl give an excel sheet for lightening protection as per IEC 62305. as it is latest for lightening
Protection.

Reply
gopal says:
August 2, 2017 at 10:20 am
Sir, required design accordingly IS 62305, could you help me on the same?

Reply
SATISH TIWARI says:
September 28, 2017 at 12:57 pm
how many lightening arrestor required if the area of the building is 500 m2

Reply
SATISH TIWARI says:
September 28, 2017 at 12:59 pm

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what will happen if earth pit of electronic equipment and telecommunication system is not seperated.

Reply
ri y says:
November 28, 2017 at 12:11 pm
need a calculation for steel bridge tower(height=35m)

Reply
saji says:
December 5, 2017 at 12:15 pm
I would like to get an EPC scope of work for Lightning protection scope reference.

Reply
Simrat pal singh says:
December 6, 2017 at 11:15 am
Sir,
our steel frame with metal roof building Length is 150 mtr, Width is 62 mtr, height is 20 mtr.
i calculate as per above given Example
Down Conductors As per Base Area of Structure (s) =31 No’s
Down Conductors As per Perimeter of Structure (t)= 13 No’s

please reply my calculation is correct or not.

Regards,
Simratpal Singh,
Mobile 9914825522.

Reply
azrin says:
March 5, 2018 at 1:20 am
Dear Sir,

I have a question which is can we use copper dc clip to tighten the aluminium tape on the wall instead of
aluminium dc clip? If can, is there any side affect?

Thank you.

Regards.

Reply
kapil tayade says:
May 25, 2018 at 11:45 am
How to calculate no of Air terminals please explain

Reply
basavaraja Pa ar says:
July 3, 2018 at 5:50 am
Thanking for your information

Reply
Akshay Patil says:
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October 20, 2018 at 10:45 am

is this calculation according to NBC 2016?

Reply
win lae khaing says:
November 29, 2018 at 3:48 am
may I known how to select the lightning protection cable size?

Reply
Mani R. Y says:
February 5, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Excellent model. Thanks.

Reply

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