RE-EVALUATION OF LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM TO
GOVERNMENT BUILDING IN SARAWAK USING SIMPLIFIED RISK
ANALYSIS AND ROLLING SPHERE METHOD
ESTY BINTI MOHD YUSUF
A project report submitted in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Engineering (Electrical Power)
School of Electrical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
JANUARY 2019
iii
DEDICATION
This project is dedicated to my family who have been the source of
inspiration and give me strength when I thought of giving up, who continually
provide their moral, spiritual and emotional support.
To my friends and classmates who shared their words of advice and
encouragement to finish this study.
Thanks for your support and understanding.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor of this
project Dr. Noor Azlinda Binti Ahmad for her encouragement, comment and
guidance for me to complete this project.
I must express my very profound gratitude to all the lecturers lead by
Professor Ir. Dr. Mohd Wazir Bin Mustafa for their knowledge and experience
sharing throughout my years of study.
My sincere thanks to all my classmates for their friendship and support,
which made this journey a joyful and unforgettable
Finally, I would also like to thank my family for providing me with unfailing
support and continuous encouragement during the course of my study and through
the process writing this thesis. This accomplishment would not have been possible
without them. Thank you.
v
ABSTRACT
The lightning strike can be intimidating to living being and can cause of
property damage and economic loss. Inadequate assessment of risk management will
lead to poor design of lightning protection and risk mitigation which cause life
hazard, structures damage and services interruption. Likewise, insufficient
installation and placement of the external lightning protection system (LPS) are the
possible reason of inefficient protection due to lightning strike. Lightning Risk
Assessment (LRA) study is conducted to determine risk and probability of damage
for lightning risk management (LRM). Rolling Sphere Method (RSM) among the
approaches used to meet optimum placement of external LPS. However, studies the
use of RSM method in determining the location for protection due to lightning strikes
and it consequences to compliment LRM specifically in Sarawak, Malaysia is still
inadequate. In this work, existing LPS installation for selected government buildings
in Sarawak is re-evaluated by using simplified LRA tools as in IEC62305:2, where
critical parameters are carefully identified in order to reduce the hazardous impact
and decrease risk level to a tolerable limit. Suitable protection measure using RSM
approached for external lightning rod placement was integrated with LRM to achieve
the optimum LPS design. The simulation was carried out using 3D Lightning for
AutoCAD to identify the ideal position of air termination component comparatively
with the LRA and LRM measurement. It was found that the improvement of
calculating total risk component, RX to be less than the risk tolerable limit, RT;
(RX>RT) can be achieved with appropriate LRM and right positioning of external
LPS. Hence, with the establishment of the simplified LRA, better protection scheme
can be designed with the optimal cost scheme and the effective protection system.
Therefore, it is anticipated that the integration of LPS placement in LRM shall
enhance safety and economical value for the protection lightning system design of
the selected building.
vi
ABSTRAK
Fenomena panahan kilat merupakan kejadian yang menakutkan dan boleh
mengakibatkan kerosakan harta benda dan kerugian ekonomi. Penilaian pengurusan
risiko yang lemah, membawa kepada ketidakberkesanan rekabentuk system
perlindungan kilat yang boeleh mendatangkan bahaya kepada makhluk hidup,
kerosakan struktur dan gangguan perkhidmatan. Begitu juga pemasangan dan
penempatan sistem perlindungan kilat luaran (LPS) yang tidak mencukupi
meyebabkan kemungkinan fungsi perlindungan penahan kilat yang kurang cekap.
Kajian Penilaian Risiko Kilat (LRA) dijalankan untuk menentukan risiko serta
kebarangkalian kerosakan bagi membolehkan pengurusan risiko kilat (LRM)
dilakukan. Kaedah Rolling Sphere (RSM) adalah diantara kaedah yang digunakan
bagi menempatkan LPS luaran secara optimum. Walau bagaimanapun, kajian yang
menggabungkan LRM dan penggunaan kaedah RSM dalam menentukan posisi
perlindungan panahan kilat khususnya di Sarawak, Malaysia masih tidak mencukupi.
Dalam kajian ini, pemasangan LPS sedia ada untuk bangunan kerajaan terpilih di
Sarawak akan dinilai semula dengan menggunakan LRA yang dipermudahkan
berdasarkan IEC62305: 2, di mana parameter kritikal dikenal pasti dengan teliti
untuk mengurangkan kesan bahaya dan menurunkan tahap risiko kepada had yang
boleh diterima. Langkah perlindungan yang sesuai menggunakan RSM untuk
penempatan rod kilat telah diintegrasikan dengan LRM untuk mencapai reka bentuk
LPS optimum. Simulasi ini dijalankan menggunakan program Lightning 3D untuk
AutoCAD bagi mengenal pasti kedudukan ideal komponen rod kilat serta pengiraan
LRA dan pelaksanaan LRM. Adalah didapati bahawa pengiraan jumlah komponen
risiko, RX tidak melebihi had risiko yang boleh diterima, RT; (RX> RT) boleh dicapai
dengan LRM yang sesuai dan kedudukan LPS luaran yang betul. Oleh itu,
penggunaan LRA yang telah dipermudahkan dapat menghasilkan rekabentuk skim
perlindungan kilat yang lebih baik serta kos yang optimum dan sistem perlindungan
yang berkesan.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
DECLARATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
ABSTRACT v
ABSTRAK vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xi
LIST OF SYMBOLS xii
LIST OF APPENDICES xiii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background of the Problem 1
1.2 Statement of Problem 2
1.3 Objective of the Study 3
1.4 Scope of the Study 3
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 5
2.1 Introduction 5
2.2 Lightning Risk Assessment Analysis 5
2.2.1 Lightning Risk 6
2.2.2 Principle of Risk Management 7
2.2.3 Risk by Zone Assessment 9
2.3 Lightning Protection System 9
2.3.1 Shielding Failure Evaluation 9
2.3.2 Algorithm Based on Attractive Radius 11
viii
2.3.3 Interception Efficiencies Using Dynamic
Electro-Geometrical Model 13
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 15
3.1 Overview 15
3.2 Risk Analysis Using Simplified Risk Assessment
Method 17
3.2.1 Identify relevant type of Loss 18
3.2.2 Simplified risk assessment parameter 19
3.2.3 Parameter for data base selection 21
3.2.4 Risk calculation 22
3.3 Lightning Protection System Air Rod Placement
Using Rolling Sphere Method 23
Rolling Sphere Method Modeling 24 3.3.1
Simulation of Protection Area Zone 26 3.3.2
CHAPTER 4 RESULT, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 27
4.1 Risk Analysis 27
4.1.1 Base case scenario (No Protection Measure) 27
4.1.2 Protection Measure (Option 1) 29
4.1.3 Protection Measure (option 2) 31
4.1.4 Risk Analysis – result comparison 33
4.2 Simulation Using RSM Method 34
4.2.1 Calculation 34
4.2.2 Simulation Using AutoCad + 3D Lightning 35
4.2.2.1 Existing LPS installation 36
4.2.2.2 LPS installation with Class IV and
II 36
4.3 Discussion 39
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 41
REFERENCES 43
ix
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE
Table 2.1 Summary of risk and risk tolerance for lightning strike [8] 6
Table 2.2 Sources of damage, types of damage and types of loss
according to the point of strike [8] 7
Table 2.3 Factors influencing the risk component in a structure [8]. 8
Table 2.4 Correlation of the efficiencies of an LPS and the damage
probabilities in the standard series IEC 62305-1 [7]. 14
Table 3.1 Summary of Losses identification for the building 18
Table 3.2 Summary of parameter 20
Table 3.3 Data Require for Risk Computation 21
Table 3.4 Summary of risk component calculation 23
Table 4.1 Parameter of protection measure for base case scenario 27
Table 4.2 Risk R1 value (a) Risk component and (b) Composition of
risk component according to zones 28
Table 4.3 Parameter of protection measure for Option 1 30
Table 4.4 Risk Component value for Option 1 30
Table 4.5 Parameter of protection measure for Option 2 32
Table 4.6 Risk Component value for Option 2 32
Table 4.7 Summary of air rod nos as per options 1 and 2 35
Table 4.8 Air rod height and distance between installations 39
x
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE
Figure 1.1 Flashes detected from LIS space time domain data 1
Figure 2.1 Collection surface method. (a) Elevation view where the
curves represent the loci of the rolling sphere‟s centers
defined by the objects in the system (mast, equipment, and
ground). (b) Top view where the shaded zones represent the
collection surfaces of the objects in the system [4]. 11
Figure 2.2 Lightning orientation to a grounded object according to the
leader progression theory [15] 12
Figure 3.1 Typical Selected Office Building 15
Figure 3.2 Flow Chart of risk analysis method 17
Figure 3.3 Flow Chart for LPS air rod Placement by Rolling Sphere
Method 24
Figure 3.4 Structure to be protected by rolling spheres (radius r) (a)
Side view (b) Plan View 25
Figure 3.5 Sphere radius and rod distance in RSM 25
Figure 3.6 AutoCAD + 3 D lightning software for simulation 26
Figure 4.1 Graph of risk component for selected building without
protection measure 28
Figure 4.2 Graph of risk component for selected building with Option
1 protection measure 31
Figure 4.3 Graph of risk component for selected building with Option
2 protection measure 33
Figure 4.4 Graph of Summary of Risk Component for Risk Value R1 34
Figure 4.5 Simulation of protection zone of existing installation. 36
Figure 4.6 3D lightning parameter setup page 37
Figure 4.7 Simulation of protection zone with LPL class IV 37
Figure 4.8 Observation from the simulation of different LPS class
installation 38
xi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CSM - Collection Surface method
DEGM - Dynamic Electro- Geometrical Model
EGM - Electro- Geometrical Model
IE - Interception Efficiency
LEMP - Lightning Electro- Magnetic Pulse
LIS - Lightning Imaging Sensor
LPL - Lightning Protection Level
LPS - Lightning Protection System
LPZ - Lightning Protection Zone
LRA - Lightning Risk Analysis
LRM - Lightning Risk Management
PB - Damaged Probability
RSM - Rolling Sphere Method
SE - Selection Efficiency
xii
LIST OF SYMBOLS
RX - Risk Component
NX - Number of annual lighting risk
PX - Probability of structure damage
LX - Rate of lightning stroke loss
RT - Tolerable Risk
,D d - Diameter
r - Radius
xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX TITLE PAGE
Appendix A Informative Table 46
1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Problem
Statistic shows that Kuching, Sarawak and nearby area received 285 flashes
of lightning strikes in the period of March 2017 to February 2018 as per shown in
Figure 1.1 [1]. There are difficulties to have extensive data for fatality incident and
human injuries due to the lightning strike specifically in Kuching. However,
according to study by Ab Kadir [2], death to injury ratio in Malaysia is about 1 in 10
lightning-strike victims. The numbers of fatalities and injury have been increased
over the year as per data collected from 2008 to 2015 [2].
Figure 1.1 Flashes detected from LIS space time domain data
2
Impact of lightning strikes to structures and services are also significant.
Losses over RM 250 million were estimated [2] in our country due to properties
damaged, systems malfunction, equipment fault, services downtime and etc. Major
hazard cause by lightning strikes are damages due to fire when structure flammable
material exposed to high temperature of lightning strike; power surge damages
happened as lightning strike to power line system, then used electrical line as a path
to discharge and destructive shock wave produced by lightning can fractures
concrete and brick
Property damages and life losses caused by direct lightning strike have
become one of major attention for most study. An efficient lightning protection
system design shall be incorporate to minimize impact cause by direct lightning
strikes.
Unfortunately, awareness of doing the risk assessment analysis and
appropriate placement of external lightning protection system (air rod of air
termination system) is still lacking among designer and developers especially in
Sarawak.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Risk assessment is important element to determine the requirement of
building lightning protection measure. Failure to carry out risk analysis may lead to
inadequate or over rated of protection to the building. In general, the awareness of
Risk Assessment requirement is still lacking where some designer and developer
have made no attempt to carryout risk analysis prior to designing lightning protection
system.
Inadequate provision protection of lightning strike may lead to life hazard,
physical damage to structures and failure of services. It put the building and life at
risk due to direct and indirect lightning strike. Lightning protection system shall be
properly functioned to allow lightning energy dissipated safely onto the earth by
3
providing low path impedance without causing damage to properties or causing life
loss.
Allocating right position of air termination system is essential for optimum
protection against lightning strike. According to IEC 62305 there are 3 conventional
method can be used to determine position and arrangement of air termination system;
rolling sphere method, protection angle method and mesh method. Unfortunately, in
most design, designers are simply positioned the air rod at edge of four corner of the
building without further investigate the risk assessment nor applying the placement
of air termination method prior to design the LPS.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The need of lightning protection is becoming an imperative requisite for the
protection of structures and its contents. Followings are the objectives for this study:
(a) To evaluate risk assessment of selected building using simplified risk assessment
analysis method and do selection of building protection measure to reduce the
risk to tolerable limit
(b) To re-evaluate LPS air terminal placement on the selected building in order to
improve optimum protection of lightning strike and facilitate economical design
1.4 Scope of the Study
The works for this paper will focus on :
(a) Selection of existing building as a case study
(b) Identification of type of relevant loss
(c) Risk assessment analysis – Simplified method and protection measure
(d) Simulation of LPS placement using RSM method
43
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44
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45
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