Quantitative study on efficacy of lightning rod on building

Abstract

The efficacy of a lightning mast on the structure is determined by its ability to intercept the lightning leader. While the commonly employed Rolling Sphere Method (RSM) apparently seeks a streamer mode of bridging, the lightning rods above taller structures can launch upward connecting leaders. This will be very advantageous for the protection from a direct hit. The inception of a stable leader from a lightning rod is significantly influenced by its position, length, and the proximity of other lightning rods or antennas if any. This work aims to quantify the influence of the neighboring lightning mast on the stable leader launching efficacy of the mast kept at the corner of cubical structures. A simplified version of the recent physical model for the positive leader inception and propagation is employed. Considering two different structure heights and different rod lengths, the upward leader launching efficacy of lightning rod is quantified in terms of stabilization field.