Lightning Protection - Risk Analysis

(Assessment and Management as per IEC 62305 Part 2)

I. Introduction
Lightning strikes affecting a structure or a service can cause damage to the structure
itself, to its occupants and contents including failure of internal electrical and electronic
systems. The damages and failures may also extend to the surroundings of the structure
and the local environment. They depend on the characteristics of the object and also on
the characteristics of the lightning flashes.
The damages and failures may in-turn produce different types of consequential loss on
the object to be protected. To reduce the loss due to lightning, protection measure may
be required. The need for protection, the economic benefits of installing protection
measures and the selection of adequate protection measures should be determined in
terms of risk analysis and management.

2. Sources and type of damage

The lightning current due to flashes is the source of damage. However, by strike
attachment point, it can be distinguished as four major sources flashes to the
structure, flashes near the structure, flashes to a service and flashes near a
service.
Flashes to the structure and the service can cause immediate mechanical damage, fire
or explosion due to hot lightning plasma arc or by spark triggered due to over-voltages
resulting from resistive and inductive coupling, injury to living beings by step and touch
voltages, failure or malfunction of internal systems due to LEMP. Flashes near the
structure and near the service can cause failure or malfunction of internal systems.
For the application of risk assessment, it is useful to distinguish between three types of
damages as the consequence of lightning flashes. They are distinguished as: injury to
living beings (due to touch and step voltages), physical damage (due to fire, explosion
and mechanical destruction) and failure of internal systems (due to LEMP)

3. Type of loss
Each type of damage, alone or in combination with others, may produce different
consequential loss on the object to be protected. Loss of human life, loss of service
to the public, loss of cultural heritage and loss of economic value are the four types
of loss associated with the structure. Loss of service to the public and loss of economic
value are the types of loss associated with a service. Loss of human life, loss of service
to the public, loss of cultural heritage may be treated as social loss and the last one as
purely an economic loss.

4. Risk assessment
The risk may be defined as the value of a probable average annual loss. It depends on
three multiplying factors: the annual number (NX) of lightning flashes influencing the
structure and the services, the probability (PX) of damage by one of the influencing
lightning flashes and the mean amount of consequential loss (LX).
The number of lightning flashes influencing the structure and the services depends on
lightning ground flash density (NG) in the region where the structure and the services are
located, on the dimension and the characteristics (collection area) of the structure and
the services and on the environment characteristics (other weighting factors) of the
structure and the services. The probability of lightning damage depends on the structure,
the service and the lightning current characteristics (LPL); as well as on the type and
efficiency of applied lightning protection measures (LPM). The annual mean amount of
the consequential loss depends on the extend of damage and the consequential effects.
To reduce the loss due to lightning, protection measure may be required. Whether they
are needed and to what extend should be determined by risk assessment. For each type
of loss which may appear in a structure or in a service, the relevant risk shall be
evaluated. Risk of loss of human life, risk of loss of service to the public, risk of
loss of cultural heritage and risk of loss of economic value are the four risks
identified for risk analysis and management.
To evaluate risks (R1 to R4), the relevant risk components (RX) - partial risks depending
on the source and type of damage) - shall be defined and calculated. Each risk is the
sum of its risk components. When calculating a risk, the risk components may be
grouped according to the source of damage and the type of damage.

5. Risk management
The decision to protect a structure or a service against lightning, as well as the selection
of protection measure may be performed by applying the following procedures.
5.1 Procedure (for each risk) to calculate the need of protection

Identify the risk components (Rx) which make up the risk

Calculate the identified risk components (Rx)

Calculate total risk (R)

Identify the tolerable risk (RT)

Comparison of the risk R with the tolerable value (RT)

If R < RT, lightning protection is not necessary

If R > RT, protection measure shall be adopted in order to reduce R<RT for all
risks which the object is subjected.

5.2 Procedure to calculate the cost effectiveness of protection

Besides the need of lightning for a structure or for a service, it may be useful to ascertain
the economic benefits of installing protection measures in order to reduce economic loss

Calculate identified risk components RX in absence of new/additional protection

measures

Calculate annual cost of loss due to each risk component RX

Calculate annual cost CL of total loss in the absence of protection measures

Adopt the selected protection measures

Calculate risk components RX with selected protection measures present

Calculate annual cost of residual loss due to each risk component RX in the
protected structure or service

Calculate total annual cost CRL of residual loss with selected protection measures
present

Calculate annual cost CPM of selected protection measures [CPM = CP x (i+a+m)]*

Compare costs

If CL < CRL + CPM, lightning protection may not be deemed to be cost effective

If CL > CRL + CPM, protection measures may prove to save money over the life of
the structure
* Note:

CP cost of protection measures

i interest rate
a amortization rate
m maintenance rate

5.3 Selection of protection measures

Protection measures are directed to reduce the risk according to the type of damages.
Protection measures should conform to requirements of the following standards

IEC 62305-3 protection against injury to living beings and physical damage in a
structure

IEC 62305-4 protection against failure of internal systems

The selection of the most suitable protection measures should be made according to the
share of each risk component in the total risk R and according to the technical and
economic aspects of the different protection measures. For each type of loss, there is a
number of protection measures which, individually or in combination make the condition
R < RT.

6. A Case Study on Risk Assessment and Management

6.1 To determine the risk R1 of loss of life in an office building and comparing with
tolerable value RT = 10-5. The aim is to show:

how to calculate risk and determine the need for protection

the contribution of different risk components to the overall
risk
the effect of different protection measures to mitigate such
risk
the method of selection from different protection solution
taking into account cost effectiveness

6.2 Relevant data and characteristics

Table -1: Structure data and characteristics
Parameters
Dimensions (m)
Lightning flash density
Location factor

Comment

Symbol

Value

L b x Wb x H b

40 x 20 x 25

1/km2/year

Ng

Isolated

Cd

LPS

None

PB

Shield at the structure boundary

None

KS1

Shield internal to structure

None

KS2

Inside and
outside the
structure

nt

200

People present in the structure

Table -2: Internal power systems and connected power line data and characteristics
Parameters

Comment

Symbol

Value

Length (m)

Lc

200

Height (m)

Aerial

Hc

HV/LV transformer

No

Ct

Line location factor

Isolated

Cd

Rural

Ce

None

PLD

PLI

0.4

None

KS3

Uw = 2.5 kV

KS4

0.6

Co-ordinated SPD protection

None

PSPD

End a line structure dimensions (m)

None

(Lb x Wb x Hb)

Line environment factor

Line shielding
Internal wiring precautions
Equipment withstand voltage Uw

Table -3: Internal telecom systems and connected TLC line data and characteristics
Parameters

Comment

Symbol

Value

250

Soil resistivity
Length (m)

Lc

1000

Height (m)

Buried

Isolated

Cd

Line environment factor

Rural

Ce

Line shielding

None

PLD

PLI

None

KS3

Uw = 1.5 kV

KS4

Co-ordinated SPD protection

None

PSPD

End a line structure dimensions (m)

None

(Lb x Wb x Hb)

Line location factor

Internal wiring precautions

Equipment withstand voltage Uw

6.3 Definition and characteristics of zones in the office building

Table -4: Zone Z1 (entrance area to the building) characteristics
Parameters

Comment

Symbol

Value

Soil surface type

Marble

ra

10

Shock protection

None

PA

Yes

Lt

2 x 10

Loss by touch and step voltages

People potentially in danger in the zone

-2

-2

Table -5: Zone Z2 (garden) characteristics

Parameters

Comment

Symbol

Value

Soil surface type

Grass

ra

10

Shock protection

Fence

PA

Yes

Lt

10

Loss by touch and step voltages

People potentially in danger in the zone

-2

-4

Table -6: Zone Z3 (archive) characteristics

Parameters

Comment

Symbol

Value

Floor surface type

Linoleum

ru

10

-5

High

rf

10

-1

Special hazard

Low panic

hz

Fire protection

None

rp

Spatial shield

None

KS2

Internal power systems

Yes

Connected to LV
power line

Internal telephone systems

Yes

Connected to
telecom line

Loss by touch and step voltages

Yes

Lt

10

-5

Loss by physical damage

yes

Lf

10

-3

Risk of fire

People potentially in danger in the zone

20

Table -7: Zone Z4 (offices) characteristics

Parameters

Comment

Symbol

Value

Floor surface type

Linoleum

ru

10

-5

Low

rf

10

-3

Special hazard

Low panic

hz

Fire protection

None

rp

Spatial shield

None

KS2

Internal power systems

Yes

Connected to LV
power line

Internal telephone systems

Yes

Connected to
telecom line

Loss by touch and step voltages

Yes

Lt

8 x 10

-5

Loss by physical damage

yes

Lf

8 x 10

-3

Risk of fire

People potentially in danger in the zone

160

Table -8: Zone Z5 (computer centre) characteristics

Parameters

Comment

Symbol

Value

Floor surface type

Linoleum

ru

10

-5

Low

rf

10

-3

Special hazard

Low panic

hz

Fire protection

None

rp

Spatial shield

None

KS2

Internal power systems

Yes

Connected to LV
power line

Internal telephone systems

Yes

Connected to
telecom line

Loss by touch and step voltages

Yes

Lt

7 x 10

-6

Loss by physical damage

yes

Lf

7 x 10

-4

Risk of fire

People potentially in danger in the zone

14

Table -9: Collection area of structure and lines

2

Symbol

Value (m )

Ad

2.7 x 10

Al (Power)

4.5 x 10

Ai (Power)

2 x 10

Al (Telecom)

1.45 x 10

Ai (Telecom)

3.9 x 10

5
4

Table -10: Expected annual number of dangerous events

Symbol

Value (1/year)

Nd

1.1 x 10

NL (Power)

1.81 x 10

NI (Power)

8 x 10

NL (Telecom)

5.9 x 10

NI (Telecom)

1.581

-1
-2

-1
-2

6.4 Risk calculation for decision on need for protection

Table -11: Risk R1 Values of risk components according to Zones (value x 10-5)

Symbol

Z1

Z2

Z3

Z4

Z5

Entrance area

Garden

Archive

Offices

Computer

Structure

centre
RA

0.002

0.002

RB

2.21

0.177

0.016

2.403

RU (Power line)

RV (Power line)

0.362

0.029

0.002

0.393

RU (Tele. line)

RV (Tele. line)

1.18

0.094

0.008

1.282

TOTAL

0.002

3.752

0.3

0.026

4.08

6.5 Conclusion from R1 evaluation

Because R1 = 4.08 x 10-5 is greater than the tolerable value RT = 10-5, lightning
protection for the structure is necessary
6.6 Selection of protection measures
Table -12: Composition of risk R1 components according to Zones (value x 10-5)

Symbol

RD

Z1

Z2

Z3

Z4

Z5

Entrance
area

Garden

Archive

Offices

Computer

0.002

Structure

centre
2.21

0.177

0.016

2.405

RI

1.542

0.123

0.01

1.673

TOTAL

0.002

3.752

0.3

0.026

4.08

RS

0.002

0.002

RF

3.752

0.3

0.026

4.08

RO

TOTAL

0.002

3.752

0.3

0.026

4.08

Where
RD = RA + RB + RC; RI = RM + RU + RV + RW + RZ
RS = RA + RU; RF = RB + RV; RO = RM + RC + RW
And
RD - risk due to flashes striking the structure; RI risk due to flashes influencing the
structure; RS risk due to injury to living beings; RF risk due to physical damage; RO
risk due to failure of internal systems

The composition shows that the risk for the structure is mainly due to physical damage in
the zone Z3 caused by lightning striking the structure or the connected lines; the risk of
the fire (physical damage) in the zone Z3 is 92 % of the total risk.
According to Table -12, the primary contributing factors to the value of risk R1 in zone
Z3 are due to
- component RB

(lightning flash to structure) for 54 %

- component RV (power line)

(lightning flash to power line) for 9 %

- component RV (tele line)

(lightning flash to tele line) for 29 %

To reduce the risk to the tolerable value, the following protective measures could be
adopted.
a) protect the building with a Class IV LPS conforming to IEC 62305 3 to reduce
component RB.
-

PB = 0.2
PU = PV = 0.03 (due to SPDs on incoming lines)

b) install in the archive (zone Z3) an automatic fire detection system, to reduce
component RB and RV in this zone and SPDs of LPL IV at the entrance point in
the building on both the power and tele lines. Parameters in the Tables 2, 3 and
6 will change as follows:
rp = 0.2 only for zone Z3
PU = PV = 0.03 (due to SPDs on incoming lines
The changes in the values of risk for each zone are given in the Table 13
Table 13: Values of risk R1 according to solution chosen (values x 10-5)
Z1

Z2

Z3

Z4

Z5

Entrance
area

Garden

Archive

Offices

Computer

Solution a)

0.002

0.488

0.039

0.003

0.532

Solution b)

0.002

0.451

0.18

0.0158

0.649

Solution

TOTAL

centre

Both solutions reduce the risk below the tolerable value

The solution to be adopted is subject to both the best technical criteria and the
most cost effective solutions.
(Source reference: IEC 62305 Part 2: Risk management)
Written by Mr. R. Ganesan, Consultant, LPCI