Conduct Preliminary Layout Design

Earthing Electrode Configuration & Size & Ea

Conductor Size

Determine Maximum Fault Current flowing through the Earthing S

Modify Design
No
Proposed Design Procedure of Earthing Systems for Low-voltage Installations

Start

Conduct Soil Resistivity Test on Accessible Field in Installation

Site

Review Client Design Specification if available

Review National Requirements Documentation

Conduct Preliminary Layout Design of

Earthing Electrode Configuration & Size & Earthing
Conductor Size

Calculate Earthing Resistance using this Template

Determine Maximum Fault Current flowing through the Earthing System

Analyse Step & Touch Voltages

No Are the Values of Step &
Touch Voltages &
Resistance Acceptable?

Yes

Proceed for Final Detailed Design

End
Earthing Resistance Calculations based on BS 7430

Step 1. Select the type of earthing from the drop-down list below:
Three strips set at 120° meeting at the star point all of equal length

Step 2. Enter the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells:
ρ the soil resistivity, in ohm metres (Ωm)

L the total length of the strip, in metres (m)

h the depth of burial, in metres (m)

d the diameter of round conductor or diameter of equivalent cross sectional area of
 Remarks

input values Output Value: Resistance

30.00
2.3841
Satisfactory for R<5
20.00 ohm, continue with
initial design

1.5

0.016

2.00

1.80

3
alue: Resistance

ohm (Ω)
Size of the Earthing Conductor

The average fault current in A (R.M.S)

Fault current duration in seconds

Metal Material

Maximum Temperature (°C)

R.M.S Current density for 1 second duration, k (A/mm²) with initial conductor
temperature of 30°C

initial conductor temperature conductor is 30°C

Type of joint suitable for use at the temperature selected

Corresponding conductor cross-sectional area in (mm²)

The average value of fault current in (kA)

Material of the strip

Duration of fault current in (seconds)
Maximum conductor Temperature
Size of conductor
The average value of fault current in (kA)

Current density at the surface of earth electrode

t the duration of earth fault in seconds

p the resistivity of the soil in ohm metres (Ωm)

The current density at the surface of earth electrode in (A/m²)

Selection of the material for an earthing conductor with respect to corrosion and mechanical s

Material
Configuration

minimum size of the earthing conductor

Remarks
 50000.00

1.00

Copper

350

201

YES

25

69

Welded or Brazed

248.7562

Copper
1
200
38 x 6
 36.3000

10
50

339.7058

on and mechanical strength

Copper
Solid round

50 mm², 8 mm diameter

50 mm² (8 mm diameter) may be reduced to 28 mm²

(6 mm diameter) in certain applications where
mechanical strength is not an essential requirement.
Consideration should in this case, be given to
reducing the spacing of the fasteners.
Applicable for air termination rods only. For
applications where mechanical stress such as wind
loading is not critical, a 10 mm diameter, 1 m long
maximum air termination rod may be used. Applicable
for earth lead-in rods only.
39.3999
Earthing Resistance Calculations based on IEEE Green Book

Step 1. Select the type of earthing from the drop-down list below:

One ground rod

Step 2. Enter the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells:
p the soil resistivity, in ohm metres (Ωm)
a the radius of the rod, in metres (m)
L the rod length, in metres (m)
d the depth of burial, in metres (m)

Case where a typical electrode of 3 m long is used

Diameter in (mm)

Soil Resistivity in (ohm-cm)

Number of rods

Resistance value in ohm (Ω)

en Book

Remarks

input values Output Value: Resistance

20 11.9262 ohm (Ω)
0.008 Does not comply for 5 ohms. Review and modify design
1.5
1 2
0.0001
3

12.7
43000
3

192.6042
Does not comply for 5 ohms. Review and modify design
eview and modify design
IEC 60364 Conductor Selection

Earthing Electrode
Material
Surface
Shape

Minimum Size

Remarks

Earthing Conductor (buried in the soil)

Corrosion Protection
Material
Mechanical Protection

Minimum cross-sectional area:

Supplementary Equipotential Bonding Conductor

Connection
Protection Preference

Minimum cross-sectional area

Protective conductors

A) Method 1
Cross-sectional area of line conductor (mm²)
Is the protective conductor is of the same
material as the line conductor?
Material of Line Conductor
Factor "k" value of the line conductor
Material of Protective Conductor
Protective Conductor Type
Conductor Insulation
PVC insulated conductors of cross-sectional
area > 300 mm² ?

Factor k value of the protective conductor

Minimum cross-sectional area of the

corresponding protective conductor (mm²)

B) Method 2

Value of fault current (r.m.s) in A

Operating time of the protective device for
automatic disconnection in s
Conductor Material

Minimum cross-sectional area of the

corresponding protective conductor (mm²)
 Copper.
Tin.coated
Rope

Cross- section al area = (25 mm²) ,,Diameter = (1.8 mm) for individual strands of

coating/sheathing Individual value = (1 µm), Average value = (5 µm

Protected against corrosion

Copper
Mechanically protected

2.5 mm²

ng Conductor
Two (2) Exposed– conductive– parts
Sheathed or Mechanically Protected

≥ ½ of the smaller protective conductor connecting to the exposed–condu

 16

YES

Copper
226
Copper
insulated protective conductors not incorporated in cables and not bunched with o
70 °C PVC

YES

Polyethylene
Visible and in restricted area
90 °C PVC
133
103

128

16.0000

1000

Copper

7.6639
Common Earthing Practices in Malaysia

Step 1. Select the type of earthing from the drop-down list below:

Single Rod Electrode

Step 2. Select the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells:

R the target earthing resistance, in ohm (Ω) 5

ρ the soil resistivity, in ohm metres (Ωm) 30
d the diameter of each rod, (mm) 25

Output Data:
Total length of rod required in metres (m)

Total length of rod required in metres (m)

6.313
Total length of rod required in metres (m)

2m - 4m
1.5
*

*
*

*
The Use of Concrete Enclosed Reinforcing Rods as Grounding Electrodes

Step1. Select the type of concrete-encased grounding

Multiple concrete-encased rebar grounding electrodes in Hollow rectangular configuration

Step 2. Enter the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells:
ρₒ the resistivity of surrounding medium (Ω-m)
L the length of rod in (m)
r the radius of the rod (m)
r1 the outer radius of rod (m)
ρ1 the higher resistivity of (earth) in (Ω-m)
r the radius of equivalent hemisphere
d the spacing of electrodes
N the total number of rods
k given in graph
M multiplier to obtain array resistance from single electrode reistance

Grounding resistance in ohms (Ω)

EQUIVALENT EQUATION OF EARTH RESISTANCE FOR RING ELECTRODE OF WIND TU

Propose novel equivalent equation by author

p the soil resistivity in (Ω-m)

a the radius of a cross-section of the ring in (mm²)
d the burying depth of the ring in (m)
re equivalent radius in (m)
α improvement constant (fixed value)
β improvement constant (fixed value)

Earth Resistance (Ω)

Earthing System’s Design in Presence of Non-uniform Soil

proposed a practical method for earthing systems’ design in presence of two-layer soil
pk the uniform soil with resistivity (Ω-m)
h the depth of the earth electrode (m)
LT the total buried length of conductors (m)
A the area occupied by the earth electrode (mm²)

Earthig Resistance (Ω)

A SIMPLIFIED METHOD FOR CALCULATING THE IMPULSE RESISTANCE OF VERTICAL

due to the low current resistance of the grounding rod

p the soil resistivity (Ω-m)

re effective radius varying with the current crest value impulse current (m)
l the length of rod (m)

Impulse Resistance (Ω)

A Systematic Approach to Safe and Effective Earthing System Design

Resistance of a single vertical earth electrode to achieve R<=5 ohms

p the soil resistivity (Ω-m)

a the nominal diameter of earthing electrode (m)
N the number of joint electrodes (vertically installed) for individual point P
Ln the nominal length of earthing electrode (m)
Lr the total length of vertical earthing electrode (m)

Earthing Resistance (Ω)

DESIGN AND CALCULATION OF AN EARTH ELECTRODE

Buried straight rod or wire

r resistivity (Ω-cm)
h depth of burial (cm)
L total length (cm)
d diameter of the rod (cm)

Earthing Resistance (Ω)

Case where a vertical rod is driven through a high-resistivity superficial layer into a lower resistivity subsoi

r1 the resistivity of the upper layer (Ω-cm)

r2 the resistivity of the subsoil (Ω-cm)
h depth of burial (cm)
L total length of the rod (cm)
d diameter of the rod (cm)
L' effective length of the ground rod (cm)

Earthing Resistance (Ω)

 200
1.5
0.016
0.2
150
2.5
3
10
6
0.6000

70.3748

WIND TURBINE

300
0.4
4
0.1
1.85
3.82

43.99515
 60
5
4.5
0.5

94.14621

VERTICAL GROUNDING RODS

42.3
0.025
1

25.00071

100
0.016
10
1.5
15

3.8353748
Satisfactory, continue with initial design
 1000
180
150
0.016

19.31793

ivity subsoil

3000
2000
80
60
0.5
33.333333

174.5266
Three Parallel aligned rods
Copper Plate

Copper Strip
llel aligned rods Two Parallel aligned rods
Reinforced Concrete Foundation