B.

4 L-shaped grid with ground rods—Example 4

In this example the design of Example 2 is modified to illustrate the use of the equations for an L-shaped
grid with ground rods. The total area and mesh spacing are the same as that of Example 2, and the ground
rods are located only around the perimeter of the grid, as shown in Figure B.4. All other parameters are the
same as Example 2, except the number of rods (24). Thus, Steps 1 through 4 are the same as Example 2,
and this example begins with Step 5. Step 5. Using Equation (57) for L = 1575 m + (24)(7.5 m) = 1755 m
and A = 4900 m2, gives T

1 1  1 
ρ
Rg =  + 1+  (B.33)

LT 20A  1+ h 20/ A 

1 1  1 
Rg = 400 + 1+  = 2.74 Ω
1755 20×4900  1+ 0.5 20/ 4900 

Steps 6 and 7. The revised GPR is (1908)(2.74) = 5228 V, which is much greater than the tolerable touch
voltage of 838.2 V.

Step 8. Using Equation (89) through Equation (93), and Equation (86) and Equation (94), n, Km, and Ki are
computed

Figure B.4—L-shaped grid with twenty-four 7.5 m ground rods

n = na ×nb ×nc ×nd (B.34)

 2× LC
na = (B.35)
LP

na = =9

LP
nb =(B.36)
4× A

350
nb ==1.12
4 × 4900
0.7×A

L x × L y L x ×L y
=
nc   (B.37)
 A 

70×105
nc =  4900 =1.21
 nd =1 for L-shaped grid

n=(9)(1.12)(1.21)

(1)=12.2
Now K is computed using Equation (86) and Equation (88) m

Kii =1

05
.
Kh 1+ == 1225.
10
.
  2 2 
1 D (D + 2×h) h Kii  8 
(B.38)
π
Km = ×ln + −  + h ×ln (2×n −1) 2× 
16×h×d 8× D×d 4×d  K π

1  72 (7 + 2(0.5)) 2
0.5  1.0  8 
Km = ln + −  + ln (2(12.2)−1) = 0.76
2π16(0.5)0.01 8(7)0.01 4(0.01) 1.225 π

Equation (88) is used to compute Ki

Ki = 0.644+ 0.148×n (B.39)

Ki = 0.644+ 0.148×12.2 = 2.45

Finally, E is computed using Equation (86) and Equation (96) m

ρ× IG × Km × Ki
Em = (B.40)
  Lr 
1.55 +1.22 2
L C + L R
 
 L x +L y
2 

  

(400)(1908)(0.76)(2.45)
Em == 761.1 V
  7.5 
1575+ 1.55+1.22 2 2 180

  70 +105 

Equation (97), Equation (98), and Equation (99) are used to compute E , L and K , respectively. It should ss
s be noted that the value for K is still 2.45 (same as for mesh voltage).
i

11 1 1

Ks = π2×h + D + h + D 1−0.5n−2  ( ) (B.41)

 1 1 1 1 

Ks =  () + 7 + 0.5 + 7 (1− 0.512.2−2 ) = 0.41

π2 0.5
Then

ρ×I ×Ks ×Ki

G

Es = (B.42)
0.75×LC + 0.85×LR

Es == 574.6 V

Step 9. Note that this is close to the results of Example 2, and is lower than the tolerable E limit of touch70
838.2 V. Proceed to Step 10. Step 10. The computed E is well below the tolerable step voltage determined in
Step 3 of Example 1. That s
is, 574.6 V is much less than 2686.6 V. Step

11. Not required for this example.

Step 12. A safe design has been obtained and final details can now be added to the design.

For comparison, a computer program of EPRI TR-100622 [B64] gives results of 2.34 Ω, 742.9 V, and 441.8
V for the grid resistance, touch voltage, and step voltage, respectively, for this example.

B.5 Equally spaced grid with ground rods in two-layer soil—Exhibit 1

Using the computer program of EPRI TR-100622 [B64], an equally spaced grid in two-layer soil was
modeled.

As shown in Figure B.5, the 61 m × 61 m (200 ft × 200 ft) grid consisted of four meshes per side, and had
nine ground rods, each 9.2 m (30 ft) long. The diameter of ground rods was 0.0127 m (0.5 in). The diameter
of the grid wire was 0.01 m diameter, buried 0.5 m below the earth’s surface. The depth of the upper layer
300 Ω-m soil was 4.6 m (15 ft); the lower soil had resistivity of 100 Ω-m.

The computer-calculated values of resistance, corner mesh voltage, and maximum step voltage, are as
follows:

R = 1.353 Ω E = 49.66% of GPR E = 18.33% of GPR g

m s

As can be determined from Figure B.6, the mesh voltage coordinates were X = –75.00 ft, and Y= –75.00 ft,
that is, near the center of the corner mesh. The maximum step voltage (not shown) was calculated outside the
grid, between the grid corner (X, Y = –100 ft) and the point at X, Y = –102.12 ft, that is, approximately over
1 m distance in a diagonal direction away from the grid corner.