Interferences between grounding systems in urban and industrial areas

In city centers, urban or industrial areas, the grounding systems (GSs) interact naturally because they share common zones of influence. IEC Standard 61936-1 defines the “global grounding system” (GGS), as consisting of elements that are essentially interconnected such as the metal sheaths of MV cables. This paper deals with an analysis of the parameters that characterize the grounding systems as isolated electrodes, as they are considered in the design specifications and verifying tests suggested by the IEC Standards. The paper analyzes the impact of more grounding systems in the same zone of influence and their possible global integration.

I. Introduction

In city centers, urban or industrial areas, the grounding systems (GSs) are installed in common zone of influence and can be interconnected not only by intentional connections, but also by non-intentional connections, such as buried metal structures, steel pipes and other extraneous conductive parts that may be present in the same zone, therefore they naturally interacts.