GROUNDING SYSTEMS CALCULATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 PURPOSE & SCOPE............................................................................................................................2
2.0 DEFINITION.........................................................................................................................................2
3.0 PROCEDURE / REQUIREMENTS......................................................................................................2
4.0 REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................7

GROUNDING SYSTEMS CALCULATIONS

1.0 PURPOSE & SCOPE
This procedure outlines the method to be followed for preparation of an electrical grounding
calculation.

2.0 DEFINITION
Electrical grounding calculations can be performed to determine:
1) The minimum conductor size of the main ground grid,
2) The resistance-to-earth of the grounding system, and
3) Step and touch potentials. The calculations follow the methodology in IEEE 665 and IEEE
80

3.0 PROCEDURE / REQUIREMENTS

3.1 GENERAL
Grounding calculations fall into three categories:
1) Determination of the minimum ground conductor size,
2) Determination of the resistance-to-earth of the ground grid, and
3) Determination of the GPR (ground potential rise) of the switchyard for input into the
communication system design
4) Determination of allowable and actual step and touch potentials
In general, simplified formulae are used for obtaining minimum ground conductor size and
resistance to earth of the ground grid.

3.2 SOIL-RESISTIVITY INPUT DATA

Soil resistivity data is required for determination of the resistance-to-earth value for the plant.
Ground Conductor Sizing
Ground conductor cable sizing as a function of conductor current shall be obtained from either:
1) Equation 40 & 41 in IEEE 80-2000 Section 11.3.1.1,
A mm2 = I

1
TACP 10

t
c r r

K 0 + Tm
ln
K +T
a
0

............................................................(40)

GROUNDING SYSTEMS CALCULATIONS

A kcmil = I

197.4
TACP 10 4 K 0 + Tm

t ln K + T
a
c r r 0

............................................................(41)

Generally, 4/0 bare copper cable will be adequate for most projects.
2) or Equation 18 in IEEE 665-1995 Section 5.8.3,
Simplified ground conductor size (which may result in larger conductors than required)
is calculated from:
A k = a I tc

.....................................................................................................(18)

is the conductor cross-section (in mm2)

is the fault current (assuming a bolted fault) (in rms A)

tc

is the fault duration, including relaying and tripping time (in s)

Note- In order to introduce margin, the protection time of the backup protection should
be used; if this assumption results in very large conductors, an arbitrary multiplier, say
1.5, may be used (per IEEE 665)
a

is a factor that takes into account the effect of asymmetrical fault currents:
For tc<0.2 s, a=1.3;
For tc0.2 s, a=1.0.

factor dependent on the initial and final temperature of conductor material

3.3 RESISTANCE TO EARTH

Resistance-to-earth values for a plant can be approximated using either:
1) Equation 53, 54, 55, & 56 in IEEE 80-2000 Section 14.3,
Resistance Formulas (Schwartz Equations):
R 1R 2 R 2 m
Rg =
R 1 + R 2 2R m

............................................................................................(53)
Where:
R1

ground resistance of the grid conductor in

R2

ground resistance of all ground rods in

GROUNDING SYSTEMS CALCULATIONS

Rm

mutual resistance between the group of grid conductors, R 1, and group of

ground rods, R2 in

Ground resistance of the grid:

2L C k 1 L C

ln
R 1 =
k2
+
A
................................................................... (54)
L C a'
where:

is the soil resistivity in -m

Lc

is the total length of all connected grid conductors in m

is

is a for conductor on earth surface in m

2a

is the diameter of conductor in m

is the area covered by conductors (in m2)

k1, k2

are the coefficients

a 2h

for conductors buried at depth h, in m or

Ground resistance of the rod bed:

4 LR
2 k1 L r
ln
R 2 =
1+

A
2 n R LR b

2
nR 1
.......................................(55)

Where
Lr

is the length of each rod in m

2b

is the diameter of rod in m

nR

number of rods placed in area A

Mutual ground resistance between the grid and the rod bed:

2L C k 1 L c
ln

R m =
+

k
+
1

A
...............................................................(56)
L C L r
2) or Equation 2, 3, 4, & 5 in IEEE 665-1995 Section 5.2.5.3,

GROUNDING SYSTEMS CALCULATIONS

R 1R 2 R 212
Rg =
R 1 + R 2 2R 12

.............................................................................................(2)
Where:
R1

is the resistance of the ground conductor

R2

is the resistance of the ground rods (rod bed)

R12

is the mutual resistance between the group of grid conductors and the
group of ground rods

R1 is

1 2 l1
l
ln
+ K 1 1 K 2
A
l1 h'
............................................................................(3)

R2 is

2
a 8l 2
l

ln
1 + 2K 1 2 n 1
A
2nl 2 d 2
...........................................................(4)

R12 is

a 2l1
l
ln + K1 1 K 2 + 1
A
.......................................................................(5)
l1 l2
1

is the soil resistivity encountered by grid conductors buried at depth h (in

-m)

is the apparent soil resistivity as see by a ground rod (in -m)

Note-The resistivity at the lower portion of the rod is the most important, since most
current is injected into the earth through the lower portion.
l1

is the total length of grid conductors (in m)

l2

is the average length of a ground rod (in m)

is the depth grid burial (in m)

is d1 h for conductors buried at depth h, or 0.5d1 for conductors at h=0

(on the surface of the earth)

GROUNDING SYSTEMS CALCULATIONS

A

is the area covered by a grid of dimensions a.b (in m2)

is the short-side grid length (in m)

is the long-side grid length (in m)

is the number of ground rods placed in area A

K1, K2

are constants related to the geometry of the system

d1

is the diameter of the grid conductor (in m)

d2

is the diameter of the ground rod (in m)

This equation provides for an acceptable level of accuracy given the lack of preciseness of the
input data, specifically soil resistivity data.
If the resistance to earth exceeds the required limits, the calculation should be redone, increasing
the overall grid area and decreasing the spacing between the grid conductors and finally by using
deep well ground rods or chemical soil treatment.
3.4 STEP AND TOUCH POTENTIAL AND GPR
Step and touch calculations, including GPR, can be computed and implementing the equations
using the guidelines of IEEE 80.
3.5 REQUIRED CALCULATION INPUTS
The following is a summary of the required inputs to the calculation:
1) For ground conductor size and resistance to earth

Grounding System Design Criteria

Site Plan Drawing

Soil resistivity data

Maximum fault current, clearing time, entire system parameters (from Utility)

2) For step and touch calculations

Site Plan Drawing

Soil resistivity data

Maximum fault current, clearing time, entire system parameters (from Utility)

Projection factor for future growth in number of transmission lines.

GROUNDING SYSTEMS CALCULATIONS

3.6 REQUIRED CALCULATION OUTPUTS
The following is a summary of the required outputs to the calculation:
1) Ground conductor size and resistance to earth

Minimum ground cable size used in developing grounding drawings.

Resistance-to-earth of ground grid for calculating overall dimensions of the grid and
used in developing grounding drawings

2) Step and touch potential calculations

Step and touch potentials used in developing grounding drawings

GPR for input to Communications design

Total number of ground rods & length of cable

4.0 REFERENCES
1

IEEE 80-2000, Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding.

IEEE 665-1995, Standard for Generating Station Grounding.