Abstract

Aim: Identification of solutions, which increase the effectiveness of protection against direct lightning strikes, by taking account of past experience associated with agricultural property, which was exposed to the impact of storms.

Introduction: Each year, in the Republic of Belarus, many fires are caused by lightning strikes. As a result buildings used by the public and for industrial purposes are exposed to damage. These include storage facilities for flax and fodder. Additionally, animals and birds die. During the years 2001-2013 there were 46 fires in Belarus, which affected buildings and items from the agro-industrial sector, of which 43 were as the result of direct lightning strikes and 3 related to secondary causes. The biggest proportion of fires were caused by direct lightning strikes. The basic approach used to protect buildings from lightning strikes is by utilising lightning conductors [1–2]. During a period of use, protective properties of lightning conductors may undergo a change, caused by the influence of external factors. Such a change may reduce the size of a protected area with a consequential impact on the safety of a building or other item in the vicinity at the moment of a lightning strike.

Methodology: In order to examine the impact on the safety of buildings and other property, caused by changes to properties of lightning conductors, research was performed with the aid of data analysis, of fires caused by lightning strikes and by observation of changes to properties of lightning conductors. Based on passive experiments a mathematical model was developed for use in forecasting, to determine the potential for property to avoid the consequences of fires caused by storms and a model, which could describe the effective operation of a lightning conductor. A technical solution was proposed for the construction of a lightning conductor, which would protect property from a direct lightning strike. A study of lightning conductors was performed, including the registration of changes to their protection properties.

Results: The choice of optimum technical data, for a protection device against direct lightning strikes, was justified. This data provided a basis for the development of an experimental lightning conductor model. Furthermore, research identified limit values applicable to changes in the properties of lightning conductors, with the aim of modifying methods of describing the protection range of lightning conductors and introduction of appropriate amendments to fire prevention regulations and norms in Belarus.

Relevance in practice: Implications for practice: The development of a technical solution, to deal with protection against lightning strikes, particularly for business properties, provides a level of stable and lasting security and eliminates the problem associated with a reduction in the protective range of lightning conductors.

Keywords: lightning, lightning protection, lightning conductor, fire, agricultural property

Type of article: review article