Modeling and Assessment of Lightning Hazards to Humans in Heritage Monuments in India and Sri Lanka

Abstract

Lightning is one of the inevitable disastrous phenomena which in addition to damaging tall edifices, might also consequently endanger humans due to lightning-human interactions. This research focuses on analyzing lightning hazards to humans in the vicinity of heritage monuments in India and Sri Lanka. Five monuments which include three giant stupas namely Ruwanweliseya, Jethawanaramaya and Abayagiriya from Sri Lanka and two large temples namely Brihadishvara Temple and Gangaikonda Cholapuram from India have been chosen for investigation. Lightning-human interaction mechanisms namely direct strike, side flash, aborted upward leader, step and touch voltages have been investigated for the most onerous scenario on humans in the vicinity of the monuments. Firstly, the electro-geometric model as stipulated in standards has been implemented to ascertain the effectiveness of lightning protection to the structures. Subsequently, the study has been extended to the computation of step and touch voltages utilizing lightning current and electrostatic models based on Finite Element Method (FEM) using COMSOL Multi-physics®. Detailed plots of electric field and voltage distribution of lightning on humans due to a typical lightning current of 30 kA have been obtained. The final study involves assessment of current through humans which is estimated based on lumped R-C human model representation using OrCAD Cadence®. The analyses reveal that humans are invariably shielded against direct strikes whereas effects due to side flashes are minimal. During strikes to the monuments, high voltage may appear due to step and touch potential under dry conditions, though such effects could be mitigated by appropriate earthing system.