CODE

FOR

PROTECTION

AGAINST LIGHTNING

Miscellaneous Publication

of the

Bureau of Standards

No. 92

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

BUREAU OF STANDARDS

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATION, BUREAU OF STANDARDS, No. 92 CODE

FOR

PROTECTION

AGAINST LIGHTNING

April 8, 1929

Approved April 4, 1929, by the American Standards Association

PRICE 25 CENTS

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1929

MEMBERS OF THE SECTIONAL COMMITTEE

Sponsors: American Institute of Electrical Engineers. National Bureau of Standards. NAME AND BUSINESS AFFILIATION ORGANIZATION REPRESENTED

*M. G. Lloyd (chairman), Bureau of Standards, National Bureau of Standards. Washington, D. C.

*F. W. Peek, jr. (vice chairman), General Electric American Institute of Electrical EngiCo., Pittsfield, Mass. neers. *0. S. Peters (secretary), Bureau of Standards, National Bureau of Standards. Washington, D. C. W. R. Arbuckle, superintendent of fire alarm, International Association of Municipal

Bayonne, N. J. Electricians. A. L. Atherton, Westinghouse Electric & Manu- American Institute of Electrical Engifacturing Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa. neers. *W. C. Beckjord, American Light & Traction Co., American Gas Association. New York, N. Y.

J. C. Bogle, Cook Electric Co., Chicago, 111 United States Independent Telephone

Association. Bureau of Construction and Repair, Navy De- United States Navy Department.

partment, Washington, D. C. W. L. Cook, Reliable Electric Co., Chicago, ni._. United States Independent Telephone

Association. R. N. Covert, United States Weather Bureau, United States Weather Bureau.

Washington, D. C.

*H. W. Drake, Western Union Telegraph Co., Western Union Telegraph Co. New York, N. Y.

Frank E. Epps, Tidewater Oil Co., New York, National Safety Council. N. Y.

(Alternate: William F. Rooney.)

V. E. Goodwin, General Electric Co., Pittsfield, National Electrical Manufacturers' AsMass, sociation.

*F. L. Hunt, Turners Falls Power & Electric Co., American Institute of Electrical EnGreenfield, Mass. gineers. Holger Jensen, Maryland Casualty Co., Balti- National Bureau of Casualty and

more, Md. Surety Underwriters.

S. D. Kretzer, St. Louis Lightning Rod Co., St. National Lightning Rod Manufacturers

Louis, Mo. Association. •Member of Executive Committee.

Ill
IV MEMBERS OP THE SECTIONAL COMMITTEE

NAME AND BUSINESS AFFILIATION

F. McVittie, New York State Railways, Rochester, N. Y.

(Alternate: P. V. C. See.)

J. L. Niesse, C. C. C. & St. L. Railway, Indianapolis, Ind.

P. Norton, Western Electric Co., New York, N. Y.

J. P. O'Donohue, Postal Telegraph-Cable Co., New York, N. Y.

(Alternate: D. H. Gage.) Dana Pierce, Underwriters' Laboratories, Chicago, 111. (Alternate: B. H. Glover.) D. W. Roper, Commonwealth Edison Co., Chicago, 111. (Alternates: A. Maxwell and E. C. Stone.) E. R. Scales, Edison Lamp Works, Harrison, N. J. •A.M. Schoen, South-Eastern Underwriters Association, Atlanta, Ga. W. C. Shinn, W. C. Shinn Manufacturing Co., Chicago, 111. F B. Silsbee, Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C. *C. E. Skinner, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa. Thomas Sproule, Public Service Electric & Gas

Co., Newark, N. J. (Alternate: R. N. Conwell.) E. R. Stbtts, Dodd & Struthers, Des Moines,

Iowa. H. S. Warren, American Telephone & Telegraph

Co., New York, N. Y. W. C. Wagner, Philadelphia Electric Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

OBGANIZATION REPRESENTED

American Electric Railway Association.

American Railway Association. Western Electric Co.

Postal Telegraph-Cable Co.

Underwriters' Laboratories (Inc.).

National Electric Light Association.

American Society of Safety Engineers- Engineering Section, National Safety Council. National Fire Protection Association and American Institute of Architects. National Lightning Rod Manufacturers'

Association. National Bureau of Standards. American Petroleum Institute. National Electric Light Association.

National Lightning Rod Manufacturers'

Association. American Telephone & Telegraph Co.

Association of Edison Illuminating Companies. Member of Executive Committee.
PREFACE

The protection of persons and property against lightning

is a subject of widespread interest and of considerable importance. Since the time of Benjamin Franklin the value of

lightning rods in the protection of buildings has been recognized. Early in the art of utilization of electrical energy,

the use of lightning arresters in connection with exposed

overhead lines was introduced. In the fields of both buildings and electrical equipment there has been a great variety

of practice, and many installations have been made which

did not adequately fulfill the purpose for which they were

intended.

In order to meet the definite need for standards of practice in connection with lightning protection, the American

Engineering Standards Committee included in the first list of safety codes on its program a code of practice on this

subject. The American Institute of Electrical Engineers

and the National Bureau of Standards were designated as sponsors for this project, whose scope included the protection of buildings, oil tanks and other structures, trees, live- stock, and persons; overhead electrical lines, and apparatus

which is connected to them.

A sectional committee was organized by the sponsors in

1921 and has been working for a number of years upon the

formulation of definite standards which should be a guide

in securing protection from this hazard. The needs of both

Y
VI PREFACE

industry and the public have been kept in mind, and the

standards now set up have been taken largely from American practice and experience, although foreign practice has

also been given consideration.

The subject matter contemplated for this code comprises

five parts, three of which are presented here. The other two

parts, dealing with electrical apparatus and lines, are withheld for further consideration. In each part an introductory statement to the particular subject in hand is given,

and the code Is followed by an appendix in which is given a general discussion of lightning, its origin and characteristics, and the effects which it produces. An attempt is made

in the appendix to indicate how much is definitely known

about lightning and its properties and also theories of its origin and speculations regarding the magnitude of the

electrical quantities involved in lightning phenomena. There

is also appended a bibliography in which the more important contributions to the present state of the art are listed. The part of the code dealing with specifications for lightning rods used to protect buildings goes into the questions

of practical construction and sets forth in detail the requirements of good design for such installations. These are of

general application, and particular types of buildings may

need more specific consideration. For the protection of per- sons and of oil tanks the standards are not so detailed but

are aimed rather to state the general principles which should

be applied.

In spite of the value of lightning rods in the protection

of buildings their use has at times and in places come into

disrepute owing to a general lack of information as to the

best methods of protection, and it is hoped that the publica-
PREFACE VII tion of definite standards on this subject will enable the

public to demand installations which will give them adequate

protection.

Lightning is considered responsible for a majority of tank

fires of the petroleum industries. A realization of the importance of this source of loss to the industry and to the re- sources of the Nation has awakened a general interest in

proper standards of protection. In this field, as in the protection of ordinary buildings, many inadequate installations

have been made in the past. By the application of the

proper principles and standards of construction it is believed

that this loss can be greatly reduced.

Further experience and the accumulating knowledge of

the properties of lightning may lead later to changes in

these specifications, and future revisions are contemplated

from time to time as experience and progress in the art may

warrant. Comments regarding these specifications and

recommended changes are invited by the committee from all who may have experience in applying them.

CONTENTS

Page

Members of the sectional committee in

Preface v Part I.—Protection of persons 1 Introduction 1

100. Purpose 2

101. Personal conduct 2 Part II.—Protection of buildings and miscellaneous property 3 Introduction 3 Relative losses from lightning 4

Factors to be considered 5 Fundamental principles of protection 10

Sec. 20. Scope, definitions, etc 14

200. Scope and purpose 14

201. Interpretations and exceptions 14

202. Mandatory and advisory requirements 15

203. Terms and definitions 15

Sec. 21. Lightning rods for ordinary buildings 16

210. Conductors 16

(a) Materials , 16

(b) Form and size 18

(c) Joints 19

(d) Fasteners 20

211. Points and elevation rods 21

(a) Attachment of points 21

(&) Elevation rods 21

(c) Braces for elevation rods 22

212. Prevention of deterioration 23

(0) General 23

(&) Corrosion 23

(c) Mechanical injury 23

(d) Use of ornaments 23

IX
X CONTEXTS

Part IL—Protection of buildings and miscellaneous property

Continued. Page

213. Location of air terminals 24

(a) General 24

(6) Projections 24

(c) Ridges, parapets, and edges of flat roofs— 24

(d) Metal projections and parts of buildings. 24

(e) Coursing of conductors 24

(f) Roof conductors 25

(g) Down conductors 25

(70 Obstructions 25

(i) Bends 25

214. Metal-roofed and metal-clad buildings 25

(a) Metal in overlapping sections 25

(&) Metal continuous 26

215. Number of down conductors 26

(a) Minimum . 26

(6) Rectangular structures 27

(c) Irregular-shaped structures 27

(d) Structures exceeding 60 feet in height 27

(e) Metal-roofed and metal-clad buildings 27

if) Dead ends 28

216. Interconnection of metallic masses 28

(a) Interconnection or grounding 28

(6) Exterior bodies of metal 29

(c) Interior bodies of metal 29

(d) Metal bodies projecting through sides and roofs 30

(e) Interconnection of metals on or within

metal-roofed and metal-clad buildings 30

(f) Metallic bodies to be independently

grounded 31

(g) Substitution for regular conductors 31

( h ) Size of interconnecting and bonding wires_ 32

217. Ground connections 32

( a ) Number 32

(6) Distribution 32

(c) Moisture 32

(d) Permanency 32
CONTENTS XI

Part II.—Protection of buildings and miscellaneous property

Continued.

217. Ground connections—Continued. Page

(e) Water-pipe grounds 33

(f) Grounding electrodes in deep soil 33

(g) Grounding electrodes in shallow soil 33

(h) Trenches 33

218. Radio installations and wires entering buildings 35

(a) Separation from lightning conductors 35

(&) Metal radio masts on buildings 35

(c) Wooden radio masts 35

Sec. 22. Miscellaneous structures 36

220. Spires, steeples, and flagpoles 36

(a) General 36

(6) Air terminals 36

(c) Down conductors 36

(d) Interconnection of metals 36

(e) Grounding of metallic spires and 'flag- poles 36

221. Water towers, silos, and similar structures 37

(a) General „ 37

(5) Air terminals 37

(c) Conductors 37

(d) Interconnection of metals 38

(e) Grounding of metal towers and tanks 38

Sec. 23. Buildings containing baled inflammable materials- 38

230. Methods and materials 39

231. Metal-roofed and metal-clad buildings 39

232. Buildings of nonconducting materials 39

Sec. 24. Smokestacks and chimneys 39

240. Metal smokestacks 39

241. Brick, hollow-tile, and concrete stacks 40

(a) Conductors- 40

(S) Fasteners 40

(c) Air terminals '. 41

(d) Down conductors 41

(e) Lead covering 41

(f) Joints 41

(g) Ground connections 42
XII CONTENTS

Part II.—Protection of buildings and miscellaneous property

Continued.

241. Brick, hollow-tile, and concrete stacks—Continued. Page (h) Protection against mechanical injury 42

(£) Metal linings 42

Sec. 25. Hangars, balloons, and airships 42

250. Prevention of damage to hangars 42

(a) Materials 43

(&) Conductors 43

(c) Construction and installation 43

(d) Structures with steel frames 43

(e) Construction of air terminals 44

(/) Height of air terminal 44

(g) Location of air terminals ^ 45

(h) Ground connections 45

(i) Interconnection of metals 47

(/) Spark prevention 47

251. Prevention of damage to aircraft 48

(a) Captive balloons : 48

(6) Free balloons and airships 48

(c) Interconnection of metallic parts 48

Sec. 26. Ships 48

260. Vessels to be protected 48

261. Radio antennas 48

262. Vessels with steel hulls and steel masts 48

263. Vessels of other than steel construction 49

264. Metal standing rigging and Jacob's ladders 49

265. Ground connections • 49

Sec. 27. Trees 50

270. Methods and materials 50

( a ) Conductors 50

(6) Coursing of conductors 50

(c) Attachment of conductors 50

(d) Ground connections 51

Sec. 28. Livestock in fields 51

280. Grounding of wire fences 52

(a) Iron posts 52

(6) Iron pipe 52

(c) Depth of grounds 52
CONTENTS XIII Part II.—Protection of buildings and miscellaneous property

Continued. Page

281. Breaking continuity of fence 53

282. Trees 53 Part III.—Protection of structures containing inflammable 54

liquids and gases Introduction 54 Reduction of damage 54 Fundamental principles of protection 54

Sec. 30. Scope, exceptions, etc . 55

300. Scope and purpose • : 55

301. Interpretation and exceptions 56

302. Mandatory and advisory requirements 56

303. Terms and definitions 56

Sec. 31. Protective measures and precautions 58

310. Classification of structures 58

311. Structures which are iuherently self-protecting 59

312. Structures which are not self-protecting 59

313. Additional protective measures 61

314. Flame arresters 62 Appendix A.—Lightning ; its origin, characteristics, and effects- 63 Types of lightning 65 Source of static charge 70

Voltage 75 Energy 77 Maximum current 79 Wave front and duration 83 Induced effects 89 Thunder 94

Illumination 96 Character of damage 97

Effects on persons 99 Thunderstorm data 100 Appendix B.—Bibliography 104 Lightning and thunderstorms 104

Protection of buildings . 109

Protection of oil tanks and explosives buildings 112

I CODE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST LIGHTNING

Part L—PROTECTION OF PERSONS 1 INTRODUCTION

The number of fatalities from lightning is shown by

Census Bureau reports to be about 500 per year for the entire

United States. From the ratio of deaths to injuries where

both are known, the number injured is estimated at 1,300

per year. The same reports show that approximately ninetenths of these casualties occur in rural districts, which, for census purposes, include all towns and villages having 2,500

inhabitants or less. This indicates that the lightning hazard

is by far the greatest among persons engaged in outdoor

pursuits, an indication which is substantiated by the general run of reports of such casualties.

The number of fatalities from lightning is insignificant in

comparison with the number from all other accidental causes, which for the year 1925 was 90,341. The actual danger from

lightning is, in general, very small, except under certain cir- cumstances of exposure out of doors, which, as a rule, can be

avoided. Within buildings of considerable size, and dwelling houses of modern construction, cases of injury from

lightning are relatively rare. They are more frequent within

1 This part of the code has been approved by the American Standards Association as an American standard. 1
2 PROTECTION" OF PERSONS

small unprotected buildings of the older type. Isolated

schoolhouses and churches where numbers may congregate

during thunderstorms present a considerable lightning

hazard if unprotected.

100. Purpose.

The purpose of the rules of this section is to furnish a guide for personal safety during thunderstorms.

101. Personal Conduct.

(a) Do not go out of doors or remain out during thunderstorms unless it is necessary. Stay inside of a building

where it is dry, preferably away from fireplaces, stoves, and

other metal objects.

(b) If there is any choice of shelter, choose in the following order

:

1. Large metal or metal-frame buildings.

2. Dwellings or other buildings which are protected

against lightning.

3. Large unprotected buildings.

4. Small unprotected buildings.

(c) If remaining out of doors is unavoidable, keep away

from

1. Small sheds and shelters if in an exposed location.

2. Isolated trees.

3. Wire fences.

4. Hilltops and wide open spaces. (d) Seek shelter in dense woods, a grove of trees, a cave, a depression in the ground, a deep valley or canyon, or the

foot of a steep or overhanging cliff.
I

Part II.—PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS AND

MISCELLANEOUS PROPERTY 1 INTRODUCTION

Data on property losses from lightning are incomplete,

and it is not possible to make an accurate estimate of the

total. Reports of the National Board of Fire Underwriters

show losses paid averaging more than $13,000,000 annually,

but this sum does not represent the total loss. Many

mutual fire insurance companies and others pay lightning

losses which are not reported as such for tabulation, and

since farm property is more largely insured in mutual companies, it is probable that the total runs to more than that

shown by the National Board. In some Middle Western

States lightning leads the list of causes of fire loss (Iowa,

Kansas, and Oklahoma in 1925).

The use of lightning rods to prevent fire losses from lightning has been quite extensive, and from such data as are

. available it seems evident that existing lightning-rod in- stallations cause the present total of damage to be much

less than it would be if they were removed. Moreover, ex- tension of the use of properly installed equipment would

; decrease the damage that now occurs. It is not to be in- ferred, however, that it would be financially profitable to equip all buildings indiscriminately, because if this were

1 This part of the code has been approved, by the American Standards Association as an American standard. 21534°—29 2 3
4 PKOTECTION OF BUILDINGS

done the annual cost in interest charges and maintenance

would be many times the present annual loss by lightning. It is likely also that many existing installations represent

wasted, or at least unwisely expended, money.

RELATIVE LOSSES FROM LIGHTNING

The effectiveness of lightning rods in reducing losses from

lightning is indicated by the reports of a number of fire marshals and insurance companies in the United States and

Canada in which the losses on protected and unprotected

buildings have been separated. The reports generally state that nearly all of the fire loss from lightning occurs in rural

districts. The proportion of farm buildings equipped with

lightning rods is not known except in Iowa, where a care- ful estimate indicates about 50 per cent. In the years 1919

to 1921, in this State, 28 rodded buildings were destroyed by

lightning, the loss amounting to $87,979. In the same period

503 other buildings were destroyed, the loss amounting to

$1,060,668. The value of rodded buildings lost was only 7.7 per cent of the total, although the number exposed was about

50 per cent. The condition prevailing in other mid-Western

States is not much different. Over large parts of Minnesota,

Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and

Michigan installations are numerous, and it seems probable

that about half of the farm buildings in this entire area, at least of the better class, are protected.

In making reports a building is considered protected re- gardless of the condition of the installation. There are many defective installations, and fire marshals are unani- mous in their opinion that these contribute in large measure

to the losses in " rodded " buildings. However, without

reference to the condition of the protective equipment, and
INTRODUCTION 5

including a large area containing, at a reasonable estimate,

as many protected as unprotected farm buildings, the ratio

of destruction is 1 rodded building to 57 not rodded. The

chance, therefore, of an unprotected farm building being destroyed appears to be fifty-seven times as great as that of

a protected building. While this conclusion is not at all accurate, it seems to be as good an estimate of the effective- ness of lightning rods as can be made until more complete

data are available.

Where fire marshals express an opinion on the subject

(and many of them have done so in their reports) , they urge

the use of lightning rods, basing their opinions on the data

they have gathered showing relative losses. FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED

In determining how far to go in providing lightning protection for specific cases, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors. Attention will be called here to the

existence of these, and their importance, without attempting any general decision as to when lightning protection

should be provided. They are as follows

(a) Frequency and severity of thunderstorms.

(b) Value and nature of building and contents.

(c) Local conditions. » (d) Eelation to insurance premiums.

(e) Personal hazards.

(/) Indirect losses. Frequency and Severity of Thunderstorms.

The frequency of occurrence of thunderstorms varies

throughout the United States from a minimum in regions

where lightning is very infrequent to a maximum in regions

where the average number of such storms is over 90 per
6 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

year, as shown by the curves in Figure 3 of Appendix A.

Moreover, the severity of lightning storms, as distinguished

from the frequency of their occurrence, is much greater in some locations than in others. Hence, the necessity for protection varies over the country, although not necessarily in

direct proportion to thunderstorm frequency. A few severe thunderstorms a season may make the need for protection

greater than a relatively large number of storms of lighter

intensity.

Value and Nature of Building and Contents.

The value and nature of the building and contents obviously are vital factors in deciding whether the expense of

protection is warranted. Buildings sometimes have a value

for historical or sentimental associations which is uninsurable and may justify disproportionate expenses for protection. The nature of the structure will also have a large in- fluence upon the extent of the protection to be considered.

Thus an all-metal structure is practically immune to lightning damage because of its construction, and very simple measures usually suffice to make protection complete. Metalframe buildings with terra cotta or tile facings are next in

order as requiring somewhat more extensive measures, while

as the amount of metal in the roof and sides of a building

decreases the protective measures required approach more

nearly a complete system. Buildings made entirely of non- conducting materials, such as wood, stone, brick, or tile, re- quire complete systems with special attention to contents if they house large metal objects, such as machinery and the

like. Reinforced-concrete buildings, if the reinforcing is thoroughly bonded together, are of the nature of metal-frame
INTRODUCTION 7

buildings as regards protection against lightning, but if the

reinforcing is discontinuous it should be treated the same as a building of nonconducting materials. Lightning strokes on reinforced-concrete buildings having loosely joined reinforcing material are likely to be very destructive by causing

cracks at places where beams and floor slabs are connected

to their supports.

The contents of the building must also be considered as to whether they are replaceable and as to whether they are

explosive, combustible, or fireproof. Explosive dust may

present a hazard in a building that is otherwise immune

to lightning. Combustible contents like hay and raw cot- ton may make protective measures especially desirable.

Local Conditions.

The exposure of a particular building will be an element

in determining whether the expense of protection is warranted. In closely built-up towns and cities the hazard is not so great as in the open country. In the latter, farm

barns in many cases are the most prominent target for lightning in a large area. In hilly or mountainous districts a

building upon high ground is usually subject to greater

hazard than one in a valley or otherwise sheltered area. Surrounding buildings may make special protection seem

unwarranted, especially if they are much higher. A high

water tower or steeple, for instance, considerably reduces

the hazard to near-by dwelling houses.

Relation to Insurance. Eegarded solely from the standpoint of fire insurance, it

is obvious that it would not pay financially to protect all buildings indiscriminately, because it can readily be calcu-
8 PKOTECTION OF BUILDINGS

lated that upkeep and interest on the investment would be

many times the present fire loss from lightning, as stated

heretofore. In this light the use of lightning rods should

be considered particularly with the classes of property that

are most susceptible to fire or serious damage and more particularly the portion of such property located in thunderstorm regions and remote from fire-fighting facilities. Personal Hazards.

Aside from economic considerations, there is also to be

considered the hazard to human lives. As stated previously,

casualties within buildings of modern construction are rela- tively rare, on account of the protective effects offered by

the metal used in constructing them and by metal piping in

exterior walls, but there are at the same time numbers of

buildings in existence of the older type. A stroke of lightning upon an occupied building of this type is accompanied

by serious danger to the occupants. Moreover, in buildings

of any type short of those constructed of metal or with metal

frames, a stroke of lightning may lead, if not to actual

injury, to a considerable degree of discomfort. Hence, lightning protection may be deemed desirable where financial considerations do not enter. Indirect Losses. Aside from fire losses, considerable losses arise in other

ways, as by the killing of livestock and by damage to buildings where fire does not occur. There are also less tangible

costs which sometimes accompany the destruction of buildings and their contents which are usually not covered by

insurance. An interruption to business or to farming operations, especially at certain seasons of the year, may involve
INTRODUCTION 9

losses quite distinct from, and in addition to, the losses aris- ing from the direct destruction of material property. There

are also cases where whole communities depend for safety

and comfort in certain respects on the integrity of a single

I structure, as, for instance, a brick chimney on a waterpumping plant. A stroke of lightning on the unprotected

chimney of a plant of this sort might easily entail serious

consequences from a lack of sanitary drinking water, irri- gating water, or water for fire protection.

It is consequently not easy to state even in general terms

when the installation of lightning protection should be

: undertaken. Each element affecting the situation has to be

considered, and the decision in each case must be made by

the person responsible, obtaining competent assistance where

advice seems needed.

There is a tendency on the part of some to make protective installations more expensive than is necessary, especially in the use of some unusual type of conductor, orna- ments, and other features. Economy lies in reducing the

variety of equipment and in taking advantage of the constructional features of buildings as far as practicable. In

the case of existing structures metal parts can sometimes be

used to supplement an approved system of lightning conductors, or, under favorable conditions, to take the place of

them, if a careful survey shows that their size and mechanical construction are adequate for the purpose. In the case of buildings which are roofed, or roofed and clad, with metal

of substantial weight, or have metal frames, additional con- ductors can be dispensed with, due attention being given only

to bonding and grounding such metal, and to caring for any

upper portions which are susceptible to damage. Advan-
10 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

tage may also be taken of architectural features to the use of unsightly air terminals.

In the case of structures to be erected the matter of protection should be considered in making the plans, for the reason

that many times the necessary measures can be effected in the

architectural features without detracting from the appearance. This is particularly true of monument buildings,

which are designed to stand for all time, and in which it is all too frequently found that the possible effects of lightning- are neglected until construction is completed.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF PROTECTION

The fundamental theory of lightning protection for building is to provide means by which a discharge may enter or

leave the earth without passing through a nonconducting

part of the structure, as, for example, parts which are made

of wood, brick, tile, or concrete. Damage is caused by the

heat and mechanical forces generated in such nonconducting

portions by the discharge, whereas in metal parts the heat

and mechanical forces are of negligible effect if the metal

has sufficient cross-sectional area. There is a strong tendency for lightning discharges on structures to travel on

those metal parts which extend in the general direction of

the discharge. Hence, if metal parts are provided, of

proper proportions and distribution, damage can be largely

prevented. However, because lightning has such a wide

range of characteristics, it is difficult to provide any practical means which will afford protection under all conditions, although as indicated heretofore the degree of protection afforded by present practice is high if the installation

is properly made.
INTRODUCTION 11

The required condition that there be a metallic path for

the part of the discharge which is intercepted is met most

fully by a grounded metal or metal-covered structure which

presents what might be thought of as an infinite number of

parallel conductors from the uppermost part of the structure

to earth. It is substantially met by a steel-framed structure,

which, though faced with brick, terra cotta, or other building material, usually has, or at relatively small cost can be

equipped with, a sufficient number of metal terminals or receiving points on the upper portions which connect with

the frame to protect it thoroughly.

For a structure which is built wholly or partly of non- conducting materials, one of the best defenses against direct

hits by lightning is to surround it with a ring of grounded

metallic masts or poles of sufficient height. Or, if the struc- ture is not large, a single mast erected near by may be

sufficient. Experiments have indicated that, under certain

assumed test conditions, such a vertical conductor will generally divert to itself all direct hits which might otherwise

fall within a cone-shaped space, of which the apex is the

top of the conductor and the base a circle of radius two to four times the height of the conductor. This agrees with

theoretical deductions. Incidentally, any metallic structure, or adequately protected structure, will function in the same manner as a mast. Thus, a tall steel windmill or water

tower or rodded steeple will tend to protect near-by struc- tures of lesser height, although before relying upon such

protection care should be taken that the structure lies well

within the cone-shaped space mentioned above.

Generally, however, on account of architectural considerations, the mast type of protection is not feasible. More
12 PEOTECTIOlSr OF BUILDINGS

suitable protection is provided by the installation of lightning conductors. Here the required conditions of protection are closely approximated by placing air terminals or

receiving points on the uppermost parts of the building,

with interconnecting and grounding conductors attached to the building itself. By this means a relatively small amount

of metal properly proportioned and distributed is made to afford a satisfactory degree of protection and at the same

time, if necessary, to afford a minimum of interference with

the contour of the structure. It should be stated, however,

that this type of protection is to be considered only for

structures in which very small induced sparks do not present an appreciable element of danger, as they do in oil tanks, cotton warehouses, and powder-storage houses. The latter classes of structures require much more elaborate precautions to insure their safety than do the general run of

buildings.

When designing and installing a system of protection of

the lightning-rod type the following principles should be

followed

:

(a) The structure should be examined and all points or parts most likely to be struck by lightning noted, with the

view of erecting air terminals thereon for the reception of

the discharge. The object is to intercept the discharge immediately above the parts liable to be struck rather than to attempt to divert it in a direction it is not likely to take. The receiving points should be placed high enough above the

structure to obviate danger of fire from the arc; the more

inflammable the roof material the higher the points should

be placed.

(b) Conductors should be installed with the view of offer- ing the least possible obstruction to the passage of a stroke
INTB0DUCTI01T 13

between air terminals and ground. The most direct path is, in general, the best, and there should be no sharp bends or

loops for the lightning to jump across. The obstruction

is practically inversely as the number of widely separated

paths, so from each air terminal there should be at least two

paths to ground, and more if practicable. The number

of paths is increased and the obstruction lessened by con- necting the conductors to form a cage inclosing the building.

(<?) When a stroke is about to take place to earth the sur- rounding surface of the ground for a radius of several miles

carries an electric charge. As the discharge takes place this

surface charge moves radially toward the ground end of the

air path, forming an electric current in the ground. Near

the point where the discharge enters the ground the current

density becomes high, and if the flow takes place through the

foundation wall of a building, damage may result. Ground

connections should, therefore, be distributed more or less symmetrically about the circumference of a structure rather

than grouped on one side. With ground connections properly distributed, the current will be collected at the outer

extremities and a flow underneath the building minimized.

In every case, for the foregoing reason, at least two ground

connections should be made at opposite extremities of the

structure. (d) If a lightning-conductor system is placed on a building within or about which are metal objects of considerable

I size within a few feet of the conductor, there will be a strong

tendency for sparks, or sideflashes, to jump from the con- ductor to the metal at its nearest point. To prevent damage

an interconnecting conductor should be provided at all places where sideflashes are likely to occur.
14 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

(e) Within buildings where metallic objects may be liable to a dangerous rise of potential due to a lightning flash, the

metal, if not interconnected with the lightning-rod system,

should under some circumstances be independently grounded.

(/) Since a lightning-conductor system as a general rule

is expected to remain in working condition for long periods

with little attention, the mechanical construction should be

strong and the materials used such as to offer high resistance

to corrosion.

The features of construction described in the following

specifications embody an attempt to apply the foregoing

principles to the protection of buildings. These specifications are based upon what is believed to be the best cur- rent practice in protective work.

SEC. 20. SCOPE, DEFINITIONS, ETC.

200. Scope and Purpose.

The rules of this part of the code apply to the protection

against lightning of buildings and other property, with the

exception of property devoted to the production, storage, and

transportation of inflammable liquids and gases, and electri- cal lines and equipment.

The purpose is the prevention of fire loss and other

damages from lightning by directing attention to the available means of protection which are believed to be effective. 201. Interpretation and Exceptions.

This code shall be liberally construed. In cases of practical difficulty or unnecessary hardships exceptions from its literal requirements may be made if equivalent protection is otherwise secured.
2 01. INTERPRETATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS 15

It is not intended that this code shall be interpreted as recommending the protection of every class of property to which it applies but shall constitute the standard where eco- nomic or other considerations make it appear that protection

is necessary or desirable.

202. Mandatory and Advisory Requirements.

The word " shall " where used is to be understood as mandatory and the word " should " as advisory. " May "

is used in the permissive sense. 203. Terms and Definitions.

Air termmal.—The combination of elevation rod, and

brace, or footing placed on upper portions of structures,

together with tip or point if used.

Conductor.—The portion of a protective system designed

to carry the current of a lightning discharge from air

terminal to ground.

Branch conductor.—A conductor which branches off at an

angle from a continuous run of conductor.

Cable.—A number of wires twisted or braided to form a conductor.

Copper-clad steel.—Steel with a coating of copper welded

to it as distinguished from copper-plated or copper-sheathed

material.

Down conductor.—The vertical portion of a run of con- ductor which ends at the ground.

Elevation rod.—The vertical portion of conductor in an

air terminal by means of which it is elevated above the

object to be protected. Fastener.—A device used to secure the conductor to the
16 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

Ground connection.—A buried body of metal with its sur- rounding soil and a connecting conductor which together

serve to bring an object into electrical continuity with the

earth. Metal-roofed building.—A building with a roof made of or covered with metal.

Metal-clad building.—A building with sides made of or

covered with metal.

Point.—The pointed piece of metal sometimes used at the

upper end of the elevation rod to receive a lightning dis- charge.

Roof conductor,—The portion of the conductor above the

eaves running along the ridge, parapet, or other portion of

the roof. SEC. 21. LIGHTNING RODS FOR ORDINARY BUILDINGS

Rules 210 to 213, inclusive, hereunder apply more particularly to buildings of the ordinary types which have roofs of slate, tile, or other nonconducting material. Rule 214 sets forth modifications to the

rules preceding it which may be made for the case of buildings which

are roofed or roofed and clad with metal. Grounding and intercon- nection of metals are included in rules 215 to 217, while section 22

is to be referred to when buildings are equipped with spires, steeples,

flagpoles, or towers. 210. Conductors.

{a) Materials.—The materials of which protective sys- tems are made shall be relatively resistant to corrosion or

shall be acceptably protected against corrosion. No combination of materials shall be used that forms an electrolytic

couple of such nature that in the presence of moisture cor- rosion is accelerated, but where moisture is permanently ex-
210. CONDUCTOES 17

eluded from the junction of such metals, contact between

them is not objectionable.

The following list of materials comprises those commonly

used for protective systems, or parts of protective systems,

I and with their accompanying specifications constitute materials to be regarded as standard for the purposes of this

section

(1) Copper.—Where copper is used it shall be of the

grade ordinarily required for commercial electrical work,

generally designated as being of 98 per cent conductivity

when annealed.

(2) Alloys.—Where alloys of metals are used they shall

be substantially as resistant to corrosion as copper under

similar conditions.

(3) Copper-clad steel.—Where copper-clad steel is used

the copper covering shall be permanently and effectively

welded to the steel core, and the proportion of copper shall

be such that the conductance is not less than 30 per cent of

the conductance of an equivalent cross section of solid copper.

(4) Gahxmized steel.—Where steel is used it shall be

thoroughly protected against corrosion by a zinc coating

which will satisfactorily withstand the standard test of the

American Society for Testing Materials for galvanized

coatings.

The importance of resistance to corrosion of lightning-conductor materials should be emphasized at this point because corrosion, either

soil or atmospheric, leads to deterioration and consequent impair- ment of the initial degree of reliability of a system and should be

forestalled wherever possible. In this connection there are several combinations of metals, and alloys of metals, that do not lead to marked corrosion when placed in contact in the presence of moisture,

whereas others do, and while it is not practicable to give here a list
18 PKOTECTION OF BUILDINGS

of such combinations, manufacturers and purchasers of lightning conductors are cautioned to use only those that have been shown

by experience or adequate tests to be free from objectionable features.

It may also be pointed out that atmospheric conditions in certain seacoast sections of the United States, notably the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, are known to be destructive to galvanized steel, and

in such regions galvanized steel should be used with caution, a

preference being given to copper. Copper is also to be preferred

where corrosive gases are encountered, but it needs to be reinforced with a lead covering under exceptional conditions, such as are found

near the tops of smokestacks. (See rule 241(e).)

(h) Form and Size.—Conductors may be in the form of

cable, tube, strip, or rod having round, square, star, or other

solid cross section. The following subsections give minimum sizes and weights

:

(1) Copper cable.—Copper-cable conductors shall weigh

not less than 187.5 pounds per thousand feet (0.279 kg per

m). The size of any wire of a cable shall be not less than

No. 17 A. W. G. (0.045 inch= 0.114 cm diameter).

(2) Copper tube, copper solid section, and copper-clad

s'teel.—Tube or solid-section conductors of copper or copperclad steel shall weigh not less than 187.5 pounds per thousand feet (0.279 kg per m). The thickness of any tube wall

shall be not less than No. 20 A. W. G. (0.032 inch =0.081 cm).

The thickness of any copper ribbon or strip shall be not less than No. 16 A. W. G. (0.051 inch=0.129 cm).

(3) Galvanized steel.—Galvanized-steel conductors shall have a net weight of steel of not less than^^O, pounds per

thousand feet (0.476 kg per m) and a zinc coating-of not

less than 2 ounces per square foot (0.061 g per cm 2 ) of galvanized surface' The thickness of any tube wall, web, or ribbon before galvanizing shall be not less than No. 17

United States Standard Sheet Gauge (0.056 inch= 0.142
210. CONDUCTOBS 19

cm), and the diameter of any wire of a cable before galvanizing shall be not less than No. 14 Steel Wire Gauge

(0.080 inch= 0.203 cm).

(e) Joints.—(1) General.—Joints in conductors shall be

I as few in number as practicable, and where they are nec- essary they shall be mechanically strong and well made and

provide ample electrical contact. The latter requirement is to be regarded as met by a contact area not less than double

the conducting cross-sectional area of the conductor.

The following suggestions are offered in regard to the construction of joints in conductors

Sections of cable conductor are preferably connected together by- unraveling 6 inches or more of the ends and making a solderless wrapped joint. An alternative is found in couplings of malleable metal No. 14 A. W. G. in thickness (0.064 inch=0.162 cm), 3 inches

(7.62 cm) in length, and of semitubular form with projections on the

interior which, when the coupling is crimped, become embedded in the

cable. Sections of tube conductor may be connected together by doweltype screw joints with the dowels secured to the tube by rivets or by

screw sleeve couplings

Lengths of circular cross-section conductor may be connected to- gether by the Western Union joint with or without solder, Mclntyre

sleeves, or by screw couplings. Lengths of rectangular cross-section conductors (ribbon) may be connected together by overlapping and

riveting.

Lengths of star-section conductor may be connected together by means of screw joints formed from lugs of metal crimped over or formed oh the end of the conductor. Branch conductors are best connected' to -i?miBJ -conductors by

joints similar to those used in main conductors, except that they

may be in T or Y form. Elevation rods are best attached to cables by means of crimped

joints of malleable metal, similar to those ascribed in the first 21534°—29 3

t
20 PEOTECTION OF BUILDINGS

paragraph of this note, except that they should be in T form and

connect to the elevation rod by means of a dowel or screw coupling.

Elevation rods on forms of conductor other than cable may be

attached in the same manner as branch rods, or by an equivalent means.

(2) Mechanical strength.—On structures exceeding 60

feet in height joints shall be so constructed that their

mechanical strength in tension as shown by laboratory tests

is not less than 50 per cent of that of the smallest of the

several sections of conductor which are joined together.

(3) Electrical resistance.—Joints shall be so made that

they have an electrical resistance not in excess of that of 2

feet of conductor.

(d) Fasteners.—Conductors shall be securely attached to the building or other object upon which they are placed.

Fasteners, in general, shall be substantial in construction, not

subject to breakage, and shall be, with the nails, screws, or

other means by which they are fixed, of the same material

as the conductor, or of such nature that there will be no

serious tendency toward electrolytic corrosion in the presence

of moisture because of contact between the different parts.

Fasteners shall be so spaced as to give adequate support

to the conductor, generally not over 4 feet apart.

The firmness with which conductors are attached goes far toward

determining their period of usefulness and security. Insecure fasteners not only lead to- a reduction of the protective values of an installa- tion but detract from its appearance and necessitate repeated repairs.

Conductors may be secured to wood surfaces by means of metal bands or straps, screw-shank fasteners, or an equivalent means.

Strap or band fasteners should be made from sheet metal not less than No. 14 A. W. G. (0.064 inch =0.162 cm) in thickness, and not

less than % inch (0.952 cm) wide, with screw or nail holes sur- rounded by an ample width of material. Screw-shank fasteners should be provided with a fork of substantial construction which can
210. CONDUCTOKS 21

be closed by bending. The screw sliank itself should be at least the equivalent in size of a No. 10 wood screw IV2 inches long (3.81 cm).

Conductors may be secured to brick and stone surfaces by means

of screw-shank fasteners in the form of an expansion screw, by drive- shank fasteners having the shank ridged or barbed to grip the hole when driven, or by fan-shank fasteners to be laid in the walls as they are built. Either the expansion screw or drive shank should be not less than

% inch in diameter (0.952 cm) and 2 inches in length (5.08 cm).

The fan shank should be approximately % inch (1.27 cm) wide at its narrowest place, £5 inch thick (0.254 cm), and 3 inches long (7.62 cm).

Where screws are used they should be not smaller than No. 6, % inch (1.9 cm) long. Nails should be not smaller in size than 4- penny standard. Copper-clad nails may be used with copper fasten- ers and galvanized nails with galvanized fasteners. Fasteners may also be leaded into masonry or brickwork. 211. Points and Elevation Rods.

(a) Attachment of Points.—Separate points are not re- quired but, if used, shall be of substantial construction and

be securely attached to the elevation rods by screw or slip

joints. The conducting cross-sectional area of the base shall be at least equivalent to the conducting cross-sectional area

of the elevation rod.

(b) Elevation Rods.—(1) Size.—Elevation rods shall be

at least the equivalent in weight and stiffness of a copper

tube having an outside diameter of % inch (1.6 cm) and a

wall thickness of No. 20 A. W. G. (0.032 inch= 0.081 cm).

(2) Form.—Elevation rods may be of any form of solid or tubular cross section. (3) Height.—The height of an elevation rod shall be such

as to bring the tip not less than 10 inches (25.4 cm) above

the object to be protected.

On flat surfaces a greater height than 10 inches is desirable, but

the height need not exceed 5 feet. In most cases the proper height
22 PROTECTION OP BUILDINGS

for an elevation rod between the limits just mentioned will depend

upon the character of the object to be protected. On shingle roofs, for instance, or roofs of other inflammable materials, a greater height

is needed for safety than is necessary on slate or tile roofs. The

proper height may also be taken as depending somewhat on the con- tour of the object being protected ; a spire, for instance, does not re- quire so high an elevation rod as a silo having a peaked but much

less sloping roof. (c) Braces for Elevation Rods.—(1) Use.—Elevation

rods shall be amply secured against overturning either by

attachment to the object to be protected or by means of

substantial tripod or other braces which shall be permanently and rigidly attached to the building.

(2) Materials.—The material from which braces are constructed shall be at least the equivalent in strength and

stiffness of %-inch (0.625 cm) round iron, and with the

nails or screws used in erecting must comply with the re- quirements of " 210 (a) Materials " as to resistance to cor- rosion or protection against corrosion.

(3) Form and construction.—Braces shall be assembled bT means of riveted joints or other joints of equivalent strength.

Preference should be given to tripod or 4-legged braces, and

when in place the feet should be spread until the distance between them approximates one-third the height of the brace.

(4) Guides.—Where elevation rods are more than 24

inches high, braces shall have guides for holding the elevation rod at two points located approximately as follows:

The lower at a distance above the foot of the rod equal to one-third of its height, the upper at a distance above the

lower equal to one-fourth the height of the rod.

Where elevation rods are 24 inches high or less, braces

with a single guide may be used, holding the rod approxi-
£11. ELEVATION HODS 23

mately midway of its height. Ten-inch (25.4 cm) elevation

rods may be braced by means of substantial footings.

Where elevation rods are to be attached to house chimneys, they can

be secured either by means of expansion-screw fasteners or a band

surrounding the chimney. On horizontal masonry or brickwork, holes may be drilled and the rod set in cement. On woodwork, lag screws

or strap fasteners may be used. Bracing in each case may be ac- complished according to circumstances, but it is important that a good

mechanical job be done to prevent overturning of the air terminal

by the wind. 212. Prevention of Deterioration.

(a) General.—Precaution shall be taken in every instance

to provide against any undue tendency toward deterioration

due to local conditions.

(h) Corrosion.—Where any part of a protective system is exposed to the direct action of chimney gases or other corrosive gases, it shall be protected by a continuous covering of

lead TV inch (0.158 cm) or more in thickness.

(c) Mechanical Injury.—Where any part of a protective

system is exposed to mechanical injury, it shall be protected

by covering it with molding or tubing preferably made of

wood or nonmagnetic material. If metal tubing is used,

the conductor shall be electrically connected to it at its upper

end.

(d) Use of Ornaments.—The use of small ornaments,

such as glass balls attached to elevation rods, is not objectionable, but elevation rods shall not be made to support

vanes Or ornaments having in any plane a wind-resistance area in excess of 20 square inches (129 cm 2 ). Twenty square inches of area as a maximum for an ornament

represents approximately the wind resistance area of a 5-inch (12.7 cm) glass ball. Where heavy or large ornaments are desired, they

should be provided with a separate support.
24 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

213. Location of Air Terminals.

(a) General.—Air terminals shall be provided for all structural parts that are likely to receive, and be damaged

by, a stroke of lightning.

(b) Projections.—In the case of projections, such as

gables, chimneys, and ventilators, the air terminal shall be

placed on, or attached to, the object to be protected where

practicable, otherwise within 2 feet (61 cm) of it. (c) Ridges, Parapets, and Edges of Flat Roofs.—Along

ridges, parapets, and edges of flat roofs air terminals shall be spaced at intervals not exceeding 25 feet (7.62 m), and

intermediate terminals need not be closer than 12.5 feet (3.81 m).

(d) Metal Projections and Parts of Buildings.—Metal

projections and parts of buildings, such as ventilators, smokestacks, and other objects, that are likely to receive, but not

be appreciably damaged by, a stroke of lightning, need not

be provided with air terminals but shall be securely bonded

to the lightning conductor with metal of the same weight

per unit length as the main conductor.

Parts of structures most likely to be struck by lightning are those which project above surrounding parts, such as chimneys, ventilators, flagpoles, towers, water tanks, spires, steeples, deck railings, shaft houses, gables, skylights, dormers, ridges, and parapets.

The edge of the roof is the part most likely to be struck on flat- roofed buildings. On very large flat roofs it is desirable to erect air terminals at such points as are at a great distance from air terminals on parapets or projections. As a limiting value, 50 feet may be taken

;

that is, if on a large flat roof a portion is 50 feet or more from the nearest air terminal, it should have an air terminal erected upon it and be properly connected with the system.

(e) Coursing of Conductors.—Conductors shall, in general, be coursed over the roofs and down the corners and
213. AIR TERMINALS 25

sides of buildings in such a way as to constitute, as nearly

as local conditions will permit, an inclosing network.

(/) Koof Conductors.—Boof conductors shall be coursed

along contours, such as ridges, parapets, and edges of flat

i roofs, and where necessary over flat surfaces, in such a way

as to join each air terminal to all the rest. Eoof conductors surrounding decks, flat surfaces, and flat roofs shall be connected to form a closed loop.

(g) Down Conductors.—Down conductors shall preferably be coursed over the extreme outer portions of buildings, such as corners, due consideration being given to the

best places for making ground connections and to the loca- tion of air terminals.

(h) Obstructions.—Conductors shall be curved around

chimneys, ventilators, and similar obstructions in the shape

requiring the shortest length of conductor.

(i) Bends.—No bend in a conductor which embraces a

portion of a building, such as an eave, shall have a radius of

less than 8 inches (20.3 cm). The angle of any turn shall not exceed 90°, and conductors shall everywhere preserve a downward or approximately horizontal course.

214. Metal-Roofed and Metal-Clad Buildings.

The materials and equipment required by this rule for the

protection of metal-roofed or metal-roofed-and-clad buildL ings, shall comply with the requirements of rules 210 to 213,

U inclusive.

i (a) Metal in Overlapping Sections.—Buildings which

£ are roofed or roofed and clad with metal in the form of sec- tions insulated from one another, or so applied that they are

I not in metallic contact, shall be treated in the same manner

as are buildings composed of nonconducting materials.
26 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

(b) Metal Continuous.—When buildings are roofed or roofed and clad with all-metal sheets made electrically con- tinuous by means of an interlocking or other contact, or by

bonding, the following modifications may be made to the re- quirements of rules 211 to 217, inclusive

:

Air terminals need be provided only on chimneys, ventilators, gables, and other projections, such as are likely to

receive and be damaged by a stroke of lightning. Projections that are likely to receive, but not be damaged by, a

stroke of lightning need not be provided with air terminals

but shall be securely bonded to the roof. Eoof conductors may be dispensed with and elevation rods,

if used, connected to the roof by soldered joints, or securely

bolted joints, having an area of contact of not less than 3

square inches (19.3 cm 2 ). If the roof metal is in small

sections, connection shall be made to at least four of the

sections.

Down conductors shall be connected to the edges of roofs, or to the lower edges of metal siding, by soldered or bolted

joints having an area of contact of at least 3 square inches

(19.3 cm 2 ). If the metal is in small sections, connection

shall be made to at least four of the sections.

215*. Number of Down Conductors.

(a) Minimum.—There shall be not less than two down

conductors on any type of building, and these shall be run

so as to be as widely separated as practicable. The following rules shall apply as to additional down conductors.

In deciding upon the location and number of down conductors it should be kept in mind that it is very desirable to have at least two

paths in parallel, and well separated, from the foot or near the foot of each air terminal to ground. This causes a stroke upon any air
£15. DOWN CONDUCTORS 21

terminal to find a divided path, the impedance of which is less than

that offered by a single path and offers an increased protective effect. The obstruction, or impedance, offered to the passage of the stroke is nearly in inverse proportion to the number of parallel paths if they

are well separated.

(Z>) Rectangular Structures.—On rectangular struc- tures having gable, hip, or gambrel roofs, and exceeding 110

feet (33.5 m) in length, there shall be at least one additional

down conductor for each additional 50 feet (15.3 m) of

length or fraction thereof.

On rectangular structures having French, flat, or sawtooth roofs, and exceeding 300 feet (91.5 m) in perimeter,

there shall be at least one additional down conductor for

each additional 100 feet (30.5 m) of perimeter or fraction

thereof.

(c) Irregular-Shaped Structures.—On an L or T shaped

structure there shall be at least one additional down con-

| ductor, on an H -shaped structure at least two additional

i; down conductors, and on a wing-built structure at least one

I additional down conductor for each wing.

On irregular-shaped structures the total number of down

conductors shall in every case be sufficient to make the aver- age distance between them along the perimeter not greater

than 100 feet (30.5 m).

(d) Structures Exceeding 60 Feet in Height.—On

structures exceeding 60 feet (18.3 m) in height there shall be

at least one additional down conductor for each additional

60 feet (18.3 m) of height or fraction thereof, except that

the application of this rule shall not cause down conductors

1 to be placed about the perimeter of a structure at intervals

of less than 50 feet (15.3 m).

(e) Metal-Roofed and Metal-Clad Buildings.—The

number of down conductors and ground connections for
28 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

metal-roofed and metal-clad buildings shall be determined in

the same manner as for buildings composed of nonconducting materials ; that is, according to the requirements of (a) , (£>), (c), and (d) above.

(/) Dead Ends.—Additional down conductors shall be in- stalled where necessary to avoid " dead ends," or branch con- ductors ending at air terminals, which exceed 16 feet (4.88 m)

in length, except that single down conductors descending

flagpoles, spires, and similar structures which are adjuncts

of buildings shall not be regarded as " dead ends," but shall be treated as air terminals.

Dead ends arise where an air terminal is placed on the peak of a dormer, or in some similar situation, and in the interest of economy

is connected only to the nearest conductor, which usually is at the nearest ridge. A stroke on such an air terminal must traverse a

single conductor until it reaches the ridge conductor where the path

divides. The foregoing rule allows 16 feet (4.88 m) for the length

of this single conductor. Where greater lengths' are encountered

the conductor must be extended from the air terminal to ground.

It is advisable to install additional down conductors at places along runs of roof conductors where the roof conductor descends into low

places between parts of buildings, as it may in the case of an H-shaped

structure where the end wings are higher than the connecting portion. This should be considered necessary, however, only where

the descent amounts to a considerable number of feet, say 10 feet (3.05 m) or more. 216. Interconnection of Metallic Masses.

(a) Interconnection or Grounding.—Metallic masses about buildings which are a permanent portion of the structure, or are permanently installed within or about it, shall,

with the exception of those of comparatively small size, be

made a part of the lightning-conductor system by interconnection with it, or be independently grounded, or both, de-
216. INTERCONNECTION OF METALLIC MASSES 29

pending upon their location with respect to the lightning

conductors and their surroundings, as more fully described

in paragraphs (b) to (A), inclusive, of this rule. The object of interconnecting the metal parts of a building with

the conductor is to prevent the damage from sideflashes that has

been found to occur, especially in the case of rather extensive metal

objects that are near by. The main principle to be observed in the prevention of such damage is to pick out on a building the places

where sideflashes are most likely to occur and provide metallic paths

for them. (b) Exterior Bodies of Metal.—Metal situated wholly on the exterior of buildings shall be electrically connected

to the conductor at its upper (or nearest) end and, if of considerable length, shall be grounded or electrically connected

to the conductor at its lower (or farthest) end.

Exteripr bodies of metal include ornamental ridges, ventilators,

roofs, valleys, gutters, down spouts, and structural iron. Connecting these into the lightning-conductor system not only serves to pre- vent sideflashes that cause damage, but makes the system a nearer approach to an inclosing network.

(c) Interior Bodies or Metal.—Metal situated wholly in

the interior of buildings which at any point comes within 6

feet (1.83 m) of a lightning conductor, or metal connected

thereto, shall be electrically interconnected with it and, if of considerable size or length, shall be grounded at its lower

or farther extremity within the building.

Interior bodies of metal include radiators, piping systems, electric conduit, tanks, stationary machinery, stanchions, and various forms

of structural metal. In general, experience has shown that side- flashes are not likely to occur to bodies of metal of ordinary size located more than 6 feet (1.83 m) from a conductor, whereas those

that are nearer are likely to receive sideflashes which may damage a

building or set fire to it. Tery long or very large bodies of metal
30 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

may, however, be a menace at more than 6 feet. The sideflashing to these near-by bodies is eliminated by interconnection, but the rise of potential due to dynamic discharge is not, so interior grounding

becomes necessary. Unless there are water pipes or their equivalent

that may be used for interior grounding purposes, there may be danger to persons and livestock about dwelling houses and barns. On this account, where water pipes are not available it is advisable

to avoid as far as practicable the necessity for interconnection of

interior bodies of metal by keeping conductors more than 6 feet (1.83 m) away from them—the farther the better. (d) Metal Bodies Projecting Through Sides and

Koofs.—Metal which projects through roofs or through

sides of buildings above the second floor shall be bonded to the nearest conductor at the point where it emerges from

the building and be grounded at its lower or extreme end

within the building.

Metal which projects through the sides of buildings below

the second floor shall be treated as though it were wholly

within the building.

Metal projections through roofs and sides of buildings generally

consist of soil pipes, metal flues, overflow pipes of hot-water heating

systems and isolated gravity-type water systems, hayfork tracks, and

ventilators. Metal hayfork tracks may be taken care of by connecting both ends to the conductor.

(e) Interconnection of Metals on or Within MetalRoofed and Metal-Clad Buildings.—All parts of metal

roofs, or roofs and sides, shall be securely bonded together.

All interior metal parts or contents of considerable size or extent that are a permanent portion of a structure or

are permanently installed within it shall be independently

grounded and, if within 6 feet (1.83 m) of sides or roof or a down conductor, shall be connected thereto.
216. INTERCONNECTION OF METALLIC MASSES 31

The necessity for interconnecting and grounding the metal contents

of metal-roofed and metal-clad buildings arises from the fact that in the event of a discharge the potential of the metal covering, even though grounded, changes sufficiently with respect to near-by objects

to cause sideflashes, especially where the distance to be covered by

the flash is short. Sideflashes from the metal coverings of buildings are likely to be especially destructive or dangerous because of the

large electrostatic capacity involved. The chances for such sideflashes should be particularly considered in all buildings housing dusty operations, as flour mills. Care should be taken to ground ventilators projecting downward from roofs. (/) Metallic Bodies to Be Independently Grounded.—

Metallic bodies having any dimension exceeding 5 feet, and

situated wholly within buildings4 and which do not at any

point come within 6 feet (1.83 m) of a lightning conductor, or metal connected thereto, shall be independently grounded.

It is generally safest to ground all metal within buildings that does not come close enough to a conductor to require interconnection with

it, using an independent ground connection of any of the usual types, for the reason that it prevents sparks from accumulated static charges

and from induction due to dynamic discharges.

{g) Substitution for Regular Conductors.—Extended

metal parts of buildings shall not be substituted for regular

conductors, except where they are permanently electrically

continuous and have a conducting cross-sectional area at

least double that of the lightning conductor that would

otherwise be used.

In some cases of monumental structures and others where heavy

and extensive metal parts are available, they may well be used in place of conductors to avoid expense and sacrifice of appearance, there being no difference whether they are on the interior or exterior of the structure where' used for down conductors.
32 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

(A) Size of Interconnecting and Bonding Wires.—For

bonding, interconnecting, and independent grounding of

metallic masses the conductor used shall be at least the

equivalent in strength and conducting cross-sectional area of a No. 6 A. W. G. copper wire, except where full-size lightning conductor is required by rule 213 (d). 217. Ground Connections.

{a) Number.—A ground connection shall be provided for

each down conductor, preference being given to water pipes

and other large underground metallic structures. (b) Distribution.—Ground connections (and down con- ductors) shall be placed at as uniform intervals about a building as practicable, and grouping of ground connections on one side of a building avoided.

(<?) Moisture.—In making ground connections advantage

should be taken of all permanently moist places where practicable, although such places should be avoided if wet with

waste water which contains chemical substances especially

corrosive to the metal with which the ground connection

is made.

Chemical substances especially corrosive to lightning-conductor material are not ordinarily encountered in practice. They would usually

be found about factories engaged in chemical' processes. Barnyard

seepage, which is the principal element encountered in the protection

of farm property, appears to have no appreciable effect on copper and

very little on thoroughly galvanized steel, so there need be no hesi- tation about making ground connections in soil beneath manure piles, although it would be advisable to use copper or copper-clad steel in such places.

(d) Permanency.—Ground connections shall in every

case be thoroughly and permanently made, with due regard

to the character of the surrounding soil.
217. GROUND CONNECTIONS

(e) Water-Pipe Grounds.—Where a water pipe enters a building at least one down conductor shall be connected to

it at a point immediately outside of the foundation wall by

means of a substantial clamp to which the conductor can

I be attached by bolts or solder.

(/) Grounding Electrodes in Deep Soil.:—Where the soil

is moist clay, or other soil of similar character as to electri- cal resistivity, artificial grounding electrodes may be made

by extending the rod itself into the ground a distance of not

less than 10 feet (3.05 m). Where the soil is largely sand,

gravel, or stones, more extensive artificial grounding elec- trodes shall be made by adding metal in the form of driven

rods or pipes, or strips, plates, or lengths of conductor

buried in trenches as in {g).

{g) Grounding Electrodes in Shallow Soil.—Where

bedrock is near the surface, ground connections may be

made by digging trenches radially from the building and

burying in them the lower ends of the down conductors or

their equivalent in the form of metal strips or wires. Where

the soil is very dry or will not permit digging to a depth

of more than 1 foot (0.305 m), in addition to the conductors

laid radially, a similar conductor shall be buried which

encircles the structure to be protected and connects all of the

down conductors together.

(A) Trenches.—Trenches shall be long enough to accom- modate 12 feet (3.66 m) of conductor when laid straight but

need not be more than 3 feet (0.915 m) in depth.

Properly made ground connections are essential to the effective functioning of a lightning-conductor system, and every effort should

be made to provide ample contact with the earth. This does not

t necessarily mean that the resistance of the ground connection must be

t low, but rather that the distribution of metal in the earth, or upon
34 PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

its surface in extreme cases, shall be such as to permit the dissipation of a stroke of lightning without damage.

Low resistance is, of course, desirable but not essential, as may be shown by the extreme case on the one hand of a building resting on

moist clay soil, and on the other by a building resting on bare solid rock. In the first case, if the soil is of normal resistivity or from

200 to 5,000 ohm-centimeters, the resistance of a ground connection made by extending the conductor 10 feet (3.05 m) into the ground

will be from 20 to 50 ohms, and two such ground connections on a small rectangular building have been found by experience to be suffi- cient. Under these favorable conditions providing adequate means

for collecting and dissipating the energy of a flash without serious chance of damage is a simple and comparatively inexpensive matter. In the second case it would be impossible to make a ground con- nection in the ordinary sense of the term, because most kinds of rock are insulating or at least of high resistivity, and in order to obtain the effect of grounding other and more elaborate means are necessary. The most effective means would be an extensive wire net- work laid on the surface of the rock surrounding the building, after the manner of counterpoise to a radio antenna, to which the down

conductors could be connected. The resistance to earth at some

distant point of such an arrangement would be high, but at the same

time the potential distribution about the building would be substantially the same as though it were resting on conducting soil and the

resulting protective effect also substantially the same. In general, the extent of the grounding arrangements will depend

upon the character of the soil, ranging from simple extension of the conductor into the ground where the soil is deep and of high conductivity, to an elaborate buried network where the soil is very dry or

of very poor conductivity. In very dry ground, salt may be used to advantage to lower the resistance. Where a network is required

it should be buried if there is soil enough to permit it, as this adds

to its effectiveness. Its A extent will be determined largely by the judgment of the person planning the installation with due regard to the minimum requirements of this rule, which is intended to cover

the ordinary run of cases that are likely to be encountered in prac-
217. GROUND CONNECTIONS 35

tice, keeping in mind that as a rule the more extensive the under- ground metal available the more effective the protection.

Some essential features of good practice in grounding for protection against lightning are as follows: Where practicable each artificial ground connection should extend

or have a branch which extends below the foundation walls of the

building, as otherwise there is a chance of the wall being damaged.

The metal composing the ground connection should make contact with the soil from the surface downward, for if contact is made

below the surface, as might be the case where a ground connection

is made in a well, there may be flashing at the surface, with danger

of burning off the conductor. During a stroke of lightning on a system of conductors the grounding electrodes are to be thought of as the collecting points for a heavy flow of current radially toward the building in the surface of the earth and should, therefore, be distributed with the view of

collecting this current in the most advantageous manner. This will generally be realized by placing them at the outer extremities, such

as corners, and avoiding as far as possible the necessity for current

flow under the building to. reach a ground connection. 218. Radio Installations and Wires_ Entering Buildings.

(a) Separation from Lightning Conductors.—A separation of at least 6 feet (1.83 m) shall be maintained between

telephone wires, electric-light wires, and radio leads and the

nearest lightning conductor.

(b) Metal Eadio Masts on Buildings.—Metal radio

masts on buildings shall be bonded to the nearest lightning

conductor.

(c) Wooden Kadio Masts.—Wooden radio masts which

extend more than 6 feet above the ridge or highest parts of

the building on which they are placed shall be treated in

the same manner as flagpoles.

21534°—29 4
36 PROTECTION" OF MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURES

SEC. 22. MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURES

220. Spires, Steeples, and Flagpoles.

(a) General.—The materials, equipment, and ground

connections required by the rules of this section for the

protection of spires, steeples, and flagpoles shall comply with

the requirements of section 21. (b) Air Terminals.—A single air terminal may be used,

which elevates the tip a distance of not less than 10 inches

(25.4 cm) above the uppermost point of the structure.

(c) Down Conductors.—A single down conductor may

be used, which, if the structure is isolated, shall be extended

directly to a ground connection. If the structure is an adjunct of a building and near or touching the perimeter, the

down conductor shall be extended directly to a ground con- nection but shall also be connected to the lightning-conductor

system on the building. If it is set well within the perimeter, the descending conductor shall be connected to the

nearest roof conductor.

(d) Interconnection of Metals.—Bells, clocks, struc- tural iron, and other metallic masses shall be connected to the down conductor. If the length of a metallic body is comparable to the height of the structure, connection shall be

made at the upper and lower extremities ; otherwise connection may be made at the nearest point.

(e) Grounding of Metallic Spires and Flagpoles.—

Spires and flagpoles composed entirely of or covered entirely

with metal and resting on foundations of nonconducting material with the top so constructed as to receive a stroke of

lightning without appreciable damage, need not be provided

with air terminals or down conductors, but shall be

grounded or connected to the nearest lightning conductor,
2 2 0. SPIRES, STEEPLES, AND FLAGFOLES 37

or both, according as the structure is isolated, set within the

perimeter of a building, or near it, respectively.

On spires and steeples exceeding 100 feet (30.5 m) in height it is advisable to use more massive conductors and fastenings than on ordi- nary types of buildings in order to resist the extraordinary conditions found on tall structures. 221. Water Towers, Silos, and Similar Structures.

(a) General.—The materials, equipment, and ground

connections required by the rules of this section for the protection of water towers, silos, and similar structures, shall

comply with the requirements of section 21. On structures exceeding 100 feet (30.5 m) in height it is advisable

to use more massive conductors and fastenings than on ordinary build- ings in order to resist the extraordinary conditions found on tall structures, especially with regard to temperature effects and loading which

may lead to alternate expansion and contraction. (b) Air Terminals.—The number and location of air

terminals shall, in general, comply with the requirements

of rule 213, except that on silos and other towers having

roofs ending in a peak a single air terminal may be regarded

as sufficient. (c) Conductors.—Where more than one air terminal is used they shall be connected together by a conductor which

forms a closed loop about the structure near the top or

passes over it, as the contour of the roof may require. From

this, or from the single air terminal if but one is used, at

least two down conductors shall be extended directly to ground connections on opposite sides, if the structure is iso- lated. If it is an adjunct of a building, near or touching

the perimeter, one down conductor shall be extended directly

to a ground connection while the other may be connected
38 PROTECTION OF MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURES

to the lightning-conductor system on the building. If it is set well within the perimeter, both down conductors may be

connected to the lightning-conductor system on the building. If the height of the structure exceeds 100 feet (30.5

m), the down conductors should be cross connected midway

between top and bottom.

(d) Interconnection of Metals.—All metallic bodies

of considerable size or extent, whether exterior or interior, shall be connected to the down conductors. If their length

is comparable to the height of the structure, they shall be

connected to the down conductors at both ends; otherwise

connection may be made at the nearest point.

Metal objects about towers which are comparable in length with

the height of the structure consist usually of stairways, elevator

guides, and drainpipes carrying water from the roof. (e) Grounding of Metal Towers and Tanks.—Towers

and tanks composed entirely of, or covered entirely with, metal

and resting on foundations of nonconducting material, with

the uppermost portion so constructed as to receive a stroke of

lightning without appreciable damage, need not be provided

with air terminals or down conductors, but shall be grounded

if isolated, connected to the nearest lightning conductor if set well within the perimeter of a building, or both grounded

and connected to the lightning-conductor system if set near

the perimeter.

SEC. 23. BUILDINGS CONTAINING BALED INFLAMMABLE

MATERIALS

It has been found that lightning flashes occurring in the immediate

vicinity of cotton or other fibrous materials of an inflammable nature

baled with metal ties may cause secondary discharges between

the ties of sufficient intensity to cause ignition. To prevent fires of
23 0. METHODS AND MATERIALS 39

this type a greater degree of shielding is required than is afforded by the ordinary system of lightning rods. The required condition

is inherent or readily realized in all-metal or metal-covered buildings, but in the case of other types made of nonconducting materials ^the nearest practicable approach to the necessary degree of shield- ing is found in a grounded network of sufficiently small mesh covering

the roof. It has been found experimentally that the shielding effect of a network of given mesh increases with the height above the

. shielded object, also that the shielding effect decreases as the size of the mesh is increased. A mesh of 6 feet is a fair mean value if placed on or a few feet above the roof. 230. Methods and Materials.

The materials, equipment, and ground connections re- quired by the rules of this section shall comply with the re- quirements of sections 21 and 22. 231. Metal-Roofed and Metal-Clad Buildings.

Metal-roofed and metal-clad buildings shall be treated in

the same manner as required in section 21, rule 214.

232. Buildings of Nonconducting Materials.

The effect of an electrostatic shield may be obtained by

constructing on or above the roof a network of wires or

cables and grounding it about the perimeter at the same

intervals as required for metal-roofed buildings. SEC. 24. SMOKESTACKS AND CHIMNEYS

240. Metal Smokestacks.

Metal smokestacks need no protection against lightning

I other than that afforded by their construction, except that

they shall be properly grounded. If the construction of the

foundation is not such as to provide ample electrical conj

i nection with the earth, ground connections shall be provided
40 PROTECTION" OF SMOKESTACKS

similar to those required below for stacks made of materials

other than metal.

Metal guy wires and cables not in electrical contact with

the earth at their lower ends shall be grounded.

Metal guy wires or cables attached to steel anchor rods set in earth

or concrete may be considered as sufficiently well grounded. Only

those attached to buildings or nonconducting supports need attention. 241. Brick, Hollow-Tile, and Concrete Stacks.

Where stacks of brick, hollow tile, concrete, or other material liable to damage by lightning are to be protected the

following rules shall apply r (a) Conductors.—Conductors shall be of copper of the

grade required for commercial electrical work, generally

designated as having 98 per cent conductivity when annealed.

The weight of the conductor shall be not less than 6 ounces per linear foot (375 pounds per thousand feet =0.558 kg

per m).

The size of any wire in a cable shall be not less than No.

15 A. W. G. (0.057 inch =0.145 cm).

The thickness of any tube wall .shall be not less than No.

15 A. W. G. (0.057 inch =0.145 cm).

The thickness of any web or ribbon shall be not less than

No. 12 A. W. G. (0.080 inch =0.203 cm).

(b) Fasteners.—Fasteners shall be of copper or copper

alloy substantially as resistant to corrosion as the conductor

itself and must be strongly constructed. Each fastener must

have a sufficiently tight grip to support its corresponding

length of conductor.

Fasteners shall be spaced close enough to give ample sup- port to the conductor, generally not over 4 feet (1.22 m)

apart.
2 41. BRICK, HOLLOW-TILE, AND CONCRETE STACKS 41

(c) Air Terminals.—Air terminals shall be strongly constructed of the same grade of material as the conductor and

shall be uniformly distributed about the rim of the stack

at intervals not exceeding 8 feet (2.44 m).

The height above the rim shall be not less than 30 inches

(0.762 m).

They shall be secured to the rim of the stack by means of

expansion bolts or fan-shank fasteners of substantial construction, or be set in a metal crown.

If there is no metal crown, the air terminals shall be elec- trically connected together by means of a metal ring or band

which forms a closed loop about the stack 2 feet (0.61 m)

below the rim.

(d) Down Conductors.—At least two down conductors

shall be provided on opposite sides of the stack, leading

from the ring or crown at the top to the ground.

On stacks exceeding 160 feet (48.8 m) in height the down

conductors shall be cross connected approximately midway

between top and bottom.

Where a metal ladder is continuous from the rim to the

ground, and the vertical members have a combined cross

section not less than twice that specified in 210 (h) (3), such

members may be utilized as down conductors.

(e) Lead Covering.—In order to prevent corrosion by

gases, air terminals, conductors, and fasteners within 25

feet (7.62 m) of the top of the stack should have a continu- ous covering of lead at least ^ inch (0.158 cm) thick.

(/) Joints.—Joints in conductors shall be as few as practicable and of such construction as to show by laboratory

tests a strength in tension of at least 50 per cent of that of

the conductor.
PKOTECTION OF SMOKESTACKS

(g) Ground Connections.—Ground connections may be

made in the manner prescribed for buildings. (See rule

217.)

If there is a water pipe near by, connection shall be made

to it by means of a substantial clamp.

The ground connections shall be connected together by means of a conductor forming a closed loop about the

foundation near or under the ground.

(h) Protection Against Mechanical Injury.—Down

conductors near the ground shall be protected against

mechanical injury by means of wood molding or other non- magnetic material.

If metal tubing is used for protective purposes, the down

conductor shall be electrically connected to it at its upper

end.

(i) Metal Linings.—Where stacks have a metal lining

extending part way up, the lining shall be connected to the

rod at its upper end and grounded at the bottom.

SEC. 25. HANGARS, BALLOONS, AND AIRSHIPS

250. Prevention of Damage to Hangars.

Where buildings housing aircraft are to be protected

against lightning the following rules shall apply:

Buildings for the housing of aircraft require special attention in regard to protection against lightning because of the hazardous nature of their contents, and in the case of buildings for housing rigid

airships, because of their great height and area. Hangars constructed by the Navy Department range in size from 100 feet by 66 feet by 52

feet high (30.5 m by 20.1 m by 15.8 m) for the housing of kite bal- loons, to 804 feet by 350 feet by 200 feet high (245.2 m by 106.7 m by

61 m) for the housing of large dirigibles. They are of structuralsteel framework, with corrugated'iron roofs and sides, or with com-
2 5 0. HANGARS 43

posite or built-up roofing on wooden sheathing and corrugated-asbestos

sides. Buildings for housing heavier-than-air craft are found con- structed from combinations of materials ranging from wood frames

covered with canvas to all-metal structures. The former, of course, are usually temporary field shelters. Permanent stations are usually

all steel, steel over wood frames, or asbestos on either wood or steel. For the protection of all-steel structures it is considered sufficient to ground the framework (as indicated in paragraph (7i) below), but for the protection of buildings of other forms of construction more

extensive measures are necessary. (a) Matekials.—Materials used for the purposes of this

section shall comply with the requirements of rule 210 (&),

" Materials."

(b) Conductors.—Conductors may be in the form of

cable, tube, strip, or rod, having round, square, star, or other

solid cross section, and shall comply with the requirements of

rule 210 (&).

It is recommended that where existing conditions are especially severe with respect to weather or other causes, as may be the case with very large buildings for the housing of aircraft, more massive

conductors be used than required by rule 210 (6). (c) Construction and Installation.—The construction

and installation of conductors where used shall comply with

the rules 210 (c) (d) , 211, and 212. (d) Structures with Steel Frames.—Where protection

is provided for buildings with steel frames, all parts of

which are securely bonded together, the air terminals may

be connected to the steel frame at the nearest point and

other conductors between air terminals and ground omitted.

Where such connection is made, the connecting conductor

shall comply with the requirements of rule 210 (&), as to weight, and shall be secured in electrical contact with the
44 PROTECTION OF HANGARS, BALLOONS, AND AIRSHIPS

frame by means of bolts and nuts. The steel frame shall be

grounded as provided in rule 250 (h).

(e) Construction of Air Terminals.—Air terminals

shall be strongly constructed and shall be securely attached

and braced against overturning.

The following construction is suggested for air terminals on the

roofs of steel-frame buildings. The elevation rod may consist of a

length of " extra strong " galvanized-steel pipe not less than 0.75 inch

(1.90 cm) internal diameter, or an equivalent copper or copper-alloy

tube, threaded at both ends, one to receive a threaded solid point 6

inches (15.24 cm) in length, and the other an attachment for secur- ing the elevation rod to the roof. This attachment should consist of a pair of wooden blocks bolted to the outer and inner surfaces of the wood sheating and cut to fit the

roof, and afford horizontal parallel surfaces for mounting floor flanges.

The roof and blocks should be drilled through at the hub of the flanges

and the tube screwed through both flanges in a vertical position. The

roofing should be laid on around the outer wooden block and copper

flashing applied.

(/) Height of Air Terminal.—Where air terminals are placed on projections the height shall be such as to bring

the tip not less than 10 inches (25.4 cm) above the object to be protected. Where air terminals are placed near projections there shall be at least 4 inches (10.2 cm) of additional height above the object to be protected for each foot

of separation.

Where air terminals are spaced 25 feet (7.62 m) or less apart on roof ridges or flat surfaces, the height shall not be

less than 4 feet 10 inches (1.47 m). For each additional

foot (0.305 m) of separation above 25 feet (7.62 m) there

shall be an increase in height of not less than 2 inches

(5.08 cm).
250. HANGARS 45

Where air terminals are placed in rectangular arrangement as in (g) the height shall be determined by the longest side of the rectangle.

(g) Location of Air Terminals.—Air terminals shall be

v provided for all structural parts that are likely to receive,

and be damaged by, a stroke of lightning.

In the case of projections, the air terminal shall be placed on the object to be protected where practicable, otherwise

it shall be attached to the roof as near by as practicable.

Along ridges, parapets, and edges of both flat and pitched

roofs, air terminals shall be erected at intervals not exceeding

25 feet (7.62 m).

Flat and sloping surfaces, except an indicated below, shall be divided into rectangles having sides not exceeding 50

feet (15.24 m) in length by drawing lines parallel to the

edges of the roof, and air terminals erected at the intersection

of these lines. On gambrel roofs only the portion above the breaks need

be considered, and is to be treated as a pitched roof. On mansard roofs only the flat portion need be considered,

and is to be treated as a flat roof. (A) Ground Connections.—Ground connections for lightning conductors shall comply with rule 217. Where the frame of the building is of steel it shall be

I permanently and effectively grounded, as follows

If there is a water-pipe system entering the structure,

i

! the frame shall be bonded to it at the point of entrance with

i

j a conductor secured to the pipe by means of a substantial

s clamp with a lug, and to the frame with a bolt and nut. In

i addition, artificial grounds shall be provided for the steel pedestals, columns, or roof trusses, at not less than half of
46 PROTECTION OF HANGARS, BALLOON'S, AND AIRSHIPS

the footings, and distributed as uniformly about the

perimeter as practicable.

If there is no water-pipe system available, an artificial ground shall be provided at each footing.

Where the soil is deep, artificial grounds may be made by

extending the grounding conductor into the soil a distance

of at least 10 feet (3.05 m), by driving a pipe or rod to a depth at least 8 feet (2.44 m), or by burying to a depth of at

least 6 feet (1.83 m) a metal plate having an area of at least 4 square feet (0.372 m2 ). Where the soil is shallow, grounds may be made by digging trenches radially from the building and burying in

them a length of grounding conductor, or its equivalent in

the form of a metal strip. In addition, a trench should be

dug surrounding the building and a conductor laid in it which connects all of the grounding conductors together.

Conductor for grounding purposes shall conform to rule

250 (h) above.

Where galvanized-steel pipes are used they shall be standard " extra strong " and have a nominal internal diameter of

not less than 0.75 inch (1.90 cm).

Where copper strips or plates are used they shall have

a thickness of not less than No. 14 A. W. G. (0.064 inch=

0.16 cm).

Grounding conductors shall be attached to buried elec- trodes by means of soldered, riveted, or bolted joints, and to the^frame with bolts and nuts. Trenches for grounding purposes must be long enough to accommodate 12 feet (3.66 m) of conductor when laid

straight, but need not be more than 3 feet (0.915 m) in ! depth.
2 5 0. HANGARS 47

(i) Interconnection of Metals.—Exterior metallic bodies, such as roof flashings and down spuots, shall be securely

bonded to the lightning-conductor system. In the case of

steel-frame buildings they shall be securely bonded to the

frame, and all parts of the frame shall be securely bonded

together.

Interior metallic bodies, such as piping systems and machinery, shall be independently grounded and if within 10

feet of a lightning conductor shall be securely bonded

thereto. In the case of steel-frame buildings all interior

metallic bodies within 10 feet of the walls shall be securely

bonded to the frame.

"Where water pipes are available they shall be used in

preference to other means for grounding interior bodies of

metal. Where artificial grounds are necessary they shall be

constructed in compliance with rule 217.

For all bonding, interconnecting, and grounding purposes

the conductor used shall be at least the equivalent in strength

and conducting cross-sectional area of a No. 6 A. W. G.

copper wire, except where full-size lightning conductor is otherwise required.

(j) Spark Prevention.—Each structure, after its protective system is installed, shall be examined by competent

authority with a view of determining whether all possible

interior sources of sparks from a stroke of lightning on the

building have been eliminated. If it appears that gaps between adjacent bodies of metal or between bodies of metal and

ground are likely to give rise to sparks, suitable bonds or ground connections shall be installed in such a manner as permanently and effectively to prevent them.
48 PROTECTION OF HANGARS, BALLOONS, AND AIRSHIPS

251. Prevention of Damage to Aircraft.

To prevent damage from lightning and accumulation of

static electricity, balloons and airships shall be treated as follows

:

(a) Captive Balloons.—Captive balloons shall be

grounded through the metal cable and winch by means of a pipe or rod driven 6 feet (1.83 m) in the ground, or its equivalent in metal buried in a trench.

(b) Free Balloons and Airships.—Free balloons and air- ships shall be provided with an effective grounding wire

which is to be dropped just previous to landing, and a good

ground contact made for carrying off such electrical charges

as may have been accumulated by them while in the air.

(<?) Interconnection of Metallic Parts.—All metal

parts of lighter-than-air craft shall be interconnected so that

any charge that may accumulate may be distributed rather

than remain concentrated.

SEC. 26. SHIPS

260. Vessels to be Protected.

Vessels shall be protected as indicated below, irrespective

of the geographical area in which they operate.

261. Radio Antennas.

Eadio antennas shall be provided with means for

grounding during electrical storms.

262. Vessels with Steel Hulls and Steel Masts.

If there is metallic contact between steel hulls and steel masts no further protection against lightning is necessary.
2 6 3. NON-STEEL VESSELS 49

263. Vessels of Other than Steel Construction.

The grounding of radio antennas constitutes sufficient protection for vessels of other than steel construction, except

where wooden masts or spars are employed, in which case all

s metal fittings, such as trucks and bands, shall be effectively

and permanently grounded by means of 1 by ^ inch (2.5

by 0.08 cm) copper strips secured to spars by brass, screws and led to the nearest grounded metal-hull structure. Similar grounding of metal fittings at the extremities of wooden

masts and spars constitutes adequate protection where no

radio antenna is installed. 264. Metal Standing Rigging and Jacob's Ladders.

Where metal standing rigging and Jacob's ladders are in- stalled they shall be effectively grounded at the lower ends

in all cases (that is, whether the vessel is equipped with a

radio antenna or not) except where such rigging or Jacob's

ladders are broken up into insulated sections not over 10

feet (3.05 m) in length for radio purposes by means of suit- able insulators, in which case grounding at the lower ends

is not necessary. Grounding shall be carried out by means

of stranded wire shunts Vi mcn (0.635 cm) in diameter,

around deadeyes, lanyards, shackles, rigging screws, thimbles, etc., these shunts to be stranded, laid around the bright

rigging, then parceled and sewed.

265. Ground Connections.

In vessels having a steel hull, the hull itself constitutes an adequate ground. In vessels having wooden hulls, ground

connection shall be made by means of a copperplate not less than 36 square feet (3.3 m2 ) in area secured to the outside

cf the hull below the light water line.
50 PROTECTION" OF TREES

SEC. 27. TREES

The protection of trees against lightning has been done on an in- creasing scale during the last few years, especially trees of historical interest or of unusual value. The rules of this section for the installa- tion of lightning conductors on trees are based on what appears to be

the best information obtainable. 270. Methods and Materials.

Where it appears desirable to protect trees against lightning the following rules shall apply

:

(a) Conductors.—Conductors may be copper, copper-clad

steel, or galvanized iron, and shall conform to the requirements of rule 210. (b) Coursing of Conductors.—In general, a single con- ductor shall be run from the highest part of the tree along

the trunk to a ground connection. If the tree is forked,

branch conductors shall be extended to the highest parts of

the principal limbs. If the tree is very large, two down con- ductors may be run on opposite sides of the trunk and

interconnected near the top.

The conductors should be extended as close as practicable

to the highest part of the tree. (c) Attachment of Conductors.—Conductors shall be

securely attached to the tree in such a way as to allow for

continued growth of the trunk, and for swaying in the wind,

without danger of breakage.

A suitable method is to place loose girdles of wire incased in flexible tubing about the tree and attach the conductors to them. As the tree grows it is necessary to loosen the girdles from time to time to prevent

checking of the flow of sap. Another method is to use screw-shank fasteners of galvanized iron which hold the conductor at a distance of about 2 inches (5.08 cm)
2 70. METHODS AND MATERIALS 51

from the trunk. With growth the fasteners become embedded and are

replaced with others. To allow for swaying of the tree in the wind the conductor should be

attached with an appreciable amount of slack between points of support.

(d) Ground Connections.—-Grounds for conductors on

trees shall be made as follows: From each conductor, descending the trunk of the tree, extend three or more radial

conductors in trenches 12 inches (0.305 m) deep, spaced at equal intervals about the base where practicable, to a distance

of 10 to 25 feet (3.05 to 7.62 m), depending upon the size of

the tree. If the roots are very extensive, the radial con- ductors may well be extended more than 25 feet (7.62 m). It

is desirable as a further protective measure to connect the

outer ends of the radial conductors together with a conductor

which encircles the tree at the same depth as the radial conductors. In very dry soil the network should be supplemented with driven pipes, rods, or buried plates at its outer

extremities'. The object of the shallow network is to pick up the ground current accompanying a lightning flash near the surface and at a distance from the trunk rather than among the roots, which are as susceptible

to damage as the top. SEC. 28. LIVESTOCK IN FIELDS

The information on this subject is limited, but the best obtainable has been made use of in formulating the following rules. On account

of the nature of the exposure it is not possible, of course, to eliminate

the hazard entirely, but it is believed that if these rules are applied

it can be much reduced. The loss of livestock by lightning is caused in large measure by

herds drifting against ungrounded wire fences during thunderstorms

21534°—29 5
52 PROTECTION OF LIVESTOCK

and receiving a sufficient discharge to kill them, either from accumulated static electricity or from a stroke on the fence itself. The fences that give rise to the most trouble of this kind are those constructed with posts of poorly conducting material, such as wood or concrete. Fences built with metal posts set in earth are as safe from lightning as it is possible to make them, especially if the electrical continuity is broken as provided hereafter. Breaking the electrical continuity is very useful in that it prevents a lightning stroke from affecting the

entire length of a fence, as it may if the stroke is direct and the fence

continuous, even though grounded.

Isolated trees in pastures where stock congregate seeking shade

are also a source of loss. In pastures where shade is available from

wooded areas of considerable size, isolated trees should be removed

but otherwise should be protected by suitable rodding as described

in rule 282 below. 280. Grounding of Wire Fences.

Where it appears desirable or necessary to mitigate the

danger from wire fences constructed with posts of nonconducting material, the following rules shall apply.

(a) Iron Posts.—Ground connections may be made by

inserting at intervals galvanized-iron posts, such as are ordinarily used for farm fencing, and attaching in electrical contact all of the wires of the fence. If the ground is normally dry, the intervals between metal posts shall not

exceed 150 feet (45.7 m). If the ground is normally damp,

they may be placed 300 feet (91.5 m) apart.

(h) Iron Pipe.—A less expensive ground connection than

(a) may be made by driving a length of % or % inch

(trade size) galvanized-iron pipe beside the fence and at- taching the wires by ties of galvanized-iron wire. The

spacing shall be the same as for the posts under (a) above.

(c) Depth or Grounds.—Pipes or posts shall be ex- tended into the ground at least 3 feet (0.915 m.).
2 81. CONTINUITY OF FENCE 53

281. Breaking Continuity of Fence.

In addition to grounding the fence, its electrical continuity shall be broken by inserting insulating material in

breaks in the wires at intervals of about 1,000 feet (305 m.).

s These insertions may be in the form of fence panels of wood

or lengths of insulating material to the ends of which the

wires can be attached. Such lengths of insulating material

-may consist of strips of wood 2 by 2 by 24 inches (5.08 by

5.08 by 60.9 cm), or their equivalent as far as insulating

properties and mechanical strength are concerned.

282. Trees. Where a tree is isolated and the vicinity is much fre- quented by livestock the danger from lightning can be

reduced by installing a single conductor extending from the

top of the tree to a distance of at least 6 feet (1.83 m) into

the ground.
Part III.—PROTECTION OF STRUCTURES CONTAINING INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS AND GASES 1 INTRODUCTION

In a Report on Records of Oil-Tank Fires in the United

States, 1915-1925, published by the American Petroleum

Institute, it is stated that lightning caused 55 per cent of the

fires recorded.

Reduction of Damage.

Certain types of structures used for the storage of inflammable liquids and gases are essentially self-protecting. Protection, of a greater or less degree, may be secured in the case of others through the installation of various types of protective equipment, such as screens, rods, protective towers, and

by other means. Fundamental Principles of Protection.

Protection of structures and their contents from lightning

involve the following principles:

(a) The storage of inflammable liquids and gases in all- metal structures1 essentially gas-tight.

(b) The use in all necessary breathing vents of efficient flame arresters.

(c) The maintenance of containers in good condition, so far as potential hazards are concerned.

1 This part of the code has been approved by the American Standards Association as a tentative American standard. 54
INTRODUCTION 55

(d) The avoidance, so far as possible, of the accumulation

of explosive mixtures in and about such structures.

(e) The avoidance of spark gaps in metallic conductors

or between metallic conductors at points where there may be

I an accumulation of explosive mixtures or an escape of in- flammable vapors or gases to the air. (/) In connection with structures not inherently self- protecting, the establishment of cones of protection through

the use of grounded screens, rods, or towers, or the equivalent.(g) The location of structures containing inflammable

liquids and gases not inherently self-protecting, in positions

of lesser exposure with regard to lightning. Thus elevated

positions should be avoided.

SEC. 30. SCOPE, EXCEPTIONS, ETC.

300. Scope and Purpose.

This code applies to the protection of structures containing inflammable liquids and gases and their contents from

lightning or electrical discharges, regardless of their origin. It applies particularly to above-ground structures containing gasoline, kerosene, refined oils, fuel oils, and crude oils

also to such materials as turpentine and inflammable gases. It is primarily intended to give as much fundamental informtj mation as possible as to the kind of structures most suit- able for the protection of their contents from lightning or

electrical discharges and to indicate ways and means of protecting such structures as are not inherently self-protected.

This code is concerned only with the prevention of fires from electrical discharges and in no way whatever with

ways and means of extinguishing fires when once started.
56 PBOTECTION OF GAS AND OIL TANKS

301. Interpretation and Exceptions.

This code shall be liberally construed. Exceptions from

its literal requirements may be made if equivalent protection

is otherwise secured.

It is not intended that this code shall be interpreted as recommending the protection of the class of property to which it applies but shall constitute the standard where eco- nomic or other considerations make it appear that protection is necessary or desirable. 302. Mandatory and Advisory Requirements.

The word " shall " where used is to be understood as mandatory and the word " should " as advisory. " May " is used

in the permissive sense. 303. Terms and Definitions.

The following terms and definitions apply specifically to the structures, material, etc., involved in Part III of this

C°

(1) Breathers or vents.—These are the openings provided

to allow for the passage of air in or out of otherwise wholly

or partially gas-tight tanks, when emptying or filling or due to changes in temperature. Vents are usually provided

with some form of flame arrester. (2) Flame arrester.—A device used to prevent passage ot flame where explosive mixtures or combustible vapors and

p-ases are present on both sides of the device.

< (3) Cage.—K system of noncorrodible wires or cables,

forming an inclosing cage, especially over the roof of the

tank, and forming an essentially continuous mesh or net- work over the tank and the protecting roof, this cage including the necessary conductors, which are connected to the

tank and to an adequate ground.
303. DEFINITIONS 57

(4) Gone of protection.—The space inclosed by a cone formed with its apex at the highest point of a lightning rod

or protecting tower, the diameter of the base of the cone having a definite relation to the height of the rod or tower

Vhich has been determined experimentally. This relation

depends on the height of the rod and the height of the cloud

above the earth. The higher the cloud, the larger the radius

of the base of the protecting cone. The ratio of radius of

base to height varies approximately from two to four.

(5) Flashpoint.—Flashpoint is that temperature to which

oil or inflammable liquids must be heated to give off vapor

in sufficient amount to form a mixture with air which can be

ignited by a flame under specified conditions.

(6) Gas tight.—So constructed that gas or air can not

either enter or leave the structure except through vents or piping provided for the purpose. This is supposed to be

accomplished by steel tanks riveted and calked, or completely

welded.

1 ' (7) Sparh gap.—As used in this code the term " spark

gap " means any short air space between two conductors not

: electrically connected to each other.

j

In an oil tank such a gap might occur between a section of metallic sheathing and the tank proper or between two sections of such sheath-

: ing or as a gap formed by an ill-fitting hatch cover in a steel roof or

1 in many other ways.

(8) Inflammable vapors.—The vapors given off from inflammable liquids which will burn when mixed with air.

s (9) Explosive mixtures.—When inflammable vapors are mixed with air in certain proportions the mixture becomes

explosive when ignited by any means. The range for ordinary petroleum products is from V/2 to 6 per cent of vapor

by volume, the remainder being air.
58 PROTECTION OF GAS AND OIL TANKS

SEC. 31. PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND PRECAUTIONS

310. Classification of Structures. Class A.—Steel tanks, including roof, essentially gastight, except for necessary vents for breathing, these vents being properly flameproofed (steel tanks riveted and calked or welded).

Steel tanks with floating roofs providing for the least possible exposure of the contained liquids.

Class B.—Steel tanks with steel tops, hatch covers, etc., but with no special precautions for making them gas-tight.

Steel tanks with roofs of nonmetallic material, so constructed that they are gas-tight with the necessary flameproof vents for breathing.

Steel tanks with roofs of nonmetallic material, such as wood, sheathed with thin layers of metal but not gas-tight.

Class C.—Earthen containers, lined or unlined, with or without roofs. The sizes of the structures listed above vary from the small tanks,

such as are used for the storage of gasoline for filling stations, to enormous earthen reservoirs, capable of storing several million barrels of crude oil. The usual steel tanks vary in size from those containing a few hundred barrels of oil to tanks containing 150,000 barrels of

oil. The greater number of tanks in use requiring protection range

in size from 50 to 150 feet (15 to 45 m) in diameter and from 30 to 45

feet (9 to 14 m) high.

Except where these tanks have been recently constructed or rebuilt they are generally steel tanks with nonmetallic roofs. The condition

of the tanks will vary from the newest type of gas-tight steel tank of the best possible workmanship to tanks which have been in the field for many years and whose condition reflects the care or lack of care which has been taken in keeping them in good condition. In many of the older tanks with nonmetallic tops no special precautions have been

taken to connect metallic parts together and to avoid spark gaps.
310. CLASSIFICATION" OF STRUCTURES 59

There are many of the older tanks in use with nonmetallic roofs either sheathed with thin metal, such as tinplate, or unsheathed where no

attempt has been made to make them gas-tight. In the case of the earthen reservoirs, lined with reinforced concrete,

in most cases no attempt has been made to metallically bond and

> ground the reinforcing metal within the cement mixture or to ground

all parts of the reinforcing metal. 311. Structures Which Are Inherently Self-Protecting.

The extent to which structures containing inflammable

liquids or gases will be self-protecting is approximately in

, the order given in rule 310, which lists the various classes of

structures which are used for this purpose.

All-steel gas-tight tanks with vents adequately flameproofed are considered to be completely protected. This

requires that such tanks be either riveted and calked or all joints welded. It also requires that all pipes, cables, etc., entering the tank be metallically connected to the tank at the

point of entrance and that the metal cover be of sufficient weight to avoid being fused in the case of a direct stroke of

lightning. Tank covers as used in commercial practice have

, been found adequately heavy.

Tanks with floating roofs which prevent the accumulation

of vapors and explosive mixtures and with provision for

minimum exposure of the contents are considered in the same

. class with the gas-tight tanks above.

No special precautions need be taken in regard to the

: grounding of tanks in the above class.

! 312. Structures Which Are Not Self-Protecting.

I Structures in classes B and C are not self-protecting, and

*the recommended measures in the following paragraphs re- fer to precautions with regard to the tank structures themselves, with the idea of making them as nearly self-protect-
PROTECTION" OF GAS AND OIL TANKS

ing as possible. Additional protective measures are listed in

the following rule. Steel tanks having steel tops and hatch

covers, not necessarily gas tight, which contain volatile oils,

should have all openings and joints made as close-fitting as possible to reduce to a minimum the escape of accumulated

gases and vapors. Breathing vents should receive the same

consideration as in the gas-tight tanks.

Where it can be done, replacement of the gases and vapors

above the liquid level with noninflammable gases will do

much to prevent the starting of fires from any cause. On steel tanks with roofs of nonmetallic materials, sometimes sheathed with very thin metal to avoid the entrance

of water, all metal parts on the roof and all pipes and

cables entering the gas space should be thoroughly bonded

together and connected to the tank and to an adequate

ground.

Steel tanks embedded in soil, or with underground piping connections, are usually sufficiently well grounded inherently.

Roofs of nonmetallic material should have adequate slope to prevent the formation of pools of water, particularly in

the neighborhood of openings, as induced discharges may

occur from pool to pool of water or from pool to grounded

metal.

Spark gaps between isolated masses or sheets of metal

or between such sheets and grounded metal, or in partially

closed circuits of metal whether grounded or not, particularly in the gas space above the stored liquids, should be

avoided.

Tanks with nonmetallic roofs but made gas tight, except

for breathing vents, should have the same precautions taken

for grounding any necessary metal, such as cables, clamps,

7 ~
312. STRUCTURES NOT SELF-PROTECTING 61

entering pipes, or wires, for the avoidance of spark gaps, as above.

In reinforced-concrete reservoirs, all reinforcing metal,

I particularly that which might be exposed at points at which

there would be vapor or explosive mixtures, should be con- nected together, and all spark gaps between such metal not

completely buried in the concrete structure should be

avoided. It is desirable that all reinforcing material be completely buried in the concrete. Where roofs are used, all necessary metal should be thoroughly bonded together and

connected to adequate grounds at frequent intervals, and

spark gaps avoided.

313. Additional Protective Measures.

So-called Faraday cages, wire screens, etc., afford additional protection largely in proportion as they approach

complete metallic shielding. All electrostatic or Faraday

cages should be free from spark gaps and should be adequately grounded in enough points to prevent heavy electric currents. Lightning rods, properly spaced, offer a large, if not a complete degree of protection against direct strokes of

lightning. They do not, however, offer protection from

sparks caused by electrostatic induction or electromagnetic

induction.

A lightning rod will generally afford protection from a

direct stroke within a circle (cone of protection) whose

radius is two to four times the height of the rod above the

roof of the tank. This ratio will vary somewhat with the

height of the rod above the roof of the tank and with the

height of the cloud.
62 PKOTECTION OF GAS AND OIL TANKS

Rods should be spaced at least one-half of the rod length

away from the tank, and a sufficient number should be used

so that the entire tank is covered by their cones of protection.

Rods should be thoroughly grounded and also connected to the tank.

Grounding wires shall be no smaller than No. 6 A. W. G.

and be of noncorrodible, high-conductivity material, preferably copper.

Ground plates should be of noncorrodible material buried

to a sufficient depth to insure contact with moist earth at

all times.

All connectors intended to carry discharges should be free from loops and sharp bends and form as direct lines to grounded metal as possible.

314. Flame Arresters. Flame arresters of any type should be such as have

been proved by adequate investigation and test to be effective for the conditions under which they are installed and used,

For pipe larger than 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter the

effectiveness of flame arresters employing screens on the

Davy principle is questionable, and for larger pipes other means should be employed, such as arresters in the form of

tubes, plates, and their equivalent so constructed as to present sufficient areas of metal surface to extinguish flames

when interposed in the tank space to be protected.

Flame arresters should be substantially incased and

capable of withstanding the effects of cleaning and of flame

and pressures without material distortion or injury.

Where screens are used they should be in duplicate and

should be made of noncorrodible wire with a mesh of about

40 per inch (16 per cm). They should be protected so far as possible from mechanical injury.

J
Appendix A.—LIGHTNING ; ITS ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, AND EFFECTS

The term " lightning " is applied to certain types of heavy

electrical discharges in the atmosphere. Within a comparatively recent period its meaning was extended to include a

variety of overvoltage phenomena arising in the operation

of electric circuits, but owing to the resulting confusion this use of the term is no longer considered desirable. The fol- lowing discussion will be confined to atmospheric electric discharges, chief attention being given to the kind known

as " streak " lightning or, to use a less scientific term,

" chain " lightning, as it is this that causes damage and

injury.

The necessity for protection against lightning was recognized during the earlier periods of recorded history. The

devices and methods then used, however, were characteristic

of the times. They consisted chiefly in exorcisms by the

priesthood, the wearing of holy charms, the ringing of

church bells that had been especially dedicated to the purpose, and the torture and burning of persons suspected of

witchcraft. The latter were believed to be able to summon

storms at will by reason of their being in league with demons

and evil spirits.1 The origin of such beliefs was in the abyss

of superstition and fear which formerly engulfed almost

1 J. C. Shedd, Proc Colo, Sci. Soc, 8, p. 387 ; 1907. 63
64 APPENDIX A

the entire human race and from which a considerable

portion has not yet emerged.

Deliverance in this particular from the thralldom of

imaginary demons, witches, and angry gods came during the

period 1749-1752 with the invention by Benjamin Franklin of

the lightning conductor, and his proof by means of his kite

experiments of the identity of lightning with the electric spark. This work of Franklin marks one of the definite

points of departure from a line of reasoning which ascribed

all natural phenomena to capricious supernatural intervention and gave an impetus to logical inquiry into the laws of

nature. Such inquiry, however, has progressed but slowly

with respect to lightning flashes, only a few roughly quantitative measurements having been made, and these in very

recent times. Nevertheless, the results now available enable us to estimate the magnitude of the quantities involved, and

much has been gained from laboratory and field work in

protection of property. It is the purpose here to summarize the existing information and attempt to distinguish

between what is known and what is purely ^speculative.

Sources of Lightning.

The chief source of lightning is the familiar summer

thunderstorm, which derives its name from the sounds re- sulting from its electrical discharges. Lightning has also

been observed in the dust, steam, and gas clouds arising from

volcanoes in eruption, in the dust clouds of deserts, and in

clear skies, probably from charged bodies of air which

drifted near each other or near the earth. In addition, there

are silent luminous discharges within cloud layers and haze

which have been observed at all times of the year, especially

in regions where thunderstorms are scarce.
TYPES OF LIGHTNING 65

TYPES OF LIGHTNING

The most familiar type is streak lightning. Variations of

this, but not distinct types in themselves, are ribbon, rocket,

and bead lightning, and also forked and zigzag lightning.

Other types more rarely observed than streak lightning are

ball or globular lightning and sheet lightning.

Streak Lightning.

Streak lightning exhibits a white or pink path of comparatively small diameter, from an inch to a foot apparently, and

of a length which may be from a fraction of a mile to several

miles, depending upon the conditions of the discharge. The

path in many cases is sinuous and forked with extensive

ramifications, while in others it appears as a single streak,

the ramified forks being absent or invisible. The streak

lightning of a thunderstorm may occur within a cloud, between separate clouds, between clouds and earth, or between

a cloud and surrounding air. It is invariably accompanied

by thunder of greater or less intensity. In the majority of

cases its duration is very short, although there is a wide variation in the ^ration and intensity of streak-lightning

flashes, which is discussed in greater detail later. Ribbon Lightning.

Occasionally a flash of streak lightning appears as a number of more or less distinct parallel streaks, to which the name " ribbon lightning " has been given by reason of its appearance. What seems to be a satisfactory explanation is given by photographs of lightning flashes. It has been

shown that most streak discharges consist of several successive discharges, which have appreciable time intervals

between them. It has also been shown that in the intervals
66 APPENDIX A

between discharges the path may be shifted by the wind

through considerable distances. Thus, several successive dis- charges displaced in space may, on account of persistence of

vision, appear as parallel streaks. Rocket Lightning.

The term "rocket lightning" has been applied to streak

discharges occasionally seen, the growth of which is so slow

as to appear like a rocket. It may occur between clouds and

earth, within clouds, or between clouds and surrounding air. In one case at least it has been observed between clouds and

upper atmosphere.2 It has been explained as the discharge,

under certain conditions, of a positively charged cloud.3 Bead Lightning.

In this the path of the discharge appears as a string of

luminous globes or beads, separated by darker intervals. It is rarely observed, especially in pronounced form. Several explanations of this phenomenon have been offered. One is that it is due to variations of the path of the dis- charge with respect to the line of sight. Another that strise

.of haze obscure portions of the path. A third is that it is a combination of streak and globe lightning.4 Forked Lightning.

This refers to the branching of the streak discharge at its lower end in some cases, which results in its striking two or more objects at the same time. Thus two trees, or a tree and

a house, some distance apart, may be damaged by the same

stroke.

2 Nature, 68, p. 599 ; 1903.

3 G. C. Simpson, Proc. Royal Soc, 111, p. 56 ; 1926.

4 Sci. Amer., 106, p. 587 ; 1912. Humphreys, Physics of the Air, p. 351.
TYPES OF LIGHTNING 67

Zigzag Lightning.

This refers to streak discharges which assume an ex- tremely sinuous path. In some cases, because of the rela- tion of the line of sight to the path, it appears to describe

I a loop. Such discharges present altogether different appearances from different points of observation.

Globular Lightning.

The term " globular lightning " is applied to the second

distinct type which consists of the luminous globes, or globular-shaped masses, sometimes seen during thunderstorms to move along the ground, about objects resting on

the ground, or through the air, in a manner quite inexplicable to the observer. These globes seem in some cases

to explode with a loud noise and cause serious damage.

They are held by some to be an optical illusion arising from

persistence of vision which causes one to see a ball of fire in any position toward which the eye is directed after a

particularly brilliant flash of Streak lightning. This ex- planation can hardly be accepted, however, in view of a number of observations where persistence of vision did not seem to be a factor. It is now conceded that globular lightning, or something resembling it, actually exists on rare

j occasions. Dr. Walther Brand, of Marburg, Germany, has

assembled 600 accounts of ball lightning, of which 215 are

I sufficiently detailed and accurate to be worthy of study.

J, From these he has summarized the characteristics of this

singular phenomenon but does not attempt to explain it.

- It is thought to be a more than ordinarily brilliant brush

discharge moving along a path of low dielectric strength

in the storm's electric field, probably immediately preceding

21534°—29 6
68 APPENDIX A

or following streak lightning, which would account for the

apparent explosions. It is now known that the electric

fields of thunderstorms are of sufficient strength to cause such discharges, especially beneath the center of greatest

electrical activity.5 Sheet Lightning.

The proper application of this term is to the silent dis- charges occasionally observed in clouds and haze, which

constitute a third distinct type of lightning. These dis- charges appear to be somewhat similar to the brush dis- charge of the laboratory but are of white color usually, and

on a vast scale. In some cases great areas of the sky glow

momentarily, and sometimes intermittently, with sufficient brightness to arrest the attention. The proper application

of the term is significant, because the discharge appears to occur as a sheet, although actually it is most likely a volume

effect. It is distinguished from the aurora by the fact that

it takes place in the cloud layers, whereas the aurora is observed only in the rarefied upper atmosphere where clouds

do not form. The phenomenon may be observed at times

in winter on cloudy nights. It also occurs at other times of

year, especially in regions where streak lightning is rare, and occasionally in the wake of cyclonic thunderstorms.

The term, " sheet lightning," or, more popularly, " heat

lightning," is erroneously applied to the illumination aris- ing from streak lightning, the source of which is invisible on

account of cloud banks, or being below the horizon, and so distant that the thunder either can not be heard or comes too

late to be associated in the mind of the observer with the

5 H. Norinder, Electric Thunderstorm Researches : Elect. World, S3, p. 223

;

1924.
TYPES OF LIGHTNING 69

illumination. Sheet lightning is readily distinguished from

the illumination of streak lightning by its persistence and its relatively slow variation of intensity.

Nothing beyond speculation is offered to account for glow

discharges in clouds, but possible causes are these: (1) The

agglomeration of charged vapor particles to form water

drops by which means the potential of the drops is raised to a point where a coronal discharge occurs to the surrounding

air. (2) The changing of charged vapor particles to snow

crystals or ice particles which increases potential due to agglomeration and at the same time produces shapes which

facilitate discharge. (3) The drifting of charged masses of

vapor or ice particles from regions .where the potential is high to regions where the potential is lower. The charge

in the case of glow discharges is most likely negative, because,

as indicated by Simpson (I. &.), discharges from negatively

charged clouds are likely to be of this character.

St. Elmo's Fire.

This consists of silent discharges at the surface of the

earth which appear as blue flamelike brushes at the tips of

various pointed objects. It occurs most frequently in dry

regions on the approach of storms, and also on mountain

tops, especially if it is cold and dry. It is not confined to these places, however, as it occurs at sea on the masts and

rigging of ships. It is not to be regarded as a type of lightning, although it may attend lightning storms.

Characteristics and Effects,

From the point of view of protective measures streak

lightning is the only kind that needs consideration, since the

others are rare in occurrence or harmless. Streak lightning,
70 APPENDIX A

however, causes considerable damage and loss of life, especially in those regions where thunderstorms are frequent and

severe. Its potentialities for damage are dependent upon the

electrical characteristics which it has in common with elec- trical discharges produced in the laboratory—viz, current,

voltage, and time—and their combination in power to cause explosion and energy to cause heat. Of these factors the

maximum current and its duration determine its fusing or

igniting effects, while the steepness of the wave front deter- mines the extent of its secondary or induced effects. The

voltage gradient very largely determines the extent of its effects on electric-power transmission and communication

circuits. Of less importance from the point of view of protection, but nevertheless of considerable interest, are the fol- lowing: The magnitude of the total voltage involved,

whether the discharge is oscillatory or damped to such an

extent as to make it a single impulse, and the cause of the

noise and light. These characteristics are discussed here

under the following headings : Source of static charge, volt- age, energy, maximum current, wave front and duration,

induced effects, thunder, illumination, character of damage,

effects on persons, and thunderstorm data,. SOURCE OF STATIC CHARGE

The work of G. C. Simpson 6 at the Meteorological Office of the Government of India. Simla, gave results which form

a basis for an explanation in part at least of the mechanism

by which the separation of electric charges in thunderstorms

is produced. Two lines of research were adopted: (1) A

6 Trans. Royal Soc, 209, p. 279 ; 1909.
SOURCE OF STATIC CHARGE

« 71

systematic record was obtained by means of self-registering

instruments of the electricity brought down by the rain

throughout one rainy season; (2) laboratory experiments

I were made with the object of determining the source of the

electricity of thunderstorms.

The chief results of the first part of the work may be

briefly summarized as follows: The aggregate amount of

rain which fell during the periods of rainfall investigated was 30.04 inches (76.3 cm). The total quantity of positive

electricity which fell on each square centimeter of surface was 22.3 electrostatic units, and of negative electricity 7.6 units; thus 75 per cent of the electricity brought down by

the rain was positive. During 71 per cent of the time that

charged rain fell the charge was positive. Considering that

falling rain carrying a positive charge is equivalent to a

positive current and rain carrying a negative charge to a

negative current, then positive currents greater than 300 X

10"15 ampere per square centimeter were measured in six

storms and negative currents of greater than 300 X10"15 ampere per square centimeter in two storms. In seven storms it was found that the rain carried positive

charges greater than six electrostatic units per cubic centimeter of water, and in two storms negative charges greater

than this amount were recorded. The heavier the rainfall

the more the positively charged rain preponderated over

the negatively charged rain, and all rainfall having a greater

rate than a millimeter in two minutes was positively charged.

Light rain was more highly charged than heavy rain. The

proportion of negative electricity brought down by the rain was slightly greater in the second than in the first half of
72 APPENDIX A

the storm. The potential gradient was more often negative 7 than positive during rain. No relationship between the

sign of the potential gradient and the sign of the electricity

of the rain could be detected.

The laboratory experiments showed that when a large

drop of water is broken up into small drops in air the water

becomes positively and the air negatively charged. In the

first series of experiments drops of water having a volume

of 0.24 cc fell on a vertical jet of air which broke them up

into smaller drops. Under these circumstances the water of

each drop, after having been broken up on the jet, carried a charge of 5.2 X10-3 electrostatic unit of positive electricity.

Further, the presence of an original charge on the drops did

not alter the effect. Drops originally charged positively

had their charges increased, and drops charged negatively

had their charges decreased.

In the second series of experiments water was introduced

through two small tubes into a vertical current of air which

carried the water upward. Part of that which escaped from

the air current was caught in an insulated vessel and was

found to be positively charged, the charge being 15X10-3 electrostatic units per cubic centimeter of water. In the third series of experiments drops of water were

broken up in a manner similar to that employed in the first series, but within a compartment from which the air could

be drawn through an Ebert apparatus. It was shown that

the breaking up of the drops caused an ionization of the

7 Negative potential gradient in the atmosphere exists when the potential of a point decreases with increasing vertical distance from the earth, as would be the case with a negatively charged cloud and a positive charge on the earth

beneath. Positive potential gradient is found under the opposite condition of a positive cloud and a corresponding negative charge on the earth.
SOUECE OP STATIC CHAEGE 73

air. The breaking of each drop released 3.3 X10"3 electrostatic unit of free negative ions and 1.1 XlO-3 electrostatic

unit of free positive ions. The excess of negative ions, or

2.2 XlO-3 electrostatic unit, corresponds to the positive

' charge retained by the water. The discrepancy between

2.2 XlO-3 and 5.2 XlO-3 as given previously is accounted for

by the author by the fact that parts of the ions were dis- charged to the walls of the Ebert apparatus.

In 1904 Professor Lenard 8 proved that drops of water

which have a diameter greater than 5.5 mm are unstable

when falling through air and rapidly break up into smaller

drops. He also proved that the final velocity of any drop

which has a diameter less than 5.5 mm does not exceed 8 m

per second when falling through still air of normal density.

Thus, no water can fall through an ascending current of air

of normal density which has a velocity of 8 m per second or more, for all drops less than 5.5 mm in diameter are carried

upward, and all drops of larger diameter are quickly broken

up into smaller drops. These facts, together with the results of the observations and experiments described above, have

led to the formation of the following theory for the origin of

the electrical separation of thunderstorms.

It is probable that in all thunderstorms there are upward

currents of velocities greater than 8 m per second. Such

currents support large amounts of water which can not fall through the ascending air. Hence, as the top of the vertical

air current is approached where its upward velocity greatly

decreases due to the lateral outflow, there will be an accumulation of water in the form of drops which are continually

going through the process of growing from small drops into

8 Meteor. Zeit, 21, p. 249 ; 1904.
74 APPENDIX A

drops large enough to be broken. Each time a drop breaks a separation of electricity takes place, the water receiving a positive charge and the air a corresponding negative charge.

The moving air carries away the negative ions but leaves the

positively charged water behind.

A given mass of water may be broken up many times before it finally falls to the ground and. consequently, may

obtain a high positive charge. TVTien it finally reaches the

ground it is recognized as positively charged rain. The ions

which travel with the moving air are rapidly absorbed by

the cloud particles in the upper part of the cloud, and in

time this would become highly charged with negative electricity. Now, within a highly electrified cloud there may be

combination of the water drops and from it considerable

rain may fall at certain stages of the storm. This rain will

be negatively charged, and under suitable conditions both

the charges on the rain and the rate of rainfall could be

large.

A rough quantitative analysis shows that the order of

magnitude of the electric charges produced by the breaking

of a drop of water is sufficient to account for the electrical

effects observed in the most violent thunderstorms. All of

the results of the observations of the electricity of rain described above are capable of explanation by the theory,

which also agrees well with the actual meteorological phe- nomena and is quite generally accepted. It is thought by

some that, while precipitation is the primary cause of the

separation of electricity, the action, instead of being due to separation into parts of water drops, is similar to that of

the influence machine.9

9 Elster and Geitel, Wied. Ann., 25, p. 116; 1885. Physikal Zeit., 14, p. 1287 ; 1913. Geitel, Physikal. Zeit., 17, p. 455 ; 1916.
SOUECE OF STATIC CHAEGE 75

Electrification of clouds, however, has been observed where

vertical convection and rapid condensation did not occur. According to Simpson 10 these phenomena can be accounted

for by an extension of his theory. It has been shown that

electrification can be produced by the separation of almost

any substance. Thus, in duststorms and snowstorms separation takes place by collision and abrasion between particles

in much the same way as in the breaking of water drops,

which leads to electrification, with the attendant phenomena.

It is rare that electrification of this type produces lightning,

because separation of charges does not occur, although it may occur in the case of a snowstorm accompanied by soft

hail, because the hailstones acquire a high charge in their

downward course by collision with snowflakes and take their

charges with them to the ground.

VOLTAGE

The voltage of lightning discharges—that is, the difference

in potential between the points marking the extreme ends of

the path of the discharge immediately preceding its occur- rence—has long been a matter of conjecture. The nearest approximation so far made to the voltage of a lightning flash places it at about 100,000 volts per foot. This value was

obtained by comparing the induced voltage on a model trans- mission line, where the total voltage was known to be

2,000,000, with induced voltages from lightning measured on

an actual transmission line. 11 Other experiments indicate

that at the most intense part of the electric field of a thunder10 Nature (London), 112, pp. 727-728; 1923.

11 F. W. Peek, jr., High-Voltage Phenomena: J. Franklin Inst., 197, p. 1;

1924.
APPENDIX A

storm the electric intensity approaches the limiting value at which coronal discharges begin.12 Hence, it appears that for a discharge a mile in length the potential difference at the

begimiing of the discharge is of the order of 5X108 volts. A comprehensive series of measurements of the changes in

potential gradient near the surface of the earth has been

made by C. T. E. Wilson. 13 During the years 1914, 1915,

and 1917 records were obtained during 864 discharges. The

discharge was between negative cloud and positive earth in

528 of these, or at least of a kind to cause a change in potential gradient at the instrument of the same nature. This

predominance of discharges with the cloud negative appears

not to be in accord with the observations of Simpson, who

found the cloud usually positive, but the latter drew his

conclusions from photographs of flashes to earth, while in

Wilson's case flashes from cloud to cloud were included.

From the magnitude of the change in potential gradient,

and the distance between instrument and path of discharge,

it was estimated that the average value for the quantity of

electricity involved was 20 coulombs. (A change of about

15,000 volts per meter was observed at a distance of 5 km.)

If this amount of charge is distributed through a spherical mass of cloud with a radius of 250 meters it would produce an electric field of nearly 30,000 volts per cm at its surface

and would have a potential of about 109 volts. This electric

field is the limiting value at which air breaks down when the

field is uniform, and it will break down at lower values where

12 H. Norinder, Electric Thunderstorm Field Researches: Elect. World, 83,

p. 223 ; 1924.

13 Proc. Royal Soc. of London, 92, p. 555 ; 1916. Phil. Trans, of Royal Soc, 221, p. 73 ; 1920.

TT
VOLTAGE 77

the field is nonuniform, as near surfaces having curves of

short radius.

If a voltage of this value produces a discharge over a path

2 km long, the average gradient is much less than the above

v critical value. It does not seem necessary for the gradient to equal the critical value over the entire path for a discharge to

start. Starting at the point of intense field local breakdown

I causes a readjustment of the field, which leads to progressive

breakdown along the entire path.

In Norinder's observations gradients as large as 100,000

volts per meter were recorded at points closer to the discharge.

ENERGY

The total energy dissipated by a flash of lightning may

be roughly estimated in various ways. An estimate by Peek

from his measurements of lightning voltages places the

energy at 1.3 X107 watt-seconds.

Another estimate has been made by Wilson in connection

with the work mentioned in the preceding section, where the

quantity of electricity discharged by a lightning flash was

found to be 20 coulombs and the voltages 109

, which gives

for the energy 1010 watt-seconds, or nearly one thousand

times as much as that estimated by Peek.

The discrepancy between these two estimates may in part

be attributed to the fact that most lightning flashes consist

of several separate discharges along the same path, usually

1 to 10, and in one instance at least as many as 40. The esti- mate based on the voltage would take account only of a

single discharge, and thus the 107 watt-seconds found in

this manner should, perhaps, be multiplied by the number
78 APPENDIX A

of separate discharges that constitute the entire flash or

else a larger cloud area considered.14 On the other hand, the estimate based on the quantity of

electricity takes account of the total change of electrical condition, but, as pointed out heretofore, 109 volts may be

too high, in which case the energy would be less. It seems

not unreasonable to take 108 to 109 watt-seconds as the

order of magnitude of the energy of a lightning flash. It is interesting to note that where lightning flashes occur

at intervals of one second or less, as they may in severe cyclonic thunderstorms which cover a large area, an energy

dissipation of 109 watt-seconds for each flash means that the

power being dissipated is around 1,000,000 kilowatts. This

is an impressive value, and the question may be raised a£ to the source of the energy. The most probable source is the

vertical convection, the gravitational process so pronounced

during the thunderstorm, which results in excessive con- densation accompanied by electrical separation. An idea of

the power involved can be gained from a consideration of the

rainfall. In a heavy storm a rainfall at a rate of 10 cm per hour is not unusual, and at this rate the power derived from the fall- ing water, taking the height of fall as 1 km, would be

3X1015 ergs per second per km2

, or 1,000,000 kw for about

3 km2

. Thus, a rainfall of the foregoing amount over an

area of 3 km2 would involve sufficient power to produce a

flash per second. The total power available for the production of lightning flashes may obviously greatly exceed the

estimate based on the rainfall.

11 Trans. Roy. Soc, 221, p. 73 ; 1920-21.
MAXIMUM CURRENT 79

MAXIMUM CURRENT

What appears to be the first work on current intensities of

lightning flashes was done by F. Pockels,15 who made use in

his measurements of some of the peculiar magnetic properties of basalt, and at the same time assumed that lightning

discharges are unidirectional. In the course of some laboratory experiments Pockels found that for unidirectional

magnetic fields the residual magnetism of prisms of nepheline basalt depended neither on the duration nor the time

variation of the field, but only on its maximum value. Basalt

consists of crystals of magnetite distributed through a badly

conducting mineral medium, and it is upon this formation

that its peculiar magnetic property depends, there being no eddy currents set up in it by a varying magnetic field which

would retard the magnetization of the specimen. A magnetic field lasting only about one-millionth of a second

showed the same residual and probably also the same temporary magnetization as was induced by a field kept up in- definitely at the same strength. This being the case, the

residual magnetization of the basalt might be taken as a measure of the maximum magnetic field to which it had been

subjected and, consequently, to the maximum value of the

magnetizing current. In order to test the method, Pockels discharged condensers

of known capacities which had been charged to known differ- ences of potential through magnetizing circuits of known

resistance and self-induction, the constants of the circuit

having been chosen to give a highly damped discharge. He

then calculated the maximum value of the current by means

15 Ann. Phys. Chem., 63, p. 195, 1897 ; Ann. Phys. Chem., 65, pt. 2, p. 458, 1898 ; Phys. Zeit, 2, p. 306, 1900.
80 APPENDIX A

of the constants of the circuit and compared them with the

values determined from the residual magnetization. The

resistance of the spark gap was neglected in making these

calculations, but the results agreed very well in the two

cases. The results of these experiments were made use of by

Pockels in making an approximate determination of the current intensity of lightning flashes, assuming, as pre- viously stated, that the discharge in a flash of lightningis unidirectional. The first measurements were made on

specimens cut from outcroppings of basalt rock which

showed irregular and local magnetization which could only

be due to lightning flashes. Knowing the strength of the

field necessary to produce the residual magnetism shown

by the specimens, only the distance to the path of the flash was necessary to make a rough determination of the current. This distance was in some cases assumed to be the distance

to the surface of the rock; in others a damaged tree was

assumed to give the necessary evidence. One estimate made

by assuming the distance to the flash to be the distance to the surface of the rock led to a minimum of 2,900 amperes

as the current intensity ; three others, on specimens obtained

from the vicinity of damaged trees, gave 6,400, 6,600, and

10,000 amperes, respectively. These values are probably too

small, because of the period of time which elapsed between

the time of the flash and the time of making the measure- ments and also because of the disturbance of the basalt in

cutting it out. Other observations were made on basalt prisms exposed

in the vicinity of a branch of the lightning conductor on

the observation tower on Mount Cimone, in the Appenines.

One of the prisms which had been placed at a distance of
MAXIMUM CUERENT 81

6.4 cm from the conductor and had been subjected once to the magnetizing effects of a lightning stroke gave i— 10,200

amperes. A second prism, which had been subjected to

. the magnetizing effects of four strokes, gave ^=5,530. A

\hird prism was only slightly magnetic. There were two

ground connections to the lightning conductor, so it is quite probable that the current divided symmetrically. The

total currents in the two cases were, therefore, 20,000 and

11,000 amperes, respectively. These values are doubtless also too small, because the prisms were not examined until several

months after having been exposed and were subjected to some vibration in the meantime.

Another method of arriving at an estimate of the current

intensity of a lightning flash is to calculate it from the total

quantity of electricity discharged as found( by Wilson and

make assumptions as to the duration and number of dis- charges per flash. The quantity may be taken as 20 cou- lombs, the number of discharges per flash about five, and the

duration of each discharge about 0.000028 second. The lat- ter value is based on experimental evidence that many lightning flashes are less than 0.000028 second in duration. The

quantity for each discharge would then be 4 coulombs, and

the current 4/0.000028, or 142,000 amperes. This is seven

times as great as by the previous method.

A third estimate has been made from the fusing effect of

a lightning flash on metal.16 In this case the metal was in

the form of a copper tube with a brazed seam which constituted part of a lightning-rod terminal. The terminal was

struck and heated to a sufficient temperature to volatilize some of the solder used in brazing and make the copper plas16 Crushing of a Copper Tube by Lightning. W, J. Humphreys, Monthly

Weather Review, 43, p, 396 ; 1915,
82 APPENDIX A

tic enough to collapse throughout its length of 5 feet under

the pinch effect of the current. The temperature rise is esti- mated to be about 1,025° 0. The average resistance of the

tube for the estimated temperature range was found to be 1 17 microhms per cm. and the weight 2.9 g per cm. To bring

2.9 g of copper to 1,025° C. requires about 327 g-calories.

The duration of the flash was assumed to be 0.01 second,

much greater than in the previous paragraph, but this seems

to be justified by the fact that the fusing effects were uncom- monly severe. Moreover, the entire flash, perhaps consisting of as many as 40 separate discharges, is considered,17 which would introduce a considerable factor to increase the

time as compared with a single discharge.

From the preceding values for temperature, resistivity,

and time it is found that

7= V-5/0.2389 R t = V327/0.2389 X 17 X 10~6 X 0.01 =

90,000 amperes, approximately. The pinch effect of such a current on the tube is calculated to be 400 lbs./in.2 (28

kg/cm 2 ). If the discharge were unidirectional, the quantity of electricity would be 90,000X0.01 = 900 coulombs,

which is eighteen times the greatest observed by Wilson.

The foregoing values for the maximum current of lightning flashes differ widely, as might be expected where deductions are made from such meager data; but they are the

best available at this time and, if they show anything, indi- cate that the maximum current ranges from thousands of

amperes to tens of thousands. That such a wide variation

exists is suggested by visual observation. In dry air, or in

advance of a thunderstorm, lightning usually presents a

17 Alex. Larson, Photographing Lightning with a Moving Camera : Ann. Rept. of Smithsonian Inst., 1905.
MAXIMUM CURRENT 83

thin blue appearance, while where the rainfall is heavy it presents a fat, white or pink appearance, which is most likely

due to difference in current intensity and diameter of path,

the rainfall seeming greatly to facilitate discharge.

s Corroborative evidence of the magnitude of the currents

of lightning flashes is found in recent laboratory experiments with artificial-lightning discharges which produce

effects similar to those in nature. Here currents of 10,000

amperes at 2,000,000 volts have been attained.18 WAVE FRONT AND DURATION

The well-known flickering of lightning flashes, which is visible to the unaided eye, indicates that a flash of lightning

does not always consist of a single discharge of electricity,

but, on the contrary, consists in many cases of a number of

! successive discharges which follow each other with very

short-time intervals between them. By standing where the

! light from a flash does not blind the eyes, an observer can

i i detect the successive discharges for each complete flash of

1 lightning, the number of which varies, for different flashes,

from 2 or 3 to 10 or more. By means of swinging or rotat- ing cameras photographs have been made which show sepa-

. rately the constituent parts of a flash in so far as they can

be shown by taking impressions on a photographic plate

i moving at rather a slow speed. From these photographs

have been calculated the total duration of the flash for a

: number of cases and also the intervals of time between the

i successive discharges. Moreover, by visual means using

18 F. W. Peek, jr., High-Voltage Phenomena: J. Franklin Inst., 197, p. 1,

I 1924.21534°—29 7
84 APPENDIX A

rotating disks, and other apparatus, the duration of the

constituent parts of the flash have been estimated.

The first photographic evidence of the multiple character

of lightning flashes was obtained by Kayser 19 and Riimcker5i each using a stationary camera, the path of the flash being

shifted by the wind. The durations of the flashes were esti- mated from these photographs, but, owing to the fact that

the velocity of the wind was not known accurately in either

case, the results are not to be relied upon. These photographs are of importance, however, from the fact that they

show the distance through which the path of a lightning flash may be shifted by the wind while the successive

discharges are taking place.

A few years after Kayser's and Riimcker's photographs of

lightning were taken L. Weber 20 showed that it was possible

to make a time analysis of any lightning flash by moving the camera while the exposure was being made, thus spreading

the image of the flash over the plate and separating it into

its constituent parts. The best work on photographic time

analysis of lightning flashes has probably been done by

B. Walter.21 Walter succeeded in analyzing the sparks from

an induction coil by means of a moving film and at once saw

that the method would be applicable to the analysis of lightning flashes. For this purpose he mounted his camera on a

fixed axis around which it was made to rotate by clockwork

at a uniform rate. With this apparatus Walter took a number of photographs of lightning flashes and determined the

total duration of the flashes and also the intervals' of time

between the successive discharges.

l9 Berichte der Konigl. Akad. Berlin, p. 611 : 1884.

20 Berichte der Konigl. Akad., Berlin, p. 781 ; 1889. ^Annalen der Physik, lO, p. 393 ; 1903.
Miscellaneous Publications, Bureau of Standards, No. 92

Fig. 1.

Photograph of a lightning flash taken with a moving camera

by Doctor Walter
Miscellaneous Publications, Bureau of Standards, No. 92

Fig. 2.

Same lightning flash as in Figure 1, taken with a

stationary camera
WAVE FRONT AND DURATION 85

In the case of a flash consisting of five successive dis- charges the total time was found to be 0.2447 second, while

the successive discharges were at intervals of 0.0360, 0.0364,

0.0283, and 0.1440 second, respectively. These are fairly repI resentative of the total duration and time intervals of the

flashes of which photographs were taken. The durations and

intervals are variable, however, and range for different

flashes from near zero to 0.6 second or more for the duration,

depending apparently on the number of successive discharges

in a flash, and from near zero to 0.2 or 0.3 second for the

intervals. A photograph taken by Larsen 22 with a rotating camera shows 40 distinct discharges in a single flash, the

duration being 0.624 second and the average interval 0.0156

second. The intervals between the successive discharges

varied from 0.0026 to 0.0520 second. This flash is excepI tional because of the large number of successive discharges

| which occurred.

Figure 1 is a reproduction of a photograph from the col- lection of B. Walter, which shows in a marked way the

general character of a lightning flash. Beginning at the

right, the first complete discharge is shown in a nearly ver-

| tical position. The succeeding discharges branched off from

! the original path part way down, as may be seen by tracing

i the similar kinks in the different images for a short distance

j from the top. The remaining discharges all followed the

! same path, but changed markedly in character, the fourth

I from the right being apparently a unidirectional discharge

along a thoroughly ionized path lasting a considerable time.

When the cloud is exhausted by this continuous discharge a

short cessation occurs, after which there is a final discharge

22 Photographing Lightning with a Moving Camera: Ann. Report of Smithsonian Inst., p. 119 ; 1905.
86 APPENDIX A

usually much weaker than the first discharges. These phe- nomena are more or less clearly shown by the reproduction

given in Figure 1. Many variations from this procedure

may occur, but, in general, a flash of lightning is made up < of the constituent discharges just described.

The characteristics of the constituent discharges of a flash of lightning are of great interest in connection with the design of lightning protection. The duration of these constituent discharges has been studied by K. E. F. Schmidt 23 using a rotating disk having marked upon it a white cross which was observed by the light of lightning flashes. This

work confirmed that of Walter, showing that the constitu- ents of a lightning flash vary greatly with different flashes of

lightning. The most important conclusion, however, was

that for the most part the duration of the constituent dis- charges of a flash is 0.00003 second or less. A number were

observed in which the duration was greater, but these were

few. This establishes, in some degree at least, the upper

limit of the duration of a lightning discharge ; that is, the

path must be formed and the current grow to a maximum

and die out in less than 0.00003 second. This suggests also something as to the steepness of the current wave front. If

the maximum current reaches 100.000 amperes, as seems possible from previous discussion, the average rate of increase

is 7 X 10 9 amperes per second, assuming that the current reaches its maximum in one-half the duration. It is obvious

that any circuit connected inductively to the path is in a way to have a considerable e. m. f. set up in it, even though

the mutual inductance is very small.

23 Elektrotech. Zeit, 26, p. 903 ; 1905.
WAVE FRONT AND DURATION 87

The duration of lightning flashes has been studied by

others 24 and somewhat similar results obtained, although in

many cases longer durations were observed.

In connection with the wave front of the constituent dis- charges it is interesting to note that these are now considered to be unidirectional rather than alternating. From considerations of the discharge path they may be of an oscilla-

| tory character but highly overdamped, so the discharge represents the beginning of an oscillation which dies out before

the first quarter wave is completed, the current dropping to zero without reversing.25 On account of the steep wave

front, however, oscillations with reversal of current may be

set up in near-by metallic circuits. In a paper by G. C. Simpson 26 a theory of the formation

and extension of lightning flashes is advanced which is based upon the relative mobilities of positive ions and negative electrons. The theory is tested by laboratory experiments on a small scale and examination of a large number

of photographs of lightning. The chief conclusions advanced are as follows

1. The conducting channel of a lightning flash originates

in the region of maximum electric field and develops only

in the direction of the seat of negative electricity.

2. A negatively charged cloud can only be discharged

by a discharge which originates in a positively charged

cloud or in the induced positive charge on the earth's

surface.

24 De Blois, Proc. A. I. E. E., 33, p. 563 ; 1914.

25 Steinmetz, Trans. A. I. E. E., 43, p. 126 ; 1924.

26 Proc. Roy. Soc, 111, p. 56 ; 1926.
88 APPENDIX A

3. A positively charged cloud may be discharged by dis- charges starting in the cloud and terminating either in the

surrounding atmosphere or on the earth's surface.

4. If a lightning flash is branched, the branches are always directed toward the seat of negative electricity.

5. The application of these conclusions to 442 photographs

of lightning discharges reveals the fact that the preponderance of the lower clouds from which lightning discharges

proceed are positively charged.

In a paper by Ni Ernest Dorsey 27 a second theory is given

for the formation and progress of a lightning flash which

differs materially from Simpson's. It is based upon some

peculiar lightning strokes, the effects of which indicate that

the direction of a stroke is not dependent upon the direction

of a preexistent field due to a charged cloud but is only

initiated by such a field and progresses in a manner analogous to that of a beam of cathode rays. The path of the

stroke is described as being formed by an elongated dart of

flying negative electrons which originates in a region of in- tense electrostatic stress and acquires sufficient velocity to maintain itself in weaker fields, and as an extreme case to penetrate an adverse field, until it strikes some solid object,

such as a tree, with a resulting explosion as the dart is sudr denly impeded. Trailing electrons combine with positive

residues to form the flash, and while the path remains

highly ionized the cloud may be partly discharged with a heavy flow of current. An experiment by C. V. Boys in photographing a flash of

lightning with a special camera having a pair of separated

lenses revolving in a circle before a stationary plate has led

27 J. Frank. Inst., 201, p. 485 ; 1926.
WAVE FRONT AND DURATION 89

him, after stereoscopic examination of the images, to the

conclusion that a lightning flash originates at both positive

and negative ends nearly, if not quite, simultaneously.

It should be noted that Simpson's theory of formation of

\ lightning flash requires that it originate at the seat of positive electricity. Dorsey's requires that it originate at the

seat of negative electricity, while the photograph of Boys's

indicates that it originates at both ends and meets niidway.

This diversity indicates the speculative character of much of

the discussion of lightning beyond the results of actual

measurements.

INDUCED EFFECTS

The induced effects of lightning discharges are of serious

consequences in some cases and may be due to either electro- magnetic induction, electrostatic induction, or both, depending upon conditions. At a distance from the flash they consist of minor electrical discharges from insulated metallic

bodies to earth or to near-by objects. They may be severe enough to cause fires, damage, or injury to persons. They

are observed principally upon the approach of thunderstorms when everything is dry. Rainfall usually prevents

them by reducing or destroying the insulation. Such discharges, in the form of sparks ranging in length from a

small fraction of an inch to more than an inch, have been

noted at distances of several miles from the apparent center

of activity of the storm.

; : The magnitude of the potentials which may be attained

I

| by insulated bodies may be inferred from the values of

L I change in potential gradient due to lightning flashes found

. by Wilson. In several cases changes amounting to 15,000

j volts per meter (4,600 volts per foot) were observed as a
90 APPENDIX A

consequence of flashes as much as 3 miles away. A wire

clothesline supported in such a field on dry wooden posts

2 m (6.56 feet) high would have accumulated on it a charge

such that immediately following the flash its potential to ground would be around 30,000 volts, A person touching it at that instant would act as a discharge path and, if the

capacity were considerable, would be severely shocked.

Shocks from this cause have been received not only from

insulated wire clotheslines, but also from wire fences, down

spouts, and other objects. A metallic object which is grounded would, of course, show no effect other than a cur- rent discharge through the ground connection.

In the immediate vicinity of a flash the induced effects [ become more severe and appear as sideflashes and oscilla- tory disturbances in metallic circuits, the effects of which

may be comparable in many cases with the effects of the

main stroke. Sideflashes or branch discharges from the

main path have been observed to jump gaps of several feet,

especially where there are metallic objects near by. Oscillatory disturbances may be set up in electric circuits of i ^ sufficient magnitude to break down even high-voltage insu

lation.

Lightning may cause voltages in conductors by induction

or by a direct stroke. Although most disturbances on trans- mission lines due to lightning are caused by induction, the

highest voltages are caused by direct hits. This follows,

since inductive effects may be experienced at a considerable

distance from the discharging cloud, while for a direct hit

it is necessary for the cloud to be nearly overhead. Induction may be electrostatic or electromagnetic. In comparison

with the electrostatic effect, electromagnetic induction by

lightning is generally negligible.
INDUCED EFFECTS

i A charged cloud causes an electrostatic field between it

) and earth. Part of the field will terminate on any trans-

! mission line within the field of influence of the cloud. The

I I line is then said to have a " bound charge." This bound

I Charge will have a sign opposite to that of the cloud, the

! charge of the same sign being driven off to earth by leakage

• over the insulation of the line or through the station equip

1 ment or to a distant portion of the line beyond the cloud's

1 field. If the voltage between cloud and earth or cloud and

5

cloud becomes high enough, a lightning flash will occur. Al-

" though this flash may be a mile away from the line, the

charge on the line is released and the insulated line rises

s from earth potential to some higher value with polarity op-

' posite to that of the cloud. The effect is that of a voltage

1 suddenly applied between line and ground. The field that

6 extended between line and cloud is succeeded by one bee

tween line and ground. The voltage wave travels over the

) line at the velocity of light. If the line insulators are

" strong enough or have a high enough impulse ratio, it may

^ ^ travel to the powerhouse to break down apparatus or to be

['

' harmlessly discharged to ground over the arrester if it has

low resistance and low impulse ratio.

II

The voltage that the line assumes at the instant of a very

- sudden discharge is that of the equipotential surface at the

'e height at which the line is located.

^

' 1 The induced lightning voltage on a transmission line thus

|

e "varies with the height of the line. It is approximately equal

to the height of the line times the voltage gradient, where

} ' the discharge is very rapid, as is usual in the case of light1 ning.
APPENDIX A

Thus y—ga fa=Gh, where

V=induced volts,

g=actual gradient in volts per foot where line is located,

d5=a factor less than unity,

G=ga b= apparent gradient.

hheight of the line in feet. The exact value of a depends upon the rate at which the

clouds discharge. This is because in slowly discharging

clouds the charge is dispersed over the line for a considerable distance before the cloud becomes completely discharged. The highest values are attained in the case of a direct stroke. Values of G as high as 50 kv/ft. have been

measured on transmission lines in practice. The actual

gradient g may be as high as 100 kv/ft., so that for rapid

discharges and direct hits the induced voltage (in kilovolts)

approaches the height of the line in feet multiplied by 100.28 As the disturbance gets well under way and half of the

energy of the surge becomes electromagnetic, the voltage

is reduced to half. Corona and PR (resistance) losses draw upon the total energy as the surge travels on and the

voltage is further reduced.

The induced voltage appears on the line as a direct voltage

very rapidly applied or as a highly damped oscillation. There is thus usually simply a rapid rise (a steep front) to maximum voltage, then a more or less gradual tapering off or decrease in voltage (a long tail) to zero. Due to probable variations in both the steepness and

the magnitude of the surges occurring during any given'

storm will vary over a wide range, but the highest voltages

28 F. W. Peek, jr., The Effect of Transient Voltages on Transmission Lines

:

J. A. I. E. E., 43, p. 697 ; 1924.
INDUCED EFFECTS 93

(where a approaches unity) are of necessity associated with the

steepest fronts. Where protection is to be obtained, it must be

secured from these steepest fronts. If protection from the

, steep-fronted surges is secured, there will be no cause for

worry over the less steep ones. On overhead transmission lines the induced voltages may reach high values, 1,000 to 1,500 kv

being frequently recorded. On extremely high-voltage lines

these induced voltages may not be so troublesome, since the

line insulation may be strong enough to prevent spark over by most of these voltages, but on lower voltage lines they may

be very troublesome. Not only will a lightning spark over be most likely to damage the insulators, but it will also generally be followed by a power arc over which may complete

the destruction. At any rate the power arc requires the

tripping out of the circuit to extinguish the arc, causing an

interruption in the continuity of service, the maintenance of

which is constantly becoming of increased importance.

When a grounded conductor or ground wire is placed near

the conductors of a transmission line it has a marked effect on the voltages due to lightning that appear on the line. The

ground wire reduces the voltage in two ways: First, it reduces the number of lines of force terminating on the line

conductors. This reduces the magnitude of the bound charge on the conductors and the total energy later to be released in

the surge. In the second place, it increases the capacitance

of the line conductor to earth, so that with a given quantity

in the surge the voltage to which the line conductor is charged is less, from the equation Q = CV. As C is increased

V is decreased for a given quantity Q.

It has been found experimentally 29 that one ground wire

will reduce the induced voltage to approximately 50 per cent

28 F. W. Peek, jr., J. Frank. Inst., 199, p. 141 ; 1925.
94 APPENDIX A

of its original value, two ground wires to approximately 33

per cent, and three ground wires to approximately 25 per

cent, etc. There is also a protection against direct hits to the

line conductor, since the ground wire is generally arranged

above the line conductors to take the direct hits. The experimental values given above are in general agreement with the

mathematical results and apply to wires provided with good

grounds made with short grounding conductors at frequent

intervals. Poor grounds, or grounds infrequently made, con- siderably reduce the theoretical or maximum efficiency to be

obtained. Troubles with the ground wire in the past have

often been due to poor mechanical design. The ground wire

should have a life fully as

1 long as the line conductors. They

should be strung as near as possible to the line conductors

and yet far enough away to prevent flash overs at times of

high wind, heavy sleet loadings, etc. The question whether protection from induced lightning

voltages is or is not to be provided is an economic one. The

protection to be secured by one, two, or three ground wires

is to be balanced against the cost. The induced effects of lightning are responsible for a

large majority of fires occurring in oil tanks, reservoirs, and

oil farms as a result of sparks produced in or about the tanks

where escaping gases can be ignited. Warehouses containing baled hay and cotton have also been fired by inducedvoltage sparks between the baling wires, which ignite the

combustible material.

THUNDER

It is now thought that the sound of thunder is caused

largely, if not entirely, by a sudden increase of pressure due
THUNDER 95

to heating, dissociation, and ionization along the path of a

lightning stroke. As stated heretofore, the energy of a

stroke may amount to 108 or 109 watt-seconds, of which the

greater portion is expended in heating the air. If the path

is assumed to be a foot in diameter and a mile long, 108 watt-seconds would heat it to about 650° C, with an increase

of pressure of about 2 atmospheres. The dissociation would

add to this by increasing the number of gas molecules. This

increase of pressure, which may in reality be much greater

than 2 atmospheres, takes place very abruptly and is suffi- cient to account for the ear-splitting crash which accompanies a near-by flash of lightning.

The intensity of different claps of thunder is as variable

as the current of lightning flashes, near-by strokes of light-

: ning having been observed with no thunder audible to the

observer. One such occasion is recorded in connection with

the Washington Monument when, on April 5, 1885, during

the passage of a heavy thundercloud, at least five immense

,j sparks or bolts were seen within a period of 20 minutes to

flash between the terminal and cloud, without audible

j sound.30 On other occasions disruptive discharges were obj served, accompanied by thunder.

One of the chief characteristics of thunder, especially at a

distance, is the prolonged rumbling produced, sometimes in- terspersed with tremendous bumping sounds that apparently

t carry a great deal of energy, enough to rattle windows and

cause buildings to tremble. The rumbling arises chiefly

from the fact that the source of the sound is long and irregular and different parts of it are at different distances from

30 Report of engineer officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, Washington, D. C. ; 1885.
96 APPENDIX A

the observer, and from echoes and reflections. The crashing

noise heard near at hand is smoothed out until at a distance

of a few miles a rolling sound is produced. The bumping

sounds just mentioned may arise from some particularly

favorable condition of reflection or from direct transmission

of sound from some portion of the path. A succession of

bumps may arise from several successive discharges.

The distance to which thunder can be heard ordinarily

does not exceed 15 miles (24 km), and usually it is less. As

compared with gunfire this distance is surprisingly short,

but gunfire is heard at great distances only under favorable

conditions for the transmission of sound, while thunder oc- curs only when conditions are bad and isj consequently

muffled, although the total atmospheric disturbance is un- doubtedly greater.

ILLUMINATION

The illumination 'from a lightning flash has heretofore

been attributed by many to the heating of the air by the

passage of the current, but this does not seem to be an adequate explanation for the reason that air heated to any practical temperature has not been shown to be more than faintly

luminous. It has been found that gases, in general, which

are highly transparent to visible rays of light at ordinary

temperatures, as are the constituents of air, do not emit them

in quantity when heated. Luminosity from gases of this sort is obtained only by ionizing them under a strong elec- tric field, thereby producing electronic vibrations of the fre- quency of visible rays. Since air conducts electricity only by

ionization, the air along the path of a lightning flash must

be highly ionized, and from this it seems likely that the elec- tric field rather than the temperature is the exciting cause
ILLUMINATION 97

of the illumination. The abrupt disappearance of the light

at the conclusion of the flash also indicates the same thing.

If the temperature were high enough, of course, a sufficient

i degree of ionization might be produced independently of the

I electric field to give rise to the illumination, but temperatures

of this magnitude, of the order of 105 degrees C, do not seem

likely from consideration of the probable energy and dimenI sions of lightning flashes. As indicated in the preceding

section, the temperature is not likely to exceed those producible by laboratory means. CHARACTER OF DAMAGE

When lightning strikes to earth the object which receives

it usually suffers more or less damage, depending upon its relative conducting power. Metal, for instance, receives a

lightning discharge with little damage to itself. In most

cases even slender conductors, such as telegraph, telephone,

and electric-light wires, will carry a discharge without fusing except where the discharge enters the metal. There 1 or 2 cc of metal may be fused to a globular mass. Occasionally fusion is more extensive, in rare instances having affected

several hundred grams of metal, but such cases are exceptional. In other exceptional cases there may be electro- magnetic damage to metal conductors, they being torn from

their fastenings or bent out of shape as a result of the

passage of the current. When insulating or semi-insulating material receives a dis- charge, however, the damage is usually severe and takes on

an explosive character. Trees, for instance,, whether dry or

green, are in frequent cases blown to splinters and in any

| event are split or stripped of more or less bark. The damage may also extend underground to the roots. Wood, in
98 APPENDIX A

general, is subject to the same kind of splintering, and brick

and stone work are sometimes demolished locally and pieces

thrown to distances of 100 feet or more. The extent of damage of this kind seems to depend in some degree upon whether the material is externally wet or not when struck. Prior to rainfall the damage is the most

extensive; afterwards it becomes less, the discharge apparently keeping more to the outer surface. Trees struck when

thoroughly wet in many cases show only a small piece of

bark stripped off here and there, the remainder of the path

along the trunk being barely traceable by slight superficial

damage, while trees struck when dry externally are almost

invariably stripped or splintered from top to bottom.

The cause of damage of this sort is generally attributed to the formation of steam at high temperatures within pores of

the material, all porous materials exposed to air being known

to contain more or less moisture. It is conceivable, however,

that there may be more to it than formation of steam,

although this would be a contributory cause. It is possible

that under the high current intensity and potential gradient

of a lightning discharge some of the material itself is decomposed or distilled with the formation of gaseous products,

such as hydrogen, oxygen, hydrocarbons, ions, and electrons. When hydrogen, for instance, changes from the ionic, or combined state as in water, to gaseous state at atmospheric

pressure the volume occupied at ordinary temperatures in- creases about one thousand three hundred times and becomes

much greater than this at the temperatures probably developed by lightning discharges. Hence, a capillary tube in

wood filled with moisture at atmospheric pressure would be

subjected to an internal pressure much greater than 1,300 at- mospheres if all the hydrogen contained in the moisture were
CHARACTER OF DAMAGE 99

suddenly released in gaseous form by lightning. This would

be equivalent to an explosion of dynamite and ample to account for the explosive effects of lightning, especially

where coupled with the formation of steam, oxygen, and

s other products arising from the decomposition of the material. There is also to be considered the electrostatic repulsion between the electrons traversing the pores, which may be

- very great. It has been suggested by Dorsey that this repulsion between the fibers of even a small piece of wood may be

many tons. The greatest damage to property from lightning, of

course, comes from fires started by it. In some classes of

property the losses are serious, especially in oil tanks, farm

barns, and structures generally which house inflammable

materials. Lightning fires are started chiefly by the dis- charge, a branch of it, or an induced spark, penetrating

something easily ignited, such as explosive gases, dust, lint,

hay, straw, or paper. It is seldom that fires are started in

dry wood that is solid. Forest fires from lightning start usually in dry decayed wood or beds of leaves or needles.

EFFECTS ON PERSONS

When persons are subjected to direct lightning strokes the

result is nearly always fatal, although instances have been

recorded of extraordinary escapes from what seemed to be

direct strokes. It is possible, however, that what appeared

to be direct strokes actually were not. When lightning

strikes, the light is so intense and the brush effects so widespread that it is difficult for an observer to be certain of

what happened until the spot is examined afterwards, and

even then the traces may be confusing. Moreover, the shock

21534°—29 8
100 APPENDIX A

from a direct stroke is so great that it does not seem within

reason that a person could survive it. Where the subject

does survive it is highly probable that the greater portion

of the stroke was expended upon some other object. The

major part of lightning casualties arise from secondary

phenomena, such as sideflashes and induced discharges.

The injuries inflicted by lightning consist of electric shocks of greater or less severity which may be combined

with burns, and in some cases tearing of the flesh, apparently

by an explosive action of the discharge. Burns by lightning frequently assume fantastic forms, and cases are re- ported where images of various kinds were imprinted upon

the body. That such burns happen to be the image of anything is doubtless a matter of chance. Their origin is probably in surface discharges over the skin or in the

layer of clothing damp with perspiration next to it. This

layer, especially in thunderstorm weather, offers considerable inducement to a discharge to follow it, and the result- ing heat, or burning by ultraviolet rays, might cause almost

any kind of an image to be imprinted. First-aid treatment

for injuries by lightning is the same as that for other elec- tric shocks and burns. First-aid treatment, especially artificial respiration if administered in time, would doubtless

prevent many deaths from lightning which otherwise result

from the fact that nine-tenths of such accidents occur in

isolated places where few or none are acquainted with the

proper procedure.

THUNDERSTORM DATA

Such data on this subject for the United States as are

available have been accumulated by the United States Weather Bureau, through its various observation stations,
THUNDERSTORM DATA

and have been summarized in Weather Bureau publications.

Eecords for a period of 20 years are contained in an article

by William H. Alexander.31 Maps are shown with isocerI

aunics, or lines of equal thunderstorm frequency, drawn

upon them for the different months of the year. Quoting the

original article

During the winter months—December, January, and February

the center of thunderstorm activity for the United States is in the

vicinity of Vicksburg, Miss. In February, however, the general

thunderstorm area tends to drift southeastward, with a marked sec- ondary over Pensacola, Fla. In March the center of activity is still over the lower Mississippi Valley, with the general storm area

spreading rapidly northeast over the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. In April the center appears to be in the vicinity of Shreveport, La., with the general area spreading northeast over a large part of the Eastern States, but also north and west. The interesting thing about the May chart is the definite appear- ance of the primary center over Tampa, Fla., and a strong secondary

over the lower plains States. Great thunderstorm activity now prevails over the entire eastern half of the country, except in the Canadian border States, including the whole of New England. There

is also an increased activity in western Montana. During June the thunderstorm area continues to spread northward

and covers the entire country east of the Rocky Mountains except

possibly the extreme Northeast. The center of greatest activity is in the vicinity of Tampa. There are also definite indications of the development of a secondary center over the southern Rocky Mountain

States. One of the most surprising things revealed by the July chart

is the increased activity over the Rocky Mountain States, with a

secondary over Santa Fe, N. Mex., almost as strong as the primary

over Tampa. Marked activity also continues in southwestern Montana and in the vicinity of Yellowstone Park. The distribution in August is very much the same as in July, but with a notable de- crease in intensity along the Canadian border and a marked weakening of the center over Santa Fe. The two centers, Tampa and Santa

31 Monthly Weather Review, 52, p. 327 ; 1924.
102 APPENDIX A

Fe, persist, though weakening, through September. In October the southeastern (Tampa) center seems to have dropped a little south and is now over Key West, while the Santa Fe center has disappeared

or shifted to eastern Texas and the southern plains States, and the general storm area is rapidly diminishing. In November, as during

the winter months, the active area is over the lower Mississippi Valley, and the general area is limited largely to the Mississippi and

Ohio Valleys.

Chart 13 (fig. 3 herewith), which shows the average annual number

of days with thunderstorms during the 20year period at a large

number of stations in the United States and Canada, has a number of

interesting features and is worthy of considerable study. Note that no part of the country is entirely free from thunderstorms and that they are comparatively rare along the Pacific coast ; that there are two

centers of maximum activity, one over Tampa, with an annual average

of 94 days with thunderstorms in the 20 years, and the other over Santa Fe, with an average of 73 during the same period. The average

at Tampa and Santa Fe is nearly the same for the two 10-year periods.

This chart, however, gives no indication of the intensity of

individual thunderstorms as regards electrical display, nor

does it show where the greatest number of intense storms

occur. In general, however, the lightest thunderstorms occur

in regions where they result from local convection. The most

intense and longest continued thunderstorms occur in the

southeast quadrant of cyclonic storms which are most fre- quent in the upper Mississippi Valley States and those between the Ohio Eiver and the Canadian border. Thus it may

be said that the most destructive thunderstorms occur in the

central portion of the United States, with an arm of slightly

diminishing intensity toward Florida, and with rapidly di- minishing intensity toward the west, north, and northeast. Intense thunderstorms may occur occasionally, however, in

almost any part of the United States, except perhaps on the

Pacific coast and in the extreme northeastern portion.

APPENDIX B.—BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. LIGHTNING AND THUNDERSTORMS

Aeroplane struck by lightning, Met. Mag., London, 61, p. 89; May,

1926. Alexander, William H., Distribution of Thunderstorms in the United

States, Washington, 1924, Monthly Weather Review, 52, pp. 337-

343 ; July, 1924. Apparatus for observing and automatically registering thunderstorms,

Sci. Am., New York, 93, p. 278 ; 1905. Atherton, A. L., Plans for lightning tests, Elect. World, 92, p. 165;

1928. Balls, W. Lawrence, The sound of lightning, Nature, London, 115, p. 912 ; June 13, 1925. Berger, K., Study of Kathode-ray oscillograph for the observation of

lightning, Schweiz. Electrot. Verein. Bull. 19, pp. 292-301; 1928. Boys, C. V.

:

Progressive lightning, Nature, London, 118, pp. 749-750; November

20, 1926. Progressive lightning, Nature, London, 122, p. 310; 1928. Brooks, C. E. P., Distribution of thunderstorms over the globe, Great

Britain, Metl Office, Geophysical Memoirs, No. 24, pp. 147-164. Bunet, P., A propos de la foudre, Industrie Electrique, 34, p. 389;

1925. Cave, C. J. P., The sound of lightning, Nature, London, 116, p. 98; July 18, 1925. Creighton, E. E. F., Does lightning oscillate? A. I. E. E. Trans., 43,

p. 1197-1204 ; 1924. Damage done by ball lightning at Manorbier Castle, Pembrokeshire,

Boy. Met. Soc. Quart. J., London, p. 100; April, 1925. Dice, M. E., Lightning hazards, Oil Bulletin, 13, p. 27 ; January, 1927. 104
LIGHTNING AND THUNDERSTORMS 105

Dorsey, N. Ernest, Lightning, J. Frank. Inst., 201, pp. 485-496; April, 1926. Dufay,, Jean, Spectres des eclairs, France, Academie des Sciences,

Comptes Rendus, pp. 1331-1333 ; 1926. I Everett, J. D., Rocket lightning, Nature, London, 69, p. 224; 1903-4. Engineer, Ed., Improvements in stroboscopes; heteroptic shutter; nature of lightning; Engineer, 143, pp. 82-83; 1927. Emde, Fritz, Die schwingungszahl des blitzes, Elektrotech. Zeit., 31,

p. 675 ; 1910. Fortescue, Charles Le G., A theory of lightning, Electric J., 26, p. 223;

1928.

Galli, Ignazio, Alcuni fulmini globulari, Atti nuovi Lincei, p. Ill ; 1914. Gockel, Albert, Das Gewitter, 3d ed., Berlin,; 1925. Humphreys, W. J.: Physics of the air, Philadelphia, chap. 15, the thunderstorm ; chap.

16, lightning; 1920. Note on ribbon lightning, J. Frank. Inst., Philadelphia, 202, pp. 205-206 ; August, 1926. The thunderstorm, Sci. Monthly, N. Y., 21, pp. 253-257; September,

1925. The thunderstorm and its phenomena, J. Frank. Inst., Philadelphia,

178, pp. 517-560; 751-776; November, 1914. Also Monthly

Weather Review.

Crushing of a copper tube by lightning, Monthly Weather Review,

43, p. 396 ; 1915.

J. II. , Results of the ball lightning inquiry, Met. Mag., pp. 208-211; September, 1921. Jex-Blake, A. J., Death by electric currents and by lightning, Nature,

London, 91, pp. 466-469; 1913. Kahler, Karl Friedrich, Die Elektrizitat der Gewitter. Berlin. Borntraeger, pp. 148; 1924. Kohlrausch, W., Unusual lightning effects, Elek. Zeit, 34, p. 1085;

1913. Lachenbach, Jerome, Lightning ; a brief statement of its nature, with some figures and photographs, Sci. Amer., N. Y., 125, p. 26; 1921. Larsen, Alex., Photographing lightning with moving camera, Sci Am. Supplement, N. Y. pp. 26200-26202 ; 1907.
106 APPENDIX B

Lockyer, Wm. J. S.

:

Beaded lightning flashes, Knowledge, London ; March, 1908. "Ribbon" or "band" lightning, Knowledge, London, pp. 117-119,

151-154, illustrated; June, 1908. MacDougal, D. T., Effect of lightning on trees, J. N. Y. Botanical

Garden, N. Y., 3, 131-135. McAdie, Alexander:

The flier's aspects of aerography. Electric storms present certain hazards, Aviation, N. Y., 32, pp. 571-573; 1927. Franklin's kite experiment and the energy of lightning, Monthly

Weather Review, 56, p. 216; 1928. Phenomena preceding lightning, Monthly Weather Review, 56, p. 219 ; 1928. Mathias,, E.

:

Photograph of lightning, Comptes Rendus, 186, p. 1334; May 14, 1928. La foudre—Annales des Postes Telegraphes et telephones, 16, p. 965 ; November, 1927. Results of thunderstorm studies. Elektrizitatswirtschaft, 26, p. 2;

1927. Lightning disturbances and protection, Elektrotech. Zeit, 46, p. 873; June 11, 1925. Maurer, H., Die Stromrichtung in Blitzen, Physik. Zeit. Leipzig, No. 5, 28 Jahrgang, pp. 211-212 ; 1927. Meissner, Otto, " Zickzackblitz," Wetter. Berlin, p. 20; January, 1913. Mitsuda, R., Lightning survey in Japan, Gen. Elec. Review, Schenectady, N. Y., 30, pp. 124-128; March, 1927. Norinder, H.

:

Electric thunderstorm field researches, Elec. World, 83, pp. 223-226;

1924. Experimental investigation of the form of lightning discharge.

Teknisk Tidskrift, 55, p. 139; August 1, 1925. Obermayer, A. von, Der Blitzschutz des Observatoriems auf dem

Hohen Sonnblick und der Gipfel Observatorien uberhaupt, Met. Zeit. S29, 3, pp. 110-115. Parkinson, W. C, Photographs of lightning discharges made at the Huancayo Magnetic Observatory. Terrestrial Magnetism, 33, p. 23-27; 1928.
LIGHTNING AND THUNDEESTOEMS 107

Payne, F. F., Ground markings by lightning, Monthly Weather Review, 56, p. 216 ; 1928. Perrine, C. D., Progressive lightning, Nature, London, 119, pp. 278-

279 ; February 19, 1927.

j Piccard, Auguste, La foudre et le ballon libre, Archives d. sci. phys.

s et natur. Geneve, 6 , pp. 405-406 ; November-December, 1924. Rothe, E. Sur la radiogoniometrie des parasites atmospheriques et la prevision du temps., Compte rendu des observations faites & l'ln- stitut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg, Annales de Physique.

Paris, 1 7, pp. 385-415 ; Mai-Juin, 1922. Roussel, J., L'enregistrement graphique des orages a distance, Astro- nomie, 34 Annee, pp. 540-544 ; 1920. Russell, Spencer G., Observations on the colour of lightning made at Epsom, 1903 to 1907, Quart. J. Roy. Met'l Soc, London, 34, pp. 271-276; October, 1908.

Salles, Ed., les arbres et la foudre, Meteorologie, Paris, n. s., 1, pp. 142-143; 1925.

j Schaffers, V.: La foudre et les arbres, France. Academie des Sciences. Paris. Comptes Rendus. Paris, 175, pp. 1087-1089; 1922. La foudre et les pointes des feuillages, Ciel et Terre. Bruxelles, 39,

pp. 8-13; 1923. Schonlaud, B. F. J.

Polarity of Thunderclouds, Proc. Roy. Soc, 118, pp. 233-251; May,

1928. Interchange of Electricity between Thunderclouds and Earth, Proc,

Roy. So., 118, pp. 252-262; 1928. Shedd, J. C., Proc. Colo. Sci. Soc, 8, p. 387; 1907. Signaling thunderstorms, Elec. World, N. Y., 61, p. 534; March 8, 1913. Abstract from the Elec. Rev., London, "describing the Telefunken

thunderstorm recorders. Simon, A. W. The electrostatics of the thunderstorm, J. Frank. Inst. 204, No. 5, p. 617; November, 1927. Simpson, G. C.

Ball lightning, Nature, London, 113, pp 677-4378; May 10, 1924. Abstract of work by W. Brand.

The mechanism of a thunderstorm, Royal Soc, London. Proc. London, Ser. A, 114, pp. 376-401; April, 1927.
108 APPENDIX B

Simpson, G. C.—Continued.

On lightning, Royal Soc, London. Proc. London, Ser. A, 111, pp. 56-57 ; May, 1926. Thunderstorms and globular lightning, Nature, London^ 112, pp. 727-728 ; November 17, 1923. Steadworthy, A.

:

Black lightning, J. Royal Astron. Soc, Canada, Toronto, 9, pp. 173-175 ; April, 1915. Spectrum of lightning, J. Royal Astron. Soc, Canada, Toronto, 8,

pp. 345-348 ; September-October, 1914. Steinmetz, C. P. Some unexplored fields in electrical engineering,

J. Frank. Inst., 171, pp. 537-559; 1911. Talman, Charles Fitzhugh. Lightning facts and fancies, Nature Mag.,

Washington, D. C, 6, pp. 21-65; 1925. Thomson, Elihu:

Atmospheric electricity, Sci., N. Y., 30, pp. 857-869; December 17, 1909. Lightning; Its risks and how to avoid them, Gen. Elect. Rev., Schenectady, 19, p. 166; March, 1916. The nature of tribo-electricity, or electricity of friction and other kindred matters, A. L E. E. J., 4 1, p. 342 ; 1922. Touchet, Em., Les £tincelles et les eclairs noir, Nature, Paris, 52

annee, pp. 321-326 ; May 24, 1924. Trees and lightning, Quart. J., Royal Met'l Soc, London, 33, pp. 255-257 ; July, 1907. Contains statistics from Fisher, Forest Protection. Upson, Ralph H., Menace of lightning to balloons discussed by promi- nent aeronaut, National Aeron. Assn. Rev., Washington, D. C, 2,

p. 2 ; July 1, 1924. Walter, B.

:

The double photographing of lightning with a stationary and movable

camera, Jahrbuch der Hamburgischen Wissenschaftlichen Anstalten, 27; 1909. i)ber die Entstchungsweise des Blitzes, Ann. d. Phys., 10, p. 393;

1903. Stereoskopische Blitzaufnahmen, Physikalische Zeitschrift, Leipzig, 13 Jahrgang, pp. 1082-1084 ; November 1, 1912. With regard to the origin of lightning, Jahrbuch der Hamburgischen

Wissenschaftlichen Anstalten, 20.
LIGHTNING AND THUNDERSTORMS 109

Walter, H., Tiber Doppelaufnahmen von Blitzen mit einer stehenden und einer bewegten photographischen Kamera, Meteorologische Zeitschrift, Braunschweig, Bd. 28, pp. 426-427 ; September, 1911. (Abstract. ) Ward, Robert DeCourcy, The thunderstorms of the United States as

climatic phenomena, Proc. 2d Pan-Am. Sci. Cong., Washington,

D. C, pp. 393-411 ; December 27, 1915-January 8, 1916:. Wilcox, E. H.

- Lightning prevention, Sci. Am., 3 7, p. 489; 1927. New lightning-prevention system, Military Engineer, 19, p. 330;

1927. Wilson, C. T. R.

Investigations on lightning discharges and on the electric fields of thunderstorms, Royal Soc, London, Philosophical Transactions,

Ser. A, 221, pp. 73-115; 1920-1921. On some determinations of the signs and magnitude of electric dis- charges in lightning flashes, Proc. Royal Soc, London, Ser. A,

92, No. A 644, pp. 555-574; 1916.

2. PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

Anderson, Richard, Lightning conductors, 8 vo. London; 1879. Beaufort, Dr. Antonin de, Notice sur les Paratonnerres, 8 vo. Chateau- roux; 1875. Beating lightning at its own favorite game, Sci. Am., 127, p. 329; November, 1922. (Protecting balloons and airships.)

Berg, Ernst J., Lightning protection of buildings, Electrician, London, 70, p. 666; 1913. Electrical Review and Western Electrician,

61, p. 938; 1912. Bordoni, U., Atmospheric electric phenomena and the protection of buildings from discharges during thunderstorms, Elettrotecnica, 1 1, pp. 190-213-240-261; 1924. (Illust.) Buchner, Dr. Otto, Die Konstruction und Anlegung der Blitzableiter mit einen Atlas, 2d ed., Weimar ; 1876. Bureau of Standards, Protection of life and property against lightning, Tech. Paper No. 56 ; 1915. Callaud, A., Traite des Paratonnerres, Paris; 1874. Dhavannes, M. R., Des Paratonnerres, L'Electricien, Paris; April 15, 1905.
APPENDIX B

Covert, R. N., Modern methods of protection against lightning, Am.

Inst. Archit. J., 11, p. 33; 1923. Day, Wm. H., Lightning rods, Ontario Dept. of Agri., Toronto, Canada,

Bulletin 220; 1914. De Blois, L. A., Some investigations on lightning protection for build- 1 ings, A. I. E. E. Trans., 33, p. 519; 1914. Del Lungo, Carlo, Offese e difese elettriche sull' antico e sul nuovo

campanile de S. Marco, Ann. sicent. e industr., Milano, pp. 90-96; j 1917. (Abstract.)

Examples of the protection of chimneys against lightning, Eng. News,

N. Y., 56, p. 120; 1906. Findeisen, F., TJeber Gebaude-Blitzableiter, Elektrotech. Zeit., 22, p. 139 ; 1901. Fisher, C. T., Lightning* bolt follows reinforcing in concrete high- way, Engn. News-Record, 89, p. 828; 1922. Frikart, J., Pararrayos, Boletin de la asociacion Argentina de Electrotecnicos, 8, Nos. 1-6 and 7-8, pp. 11-50 and 93-108, 23 figures; 1922. Hands, Alfred: Necessary practical safeguards against fires by lightning. Elect., London, 51, p. 527; 1903. Lightning and churches, London ; 1910. The protection of buildings from lightning, Elect. Engn., London,

40, pp. 706-708 and 769-772; 1907. Hedges, Killingworth

:

A modern system of protecting buildings from lightning, Archit., London ; July 21, 1911. Modern lightning conductors, London; 1910. Henning, Richard, Die Angebliche Kenntne's des Blitzableiter vor

Franklin, Leipzig, 1909. Reprint Archiv. Geschichte Nat. Wiss. und j Technik, 2, 97, 136. Herricht, A., Zur Blitzableiterfrage, Drei gemein verstandliche Mahnworte, 2. Neubearbertete Auflage 8 vo. 29 S. Eisenach,

Selbstverlag ; 1911. Holtz, Dr. W., Ueber die Theorie, die Anlage und die Priifung der j Blitzableiter, 8 vo. Greifswald; 1878. Italian War Ministry, Conditions a realiser dans l'installation des

paratonnerres, d'apres les Ministere de la Guerre italien, Genie Civil, 74, No. 12, pp. 236-237; March 22, 1919.
PROTECTION" OF BUILDINGS

Jackson, R. P., The effects of bends and loops on the inductance of a

conductor, Elect. J., 8, p. 809 ; 1911. Jocheinsen, C, Vereinfachte Blitzableiter, Wetter 29, 6, pp. 135-139;

1912. Kellogg, E. W., The use of metal conductors to protect buildings from

lightning, Univ. of Missouri Bull. No. 7, 3, No. 1; 1912. Kirstein, O., Gebaude Blitzableiter, Auf Veraulassung der Landersozietat der Provinz Brandenburg, VI, Berlin, G. Siemens ; 1911. Larmor, Sir J. and J. S., On protection from lightning and the range

of protection afforded by lightning rods, Proc. Roy, Soc, Ser. A, 90,

p. 618; 1914. Lodge, Sir Oliver: Elan Valley Works, Protection from lightning, Elect. Eng., London,

45, pp. 257-259; March 4, 1910. Lightning conductors and lightning guards, London ; 1892. Mayer, Joseph, Zur Blitzableiterfrage, Elektrotechnische Zeit., 35, p. 975; 1914. Menzies, James M., Lightning and lightning, conductors, Conquest, London, 6, pp. 431-432, September, 1925; pp. 483-484; October. Melsens, M.

Notes sur les paratonnerres, Bulletins de l'Academie Royale de

Belgique, Bruxelles; 1874, 1878. Des Paratonnerres, Bruxelles ; 1877. Neesen, F.

tlber den Schutz von Faradayschen Kofigen, insbesondere bei Blitz- ableitern, Deutsche Phys. Gesell. Verh., 12-22, pp. 939-948. Versuch der Zentralstelle fur wissenschaftlichtechnische untersuch- ungen in New-Babelsburg iiber Blitzschutzvorrichtungen fur

Sprengstoffanlagen, Deut. Phys. Gesell. Verh., 15-22, p. 1173;

1913; Phys. Zeit, 14, p. 1240. Newall, R. S., Lightning conductors, 8 vo., London ; 1876. Ontario Fire Marshal's Office, Ontario lightning rod act and rules and

regulations prescribed thereunder, Toronto, Canada, Fire Marshal's

Office; 1922. Peters, O. S., Protection of life and property against lightning, J. Acad.

Sci., Washington, D. C, 5, pp. 625-628; November 10, 1915.

Pfeiffer, Adolph, Simplified lightning rods, Elektrotech. Rundschau;

January 19, 1911.
112 APPENDIX B

Phin, John, Plain directions for the construction of lightning rods, New York; 1873. Ruppel, S., Vereinfachung des Gebaudeblitzschutzes, Elektrotechnique

und Maschinenbau, Vienna, 31, p. 521; 1914. Standards for lightning rods, Les nouvelles normes de l'association Suisse des electriciens, S. Frid. Industrie Electrique, 28, No. 640, pp. 72-73 ; February 25, 1919. Spang, Henry, A practical treatise on lightning protection, Philadel- phia; 1877. Strecker, K., Lightning conductors, Elektrotechnische Zeitschrift, 21,

p. 583; 1900. Swiss Association of Electrical Engineers, Directives cle l'association Suisse des Electriciens relatives a l'installation et a 1'entretien des paratonnerres pour batiments, Elektrotechnischer Verein, Bull. 14,

No. 7, pp. 361-369; July, 1923. Takagishi, H., Efficacy of the lightning rod. Researches, Electrotechnical Laboratory, Japan, No. 200; 1927.

Vallot, J., Sur la protection contre la foudre des observatoires de

grand altitude, Comptes Rendus, 153, p. 986. Weather Bureau, Modern methods of protection against lightning,

Farmers Bull. 842, Dept. of Agri., Washington, D. C, 32 pp. Weber, L., The so-called improvement of lightning rods, The use

of metal parts of buildings as conductors, Sci. Am. Supplement,

88, pp. 231-232; October 11, 1919. (Tr. from Elek. Zeit.) Warm, Eric, A new method of measuring the efficiency of lightning

conductors, Electrician, London, 68, p. 359; 1911.

3. PROTECTION OF OIL TANKS AND EXPLOSIVES BUILDINGS

Dice, M. E.

;

Protecting oil reservoirs against lightning, Engineering News Record, 99, pp. 4-8; 1927. Lightning hazards. Oil Bulletin, 13, pp. 27-31; 1927. Epps, F. A., Tank fires due to lightning and other causes, Nat. Pe- troleum News, pp. 49-51 ; August 25, 1926. Electrical World Ed.

:

Lightning protection needed to prevent oil fires, Elect. World, 87,

p. 1039; May 15, 1926.
PROTECTION OF OIL TANKS 113

Electrical World Ed.—Continued.

Lightning protection for oil tanks, Elect. World, 88, p. 276; August

7, 1926. Engineering News Record Ed., Lightning protection for a concrete oil reservoir, Eng. News-Record, 9 7, p. 153; July 22, 1926.

I Engineering and Mining Journal Ed., Lightning protection for oil tanks, Eng. & Min. J., 118, p. 521 ; October 4, 1924. Feuchtinger. R., Recent lightning protection, Storage of explosives,

Neuzeitiger Blitzshutz, Zeitschrift Oesterr. Ing. & Arch. Verein, 79,-

pp. 373-378 ; 1927. Hamilton, J. H. (See Sorenson, Hamilton, and Hayward.)

Hayward, C. D. (See Sorenson, Hamilton, and Hayward.)

Hagen, Dr. Von der, Protection of explosives factories against lightning. Report by order of the Sprengstoff-A-G-Carbonit, Zeitschrift

fuer das Gesamte Schiess und Sprengstoffwesen, No. 6, pp. 162-167

1911. Lusignan, J. T., jr., Lightning protection for oil reservoirs, Elect. World, 90, pp. 775-779; 1927. McDonald, W. R., Investigations into the protection of oil storage tanks from lightning. Inst. Petroleum Technologists J., 10, pp. 96-99; February, 1924.

I Oil and Gas Journal, Ed., Fire prevention committee reports on tanks,

Oil & Gas J., 22, p. 28 ; May 14, 1925. Peek, F. W., jr.

Protection from lightning, Elect. World, 90, pp. 351-855 and 408-412;

1927. Protection of oil tanks and reservoirs against lightning, Gen. Elect. Rev., 30, p. 117 ; 1927. Oil storage and the lightning hazard, Am. Pet. Inst., Bull., 8, No. 6, p. 216 ; January 31, 1927. Lightning, Am. Pet. Inst. Bull., 7, p. 162 ; 1926. Lightning, A. I. E. E. J., 45, p. 1246; 1926. Reed, . Ralph J., Two lightning fires in California, Am. Pet. Inst., Bull. 8, No. 6, p. 214; January 31, 1927. Rinkel, Prof. R., Protection of explosives factories against lightning,

IKoeln, Zeitschrift fuer das Gesamte Schiess und Sprengstoffwesen, No. 8, pp, 141-145 ; 1911.
114 APPENDIX B

Schaeffer, E. R.

:

Distribution of induced charges under a storm cloud; Exps. on model tanks; Am. Pet. Inst. Bull., 7, p. 168; 1926. Lightning protection for the oil industry, A. I. E. E. J., 46, p. 1358;

1927. Sorensen, R. W., Hamilton, J. H., and Hayward, C. D., Lightning protection for oil storage tanks and reservoirs, A. I. E. E. J., 46, pp. 859-868; September, 1927.

. Stockman, L. P., Studying protection from lightning, Gas J., 25, pp. 34-72: 1927. Takagishi, H., Lightning protection of oil tanks, Electrotechnical Laboratory, Japan Cir. No. 38; June, 1927. Wilcox, E. H.

:

Lightning protection, especially for petroleum tanks, Sci. Am., 13 7, pp. 489-492; 1927. Lightning protection by prevention of oil field tanks and reservoirs, Oil Field Eng., 2, pp. 21-30; 1927. o