Step and touch voltages near wind turbine grounding during lightning strokes

In this paper we analyze the transient step and touch voltage distributions near wind turbine grounding system in case of direct lightning strokes. Two models of the grounding system geometry are considered: the usual conservative model that takes into account only basic grounding electrodes, and integrated model including foundation reinforcement as a part of the lightning current path. We apply rigorous electromagnetic model of the grounding system in a parametric analysis for different lightning current pulse waveforms; for different soil characteristics, and for different arrangements of grounding electrodes.