Discussions of "Industrial system grounding for power, static, lightning, and instrumentation"

The authors argue that the original article (Rowland, see ibid., vol. 31, p. 1358-62, 1995) has a serious omission in it. They are convinced that Ufer grounds provide low resistance at currents usually used to measure ground resistance. At high fault and lightning currents, the Ufer ground needs an external metallic path to ground. Failure to provide a direct metallic path means that lightning or faults will be conducted from the rebar through the concrete into the earth. The water bound up in the concrete may be turned to steam and spall the concrete. Other comments on the original paper are relatively minor and relate to the undesirability of bringing conductors through the concrete where steel erectors will be working. Their experience is that the process of erecting building steel often breaks these wires. The original author's response to these comments is also included.