A Study to Understand the Corrosion-Effect of Backfilled Copper-bonded Electrodes

The electrodes are used for the easy dissipation of charges in the ground for lightning protection. The chemical heterogeneity of soil makes the whole system highly sensitive such as high acidity or high alkalinity of soil which therefore results in an increased corrosive environment for the electrodes. Backfill or earth enhancement compound is also used in the earth termination system as a replacement of soil surrounding the electrodes. Various studies have been conducted to show the importance of backfill or earth enhancement compounds in reducing the resistance of the earth pit. Therefore, this study has been conducted to understand the effect of backfilling from a corrosion point of view. A salt spray test chamber is used, and tests are performed as per ASTM B117. The results show a significant contribution of backfilling to protect the electrode from corroding.