3. Lightning protection

Since the invention of the lightning rod by Benjamin Franklin (USA) and Jacques de Romas (France) in 1753, various lightning capture devices have been developed, and lightning protection has constantly evolved to improve its effectiveness.

In this part of the article, we consider the lightning conductor to be an essential element of lightning protection, and will first review the various models that have been developed, either empirically or based on knowledge of the physics of large air gap discharges and/or artificial lightning triggering experiments, to define the distance or volume of protection for these capture devices.

The next step is to assess the need for appropriate lightning protection, based on an overall lightning risk analysis. This analysis is designed to determine the need to protect buildings, structures and equipment connected...