LCM25

Version:
Issue Date:
Review By Date:
Owned By:
Authorised By:

1.1
August 2006
June 2008
Engineering Manager D & P
Executive Manager D & P

LINE CONSTRUCTION MANUAL LCM25

STRUCTURE EARTHING
REVISION TABLE
Version No

Date of Revision

1.0

June 2006

1.1

August 2006

Details of Amendment
Initial Release
Numbering changed to represent previous version

The above table lists in summary the amendments which have been made with most recent issues of this standard.
The table is updated with each re-issue. The latest amendments within the documents are marked with a change
indicator (|) in the outer margin.

CONTACT
This standard is the responsibility of the
Development and Projects Division, ElectraNet.
Please contact the indicated owner of the standard
with any inquiries.

ElectraNet
52-55 East Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
PO Box 7096, Hutt Street Post Office,
Adelaide, South Australia 5000
Ph (08) 8404 7966, Fx (08) 8404 7104

L I M I TATI O N O F L I A B I L I T Y AN D
D I S C L A I M E R O F W AR R A N T Y
ElectraNet makes no representation or warranty as
to the accuracy, reliability, completeness or
suitability for particular purposes of the information
in this document. ElectraNet and its employees,
agents and consultants shall have no liability
(including liability to any person by reason of
negligence or negligent misstatement) for any
statements, opinions, information or matter
(expressed or implied) arising out of, contained in
or derived from or for any omissions from the
information in this document, except in so far as
liability under any statute cannot be excluded.

2006 ElectraNet Pty Limited trading as ElectraNet. No part of this document may be reproduced
or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, taping or information retrieval systems) without the prior written permission of ElectraNet.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
25.1

SCOPE......................................................................................................................................................3

25.2

GENERAL...............................................................................................................................................3

25.3

EARTHING SYSTEMS TYPES............................................................................................................3

25.3.1
25.3.2
25.3.3
25.3.4
25.4

GENERIC TYPES OF EARTHING SYSTEMS.............................................................................................3

EARTHING SYSTEMS FOR TRANSMISSION LINES................................................................................3
EARTHING SYSTEMS FOR COMMUNICATIONS STRUCTURES................................................................3
DEFINITION OF REMOTE, FREQUENT AND SPECIAL LOCATIONS........................................................3
EARTHING SYSTEMS MATERIALS & INSTALLATION.............................................................4

25.4.1
25.4.2
25.4.3
25.4.4
25.4.5
25.4.6
25.5

DIRECT STRUCTURE EARTHING CONNECTION....................................................................................4

SUPPLEMENTARY EARTHING...............................................................................................................4
EARTHING FOR GRADIENT CONTROL.................................................................................................4
EARTH BOND.......................................................................................................................................5
TRENCH BACKFILL.............................................................................................................................5
ROCK AND SOIL CLASSIFICATION.......................................................................................................5
EARTH RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT & REPORTING............................................................5

25.5.1
25.5.2
25.5.3
25.6

TIMING OF MEASUREMENT.................................................................................................................5
METHOD OF MEASUREMENT..............................................................................................................5
TEST REPORTS....................................................................................................................................6
EARTHING ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA............................................................................................6

25.6.1
25.6.2
25.6.3
25.6.4

DIRECT STRUCTURE EARTH CONNECTION...........................................................................................6

SUPPLEMENTARY EARTHING SYSTEM..................................................................................................6
GRADIENT CONTROL EARTHING SYSTEM..........................................................................................6
TELECOMMUNICATION STRUCTURES..................................................................................................6

25.7

BONDING OF ATTACHED STEELWORK........................................................................................7

25.8

CONNECTION TO SUBSTATION EARTHING................................................................................7

25.9

REINSTATEMENT OF EARTHING...................................................................................................7

25.1 SCOPE
This section specifies requirements for
installation & testing of earthing systems
installed
for
transmission
line
and
telecommunications structures.

25.2 GENERAL
The Contractor shall supply, install and test
structure earthing in accordance with the
requirements given in this section.
Upon completion of installation and testing,
the contractor shall provide a schedule of
earthing measurements and as-constructed
details of earthing arrangements installed at
each structure.

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25.3 EARTHING
TYPES

SYSTEMS

25.3.1
Generic types
earthing systems

of

Earthing systems may comprise one or more

of the following types:

Direct
structure
earth
connection:
achieved
by
means of structure footing
contact with the soil;

Supplementary
earthing
system ie earth rods;

Gradient Control earthing

system.
The earthing system adopted for the project
shall be defined in the project specific section
and comply with the requirements of this
section.

25.3.2
Earthing Systems
for Transmission Lines
All transmission line structures shall have the
supplementary earthing system installed unless
otherwise specified in the project specific
scope.
Structures within 100 metres of a Special
Location may require installation of a
Gradient Control earthing system.
Transmission lines traversing remote locations
nominated for direct structure earth system
and shall be specified in the project scope. For
such transmission lines, the minimum extent
of supplementary earthing systems shall be
installed at structures:
within 2 km of substation
exits;

located in a Frequented
Location;

located in other prominent

locations readily accessible to
general public defined in the
project scope (eg road
reserves);

all concrete poles;

Version: 1.1

Any site at which minimum

basic criteria for structure earthing are not
satisfied.

25.3.3
Earthing Systems
for
Communications
structures
All communications structures shall have a
supplementary earthing system installed.

25.3.4
Definition
of
Remote, Frequent and
Special Locations
The specified locations are defined in Cb1 and
summarised below:
Frequented Location: urban
areas, road reserves;

Special Location: within a

schools grounds or within a
childrens playground, or
within a public swimming
pool area, or at a popularly
used beach or water recreation
area, or in a public
thoroughfare
within
100
metres of any of the abovenamed locations;

Remote Location: all areas

not included above.

25.4 EARTHING SYSTEMS

MATERIALS
&
INSTALLATION
25.4.1
Direct
Structure
Earthing Connection
Direct structure earth connection is achieved
by means of the direct contact of the footing
surface with the soil. It is only applicable for
relatively deep reinforced concrete or steel
grillage footings with a large surface area in
contact with the soil.
For use of this earthing system, the following
criteria shall be satisfied:
Line fitted with an OHEW;

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Reinforced concrete footings

with evenly distributed steel
bars
and
horizontal
rings/helical
reinforcement
extending to the base of the
footing;

Structure bonded to footing

steel reinforcement with approved earth lead;

Earth tab welded to the steel

reinforcement in accordance with the
drawings;

Footings not less than 3m

depth in soil and 5m depth in rock;

Earth
resistance
criteria
satisfied.

25.4.2
Supplementary
Earthing
Steel earth rods of 1.8m minimum length and
having an outer cladding of either electrolytic
copper or austenitic stainless steel shall be
used for supplementary earthing systems.
Copper earth rods shall not be used in extreme
saline soils, tidal lands or swamps, where
cathodic protection systems have been
installed to protect footings from corrosion, or
rocky conditions that are likely to damage the
earth rod sheath unless otherwise approved in
writing by the Superintendent.
Earth rods & connectors shall have a
minimum fault current rating of 9kA. The size
of earth leads shall be minimum 70mm2
copper equivalent.
Should the measured earth resistance of the
earth rod be higher than required, the
Contractor may be required to couple an
additional rod or install multiple arrangements.
If it becomes impractical to drive earth rods
because of the nature of the ground, the
Contractor may install the rod in a drilled hole
backfilled with Earthrite or other approved
filling conforming to AS2239.
It will not be permitted to drive the rod
through the bottom of the footing excavation
or the rods be cut.
Structure supplementary earthing systems
shall be installed in accordance with the
Drawings. Payment shall be at the rates given
in contract schedules.

Version: 1.1

25.4.3
Earthing
Gradient Control

for

Earthing system for gradient control shall

comprise a grading ring surrounding the
structure at a radial distance of 1 metre or
other approved system. The grading ring
should be bare copper conductor of equivalent
copper area of 30mm2 buried no more than
300 mm below the surface.
This conductor must be electrically bonded to
the structure earthing system.
Note should be taken when installing the
grounding ring so as to make sure that objects
connected to a remote earth are not located
within one metre of the grading ring otherwise
an additional hazard may arise.
Gradient control systems shall be installed in
accordance with the Drawings. Payment shall
be at the rates given in contract schedules.

25.4.4

Earth bond

Size of the structure earthing bond shall be

70mm2 copper equivalent.
Stranded conductor used for the earth bond
shall be insulated with durable plastic coating
resistant to UV degradation.

25.4.5

Trench Backfill

Excavated material shall be used for trench

backfill unless otherwise directed by the
Superintendent.
The backfill shall be placed in layers not
exceeding 200mm thick and thoroughly
compacted using water and approved
compaction equipment. Backfill shall be
placed and compacted until the level is such
that after any long-term settlement the final
level of the backfilled area is not less than the
surrounding natural ground level.
The cost of water, required for the compaction
of the backfill, shall be included in the
appropriate Schedule rate for earthing.

25.4.6
Rock
and
Classification

Soil

Material in which an earthing system is

installed shall be classified as follows:
(i) Soil: Material which, in the opinion of
the Superintendent, can reasonably be

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excavated by the use of hand tools
such as picks, shovels, hand bars,
rubber tyred tractor mounted backhoes
or trenching machines;
(ii) Rock: Material that requires the use of
pointed pneumatic tools or explosives for
removal.

25.5 EARTH RESISTANCE

MEASUREMENT
&
REPORTING
25.5.1
Timing
measurement

of

Testing direct structure earth system resistance

shall be completed prior to the installation of
OHEW. Earth resistance of tower structure
footings may be measured after erection of the
tower base to obtain a value of the combined
footings.
Measurements of the supplementary or
gradient control earthing system shall be made
prior to connection to the structure footing.

25.5.2
Method
Measurement

of

All testing of earthing systems shall be carried

out by the Contractor, at the Contractor's
expense, with a meter approved by ElectraNet,
within its calibration period and the results
submitted to ElectraNet in a report format.
(a) The method to be used shall be the
fall-of-potential method utilising two
auxiliary electrodes. The measuring
instrument may be a "Megger",
"Geohm" or similar specialised
apparatus.
Specific
instructions
accompanying a particular instrument
are to be observed;
(b) The minimum spacing between the
outermost auxiliary electrode and the
electrode under test shall be 30 metres.
The distance of the middle electrode
from the electrode under test is to be
approximately 20 metres and in line
with the other two electrodes;
(c) A minimum of three readings shall be
taken to establish a true value, by
moving the middle electrode three

Version: 1.1

metres either side of the initial

position but keeping it in line with the
other two. If these three readings are
not of equal value the outermost
electrode shall be progressively moved
further away until three equal readings
can be obtained;
(d) As far as is practicable to ascertain,
the two auxiliary electrodes are not to
be in close proximity to any metallic
material which may interfere with
obtaining a proper reading of
resistance.

25.5.3

Test Reports

The contractor shall provide Test Reports to

ElectraNet containing all measurements and
information listed below:
Test equipment used;

Calibration Period;

Operator name;

Date & time of test;

Structure ID;

Structure
footing
ID
and/or
supplementary earth system ID;

Footing and/or earthing system

resistivity measurements;

Soil type and nominal soil moisture

conditions;

Weather conditions (temperature,

humidity).

25.6 EARTHING
ACCEPTANCE
CRITERIA
25.6.1
Direct
structure
earth connection
The earth resistance of each individual
transmission structure

shall not exceed 40 ohms prior to

connection of the OHEW; and

shall not exceed 10 ohm when

individual resistances to earth are
averaged over 10 adjacent structures
after connection of the OHEW.

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If the earthing criteria cannot be achieved, the

structure shall be fitted with a supplementary
earthing system.

25.9 REINSTATEMENT
EARTHING

25.6.2
Supplementary
earthing system

During the repair the structure earth

galvanized strap may be badly corroded and
break during the repair process.
The
contractor shall repair the earth bond as
follows:

The earth resistance of the supplementary

earth system at a structure site at which
Supplementary earthing system is installed
shall not exceed

10 ohm at remote sites

4 ohms at Frequented locations

0.5 ohms at Special Locations.

25.6.3
Gradient
Control
Earthing System
A Gradient Control Earthing System shall
have a resistance to earth not exceeding 4
ohms.

25.6.4
Telecommunicatio
n Structures

OF

Where the broken ground earth bond material

is flat steel this shall be replaced with a copper
insulated conductor and new connections
made at the structure and earth electrode(s).
All material used for rectifying earth bond
defects will be compatible with the existing
materials and will be industry standards
approved. At the earth electrode/conductor
position, the connection shall be sealed to
prevent ingress of moisture and corrosion.
Should it be deemed necessary to install new
earth electrodes, this should be done in
accordance with the requirements of this
section.
The cost of all such repairs will be part of the
fixed and lump sum contract price.

The supplementary earthing system shall have

a resistance not exceeding 2 ohm measured
before attachment to the structure.

25.7 BONDING
ATTACHED
STEELWORK

OF

Refer to LCM 24 Line Erection.

25.8 CONNECTION
SUBSTATION
EARTHING

TO

The line construction contractor shall be

responsible for termination of the earthwire at
the either the terminal structure or the
substation gantry nominated in the project
scope.

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