Transferred transient voltages on the nearby facilities when a lightning stroke hit bridge

The transient behavior of a bridge subjected to a lightning strike and the transferred transient potentials on nearby facilities, such as pipelines, is investigated using the electromagnetic field theory approach. The article focuses on the safety around the bridge area during lightning strikes on the bridge. Step and touch voltages are computed as well as the dissipated energy though human body. Dielectric breakdown and human safety concerns under transient phenomena is discussed briefly. Different quantities, effects and scenarios are studied. Different waveforms with various peak values of current surges are examined. The paper demonstrates the importance of accurately representing the bridge and lightning current wave on the analysis of the transient response to the lightning strike. Time domain results are presented as static 2D and 3D plots.