The Interference of Grounding Systems: The Floating Behavior

Papers, books, and standards consider the problem of mutual interactions of ground systems (GSs) by experimental data, parametric curves, mathematical approaches, and computer programs. This paper aims to analyze the physical phenomenon and basics, exemplifying the interference between GSs, such as their comparability, common intersection, mutual transfer resistance, and coupling factors. These characteristics assist to suppose the systems behavior in interaction and to suggest practical criteria for verifying the adequacy of GSs also versus the external interferences among them or/and with buried extraneous conductive part. The presence of a “global grounding system” (GGS) in the influence zone of a GS is a relevant case of interference. For definition, the GGS is not interfering, but can be locally interfered with unexpected increases of touch and step voltages. The global performance of an interfered GS can be defined by the overlap of two opposite and simultaneous behaviors: the passive and active behaviors, useful to characterize a GGS. In fact, a GGS essentially presents a passive behavior.