ITU Regional Standardization Forum for Africa
(Dakar, Senegal, March 24-25 2015)
ASSESSMENT OF THE
CONFORMITY OF THE BASE
STATIONS TO THE NORMATIVE
REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE
PROTECTION AGAINST LIGHTNING

DALLY Brice Landry,
Co-Editeur of Rec K. arcb ITU-T/SG5
Tanya MCPHERSON'S Consulting Ivory Coast
Brice.dally@Tanya Mcpherson'S-consulting.c i
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
PLAN OF THE PRESENTATION
CONTEXT
3
PREREQUISITES
4
MEASURES OF PROTECTION
5
INTERNAL SPF
6
EXTERNAL SPF
7
INSPECTION OF A SPF
8
NORMATIVE REQUIREMENTS
9
OPERATING MODE
12
CONCLUSION
18
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
2
CONTEXT
For the exercise of its tasks, rights and obligations of
controls of ICT infrastructure, the State of the Côte D’Ivoire
has instructed its operational structures (the Ex-ATCI and
the AIGF today) since 2011 to the effect of achieving the
"campaigns of control of conformity of the base-electrical
stations implanted on the Ivorian territory".
These campaigns are occuring in a period of intensive
deployment (densification, extension, migration) of
networks in urban and rural areas by telecommunications
operators.
VLSCH Consulting, as consultant in the realization of this
mission, presents the experience gained on more than
1800 radio-electrical sites by focusing on "The control of
lightning protection systems " .
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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Prerequisite
LIGHTNING PROTECTION :
A basic requirement
Lightning
is
an
electrical
discharge
of
atmospheric origin.
"There are no devices or methods which
could change the natural phenomena to the
point of preventing lightning strikes. The
impacts of lightning on the facilities or
in their vicinity
(or on the services
entering the facilities) are dangerous to
the people, the facilities themselves,
their content, their installations and
departments That is why the lightning
protection measures are essential
". cf
the IEC 62305 - 1.
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
4
MEASURES OF PROTECTION
AGAINST LIGHTNING
"The measurement of essential protection and the
most reliable one for the protection of facilities
against
physical damage is deemed to be the
lightning protection system (SPF). It usually includes
a system of external protection and a system of
internal protection against lightning strikes. " Cf. IEC
62305-3 .
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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SYSTEM OF EXTERNAL
PROTECTION
A system of external protection against lightning is
intended to:
A) intercept a lightning strike on the facility by a
capture device ;
B) flow in a safe manner the lightning current to
earth by one or some downward conductors ;
C) disperse the lightning current in the earth by a
network of earthing.
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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INTERNAL PROTECTION SYSTEM
A system of internal protection against lightning
helps to prevent the dangerous sparks in the
facility by using a network of bonding connections
or a separation distance between the components
of the system of external protection and the other
internal conductors of the facility.
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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INSPECTION OF A SPF
The inspections of the SPF include the verification
of the technical documentation, visual checks and
test measurements. They are intended to ensure
that:
m) The
n)
o)
lightning protection system is consistent with
the design based on the normative requirements
in force;
All the components of the lightning protection
system are in good condition and able to ensure
the functions for which they were designed, and
that there is no corrosion;
All departments or all constructions recently added
are integrated in the external SPF .
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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NORMATIVE REQUIREMENTS
Among normative requirements in force, we can cite
the recommendations of the standardization sector of
the International Telecommunication Union and the
international standards:
 Recommendation ITU-T K56 : 2010: K SERIES:
Protection against disturbances: Protection of radioelectrical base stations against lightning ;
 Recommendation ITU-T K27; K72 and K39 .

ISO IEC 62305-1 / -2 / -3 / -4 : 2010
NB: there is no ITU-T recommendation specific to
the evaluation of the conformity of the SPF, such is
the purpose of the draft recommendation K. arcb
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO
DESIGN, DEPLOY, AND
MAINTENANCE OF A SPF
DESIGN/
CONSTRUCTION
/
DEPLOYMENT
Identification of feared
events
Establishment of a PTAC
adapted to the risk of the
lightning
Installation of external
and internal SPF and
establishment of PV
from recipe
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
INITIAL CHECK
Verification of
compliance of
achievements
to the
Specifications
Periodic
checking
- Visual Inspection;
- Full Inspection
according to the
package leaflet for
verification
10
MAXIMUM PERIODICITY
The maximum periodicity of inspection of a SPF
is:
* Included: all facilities containing sensitive
internal networks, venues of large assemblies .
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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OPERATING
MODE
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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Sheet of periodic inspection of the system of external
protection
Date and time of inspection of the external SPF
Date of last inspection of the external SPF
Lightning conductors
digging
Existing
Non-Existent
Existing
Non-Existent
< 125 Mm²
> 125 Mm²
:
Conductor Type:
:
Section of the frames of the
pylon
Condition of the mounting collars of
the downward conductor
Continuity of the downward
conductor
Good
Number
... .
Good
Low
Seat Belts / strips of land
Oxide
Bad
High
GSM
FH
Technical Local
Slab outdoor
:
Antennas 2G/ 3G/ 4G
The earthing of equipment:
Generator (if existing)
Radio Module of 2G/
3G/LTE
Grid of air conditioning
condenser
Antennas FH/ODU
Feeders
Shelter
Array of
energy
The earthing of metal
parts:
Media antennas 2G/ 3G/
4G
All guy wires
control seal
Existing
Non-existent
Status:
Good
Gradient
Counter of lightning
Existing
Non-existent
Status:
Good
Gradient
Electric continuity test of the
SPF
Good
Bad
Media antennas FH
Feet pylon
Closure
Feet of shelter
Observation:
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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Sheet of inspection of the system of earthing
SHEET OF INITIAL INSPECTION
Plan for installation of the system for earthing
Available
Unavailable
Installation Plan conforming to ITU-T recommendation in force
Yes
Non
Route of the trenches conforming to the projected plan
Yes
Non
Depth of excavation conforming to the projected plan
Yes
Non
Existence of all interconnecting components
Yes
Non
Conditions of the components of the system for earthing
Good
Bad
Identity of the nature of the components
Yes
Non
Conductors
Adapted
Unsuitable
Correct Interconnection of components
Yes
Non
Electrical continuity test of the system for earthing
Good
Bad
System of protection taking into account all parts of the system of protecting
in accordance with the result of the analysis of the lightning risk
Yes
Non
The different natures of used
components
Surface of the conductor
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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Sheet of inspection of the system of earthing
SHEET OF PERIODIC INSPECTION
Spot of inspection
Existing
Non-existent
Labelling of land:
Necessary
Not necessary
Status of the labelling
Good
Gradient
System for earthing
Existing
Non-Existent
Electrical continuity test of the
system for earthing
Good
Bad
Status:
Good
Existing
Good
Gradient
Non-Existent
Degraded
Observation:
METHOD OF MEASUREMENT OF THE RESISTANCE OF THE EARTHING (less than or equal to 10 ohms)
Alignment E, S and H
Distance EH =
MEASURE HAS 3P
RE Isolated
52%
… … … … … … … …m
62%
72%
RE interconnected
RE isolated in 62% of the last
measurement of the system for
earthing
Observation:
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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Sheet of inspection of the system of the earthing
METHOD OF DEFAULTING LOOP IMPEDANCE (ref in accordance with the sensitivity of the circuit breaker)
--------
Z
S
R
S
--------
Observation:
METHOD OF MEASURING THE TOTAL RESISTANCE OF THE SPF
Resistance value of the interconnected system of protection against lightning ≤ 0.2 Ω
R
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
Ω
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CONCLUSION
At the end of this presentation, we could recall that the impacts of
lightning on the radio-electrical base stations in particular or in their
vicinity are dangerous for people and the services provided. These
impacts caused many interruptions of services, hence financial losses
and more and more litigation between site managers, operators
and residents in the neighborhoods of those sites.
The verification of compliance with the standards in the design
and installation of the SPF of radio-electrical sites, coupled
with
regular monitoring of compliance is by far the effective
means of the implementation of the precautionary principle .
We therefore recommend to the regulators and operators, as far as
they are concerned to observe these good practices that allow stating
liabilities in case of damage and mitigating the unavailability of
services offered.
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
DAKAR, Senegal, 24 - March 25, 2015
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