The Art and Science of Lightning Protection

by Martin A. Uman

Overview

A lightning strike to an unprotected object or system can be disastrous - in the United States lightning is responsible for over 30% of all electric power failures, causes billions of dollars' worth of property damage, and an average of 85 fatalities a year. This accessible text describes all aspects of lightning protection and includes many illustrative drawings and photographs. The author examines the physical behavior of lightning, various types of lightning damage, the role of lightning detection and warning in effective protection, as well as options for deflecting or eliminating lightning. U.S. and international lightning protection standards are discussed. This book will be essential reading for everyone involved in the business of lightning protection, including meteorologists, atmospheric scientists, architects, engineers, and fire-safety experts. Insurance practitioners and physicians will find this reference of significant value.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521158251
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/19/2010
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Martin A. Uman is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida. He is generally acknowledged to be one of the world's leading authorities on lightning, and has been the recipient of numerous awards for his work including the 2001 American Geophysical Union John Adam Fleming Medal and the 1996 Heinrich Hertz Medal by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Professor Uman has written several previous books on the subject of lightning including Lightning: Physics and Effects co-authored by Vladimir A. Rakov (Cambridge University Press, 2003).

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. What is lightning?; 2. Lightning damage; 3. General methods for lightning protection: Faraday cages, topological shields; and more practical approaches: cone of protection and rolling sphere methods; 4. Structure protection: air terminals and down conductors; 5. Structure protection: grounding; 6. Surge protection for electronics in low-voltage electrical systems; 7. Humans and animals; 8. Lightning warning; 9. Airships, airplanes, and launch vehicles; 10. Ships and boats; 11. Trees; 12. Overhead and underground power and communication lines; 13. Lightning elimination; 14. So, what do we know and what don't we know about lightning protection?; References; Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"There are no other books, in my opinion, that complete with this publication. Uman is the most competent individual to write this book, which fills the gap between the advanced text that he coauthored with Rakov and his introductory popular book, All About Lightning ... I recommend this book without any hesitation." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Editorial Reviews

"There are no other books, in my opinion, that complete with this publication. Uman is the most competent individual to write this book, which fills the gap between the advanced text that he coauthored with Rakov and his introductory popular book, All About Lightning ... I recommend this book without any hesitation." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

From the Publisher