Identification of Te Most ulnerable Area on Comple Structures for Optimiing Ligtning rotection System

To calculate shielding failure of a lightning protection system, several analytical methods such as Electro-Geometric Model and olling Sphere Method have been proposed. These methods are used to determine protected and unprotected areas, but they cant show the frequency of shielding failure to determine more risky areas. In this paper, a new numerical model is proposed by using eader Progression Model and Artificial ee olony Algorithm to identify the most vulnerable area on complex structures. The progression of lightning downward leader, the inception and propagation of upward leaders are considered step by step until final jump. Structures, air terminals, downward and upward leaders are modeled by different shapes of charges, and the electric field in an environment is computed by charge simulation method. ightning is assumed as artificial bee, and areas with high shielding failure are the best food sources with high nectar amount. So the result produced by A algorithm is the most lightning risky area. Finally, lightning performance of an asymmetric structure protection system is evaluated, and based on simulation results the best position of air terminals is determined. The proposed method can be used for protection system design of any complex structure.