Foundational Steel Reinforcement Earthing Evaluation: Case of Ogomudia Electrical/Electronics Laboratory Building Extension, Federal University Of Technology, Akure

• M. O. Oyeleye

  Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

• T. O. Ale

  Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

This paper focuses on foundation steel reinforcement for safe earthing in homes and industries. This will establish the safe limit of voltage or potential difference that can allow equipment to operate without injury to personnel and equipment. The earthing system of Ogomudia Electrical/Electronic Laboratory building extension, Federal University of Technology, Akure(FUTA), was evaluated for the purpose of proposing the earthing system that will be able to meet the primary objective of earthing and sustain the building for 80 years and above without deterioration as against the conventional earthing. Three (3) points fall of potential) method was used in evaluating the resistance of each column steel reinforcement thereby measuring the earthing scheme dispersing proficiency. A comparism of the dissipation capability using the resistance values of the conventional earthing system and an interconnected foundation steel reinforcement with the conventional earthing system was carried out using a digital earth tester. The result obtained showed that the interconnected foundational steel reinforcement with the conventional earthing system has the lowest resistance of 2.8 ohms; and earthing system looped together gave 1.75 ohms which conforms to British Standard Institution (BSI) of 10 ohms and International Electrochemical Commission of 4 ohms. This shows that the effect of foundation steel reinforcement lowers the conventional earth resistance by 162%. The result also revealed that the foundational steel reinforcement resistance is 7.42 times better than the conventional earthing resistance of the studied area. It is therefore recommended that advantage of foundation steel reinforcement (where it exists) should be taken and interconnected with the conventional earthing.

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