Stress Analysis of earthing grid laid in different modes under ground subsidence conditions

In China, the galvanized flat steels are often used as grounding grid horizontal conductor materials, and laid with their flat face (width and length plane) upwards. Under the ground settlement condition, this laying mode of horizontal conductor will subject to huge load and deformation, and then great risk of the fracture of earth conductors and down-leads. This paper proposes a new grounding grid laying mode, in which the horizontal conductors are laid with the thickness face (thickness and length plane) upwards. The stress and deformation distribution on the grounding grids laid in two different modes were analyzed by using finite element analysis. The deformation of the grounding conductor and down-lead of the grounding grid increases with an increase in the amount of ground settlement. Under the condition of ground settlement, for the small model grounding grid in this paper, when the settlement amount increased to 50 and 100 mm, the maximum stress on the grounding grid laid with new mode is just $\mathbf{1 7 \%}$ and $\mathbf{2 3. 9 \%}$ of that on grounding grid laid with old mode, respectively. Laying the he horizontal conductors with the thickness face (thickness and length plane) upwards can significantly decrease the fracture risk of down-leads and earthing conductors, and increases the ability of grounding grid to withstand the ground settlement disaster.