Meshless IEFGM ‐Based Numerical Modeling of Grounding Systems With Counterpoise Wires

ABSTRACT This paper presents a comprehensive numerical analysis of a counterpoise grounding wire subjected to low‐frequency surge currents, employing the Interpolating Element‐Free Galerkin Method (IEFGM). The analysis involves significant challenges arising from the high ratio between the conductor length and its radius—which demands fine spatial resolution—and from the asymmetric current injection, which requires a three‐dimensional representation over an extensive computational domain. To address these issues, the domain is reduced through the application of artificial boundary conditions with prescribed electric potentials, alongside an optimized distribution of nodes and Gauss integration points. Furthermore, a tailored mathematical formulation is proposed to incorporate the surge current directly into the model, enhancing the physical fidelity of the simulation. The IEFGM proves well suited for this task, offering numerical stability, consistent convergence behavior, and the flexibility to handle complex three‐dimensional geometries. Validation is carried out by comparing the computed grounding resistance with analytical approach, and a detailed convergence study investigates the influence of domain size, nodal spacing, and integration parameters. The results confirm the robustness and accuracy of the proposed methodology.