Potential of earthing grid in heterogeneous soil

Calculation of the scalar electric potential of an earthing grid in heterogeneous soil is obtained by the finite element technique combining differential and integral formulations of the problem. Such a combined formulation made it possible to generate easily the mesh of finite elements and to divide the problem domain into a sufficiently small number of large finite elements. The unbounded domain of calculation is solved by using mapped infinite elements. The contribution of singular sources is represented by the analytical expression, and included in the approximation function of the potential. A sufficiently satisfactory approximation is realized with a small number of singular source images, obtained by local imaging of sources within a finite element on its boundary surfaces. The calculation accuracy is tested on examples solvable by an average potential method which is based on an integral formulation of the problem.