Copper-clad steel earthing: selection and design guide
Eight questions in the order design and procurement meet them: first what you are buying, then how to choose it, finally where it stands in each country's standards. Each part states its conclusion first; open it for the full basis, worked examples and tables. The whole method is published so your consultant can check every step. Recommendations by project type are on the companion page Solutions.
What copper-clad steel is: a material family, not one process
Three bonding processes (electroplated, continuous-cast, pressure-bonded) produce different copper layers and corrosion behaviour; only continuous-cast survives annealing and the DL/T 1312 type-test programme.
Read the full article →02 / 08Process: electroplated, continuous-cast, pressure-bonded
How the three bonding processes differ in copper layer thickness, interface quality and corrosion life; why continuous-cast is the only one that qualifies for medium- and high-corrosivity soil.
Read the full article →03 / 08Construction: solid conductor vs strand
Solid round wire and flat tape for buried electrodes; stranded conductor for earthing leads and flexible bonding only – the copper–steel bond cannot survive repeated twisting.
Read the full article →04 / 08Shape: round wire vs flat tape
At equal copper content a tape keeps a thinner layer than round wire; round wire is the default for horizontal conductor, tape for large cross-sections above about 200 mm².
Read the full article →05 / 08Quick selection: copper thickness by soil corrosivity
DL/T 2650-2023 soil classes and the matching copper layer: 0.25 mm for low, 0.6 mm for medium, 0.8 mm for high corrosivity; 1.0 mm for extreme cases and design life beyond 30 years.
Read the full article →06 / 08Precise selection: thermal stability + corrosion allowance
IEEE Std 80-2013 clause 11.3 formula for the minimum cross-section under fault current, plus the copper layer derived from corrosion rate × design life; worked examples for substations and PV plants.
Read the full article →07 / 08Joints: exothermic welding of copper-clad steel
Graphite moulds, weld powder and procedure for copper-to-CCS and CCS-to-CCS joints; acceptance per DL/T 1342-2014; when to use compression connectors instead.
Read the full article →08 / 08Standards: China, US and Europe compared
DL/T 1312-2023 vs UL 467-2022 vs IEC 62561-2:2025 side by side – scope, copper thickness, corrosion test, fault-current test and acceptance basis; which standard governs your project.
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