Modeling and measurement of exposure to realistic non-uniform electric fields at 50 Hz

Human exposure to environmental electric fields can be studied using anatomically realistic models of the human body. However, previous studies have focused on the exposure to idealized uniform electric fields and lack experimental verification. In this study, we developed a realistic simulation model of an electrical substation, featuring a very non-uniform electric field distribution. We then performed measurements of the external electric fields and induced currents in several exposure scenarios at the actual substation, allowing direct comparison between the measured and calculated external electric fields and currents induced in the body. The results indicated a very good agreement between simulated and measured values, demonstrating that large-scale non-uniform exposure scenarios can be accurately modeled. Furthermore, even though the highest external electric field strengths exceeded the reference levels defined in the international exposure guidelines by a factor of approximately two, the internal electric fields were compliant with the exposure limits with a margin of safety of three.