The influence of additional material in the duct on the touch voltage and propagation resistance of a mesh earth electrode is calculated. The calculation is performed for a grounding conductor of circular and rectangular cross-section. The additional material is approximated by a cylinder of equal cross-section. Approximate analytical and exact numerical calculations are performed. The correctness of the simple analytical procedure is demonstrated. It is also shown that the significant influence on the touch voltage of large mesh earth electrodes such as those used for high-voltage electrical installations is demonstrated.