SUBMITTED BY:

KAVISH JAIN
ROLL NO.: 15M258
 TENSILE STRENGTH TEST:
OBJECT: In this method, the cables are tested at a particular tensile
strength in order to examine the behavior of the attenuation and the
fiber elongation strain which are the function of load on the cable, which
may occur during installation or operation.

SAMPLE: The Cable length under test is 150 meters.

APPARATUS: the apparatus consists of:

A specially designed tensile test machine capable of tensioning 150
meters of cable in 6 legs of 25 meter each.

The machine is equipped with a motor for controlled tensioning and a

load cell for measuring the actual tension applied on the cable.
 PROCEDURE: The cable is wound in the machine over appropriately
sized sheaves. The cable ends extend to reach the measuring
instruments.

The cable is pulled at a specified rate until a pre-determined tension

is applied.

The cable is laid to rest under tension as per detailed specifications,

and then attenuation and fiber length are measured.

PASS/FAIL CRITERIA: Under load, the attenuation should not

increase more than a pre-determined value, typically 0.05 db.

Under load, the cable should not elongate more than 0.25% during
installation.
 OBJECT: the purpose of this test is to determine the ability of the
cable to withstand compression.

SAMPLE: the sample is a representative cable length sufficient to

carry out the specified test.

APPARATUS: The apparatus consists of a typical compressive

load machine in which a cable to be tested is fixed between two
steel plates one fixed and the other movable.

The apparatus is shown in figure:

 PROCEDURE: The cable sample is mounted between plates and a
pre-determined force is applied gradually and is typically
maintained for about 10 minutes.

Two types of measurements may be defined:

1) The attenuation is measured at the end of the 10-minute

period while the cable is still under pressure.

2) The attenuation is measured 5 minutes after release.

PASS/FAIL CRITERIA: The attenuation must not change typically

by a pre-determined value, typically 0.05db.

In all cases, the cable elements should not crack or fracture.

 OBJECT: The purpose of this test is to check the ability of the
cable to withstand impact.
APPARATUS: The apparatus allows a hammer with rounded
edge to drop vertically on a cable sample fixed on a flat steel
plate.
The apparatus may allow single or repeated multiple impacts
to be imparted on the cable sample.

The energy of the impact is determined by the drop height

and the weight of the hammer.
 PROCEDURE: Two procedures are commonly used:

1) A repeated impact test whereby the hammer drops on the

same location in the cable sample 25 times.

2) The hammer is allowed to drop on 3 different locations in the

cable, typically separated by 50 cm from each other. The
number of impacts in each location is limited (1 to 3).

PASS/FAIL CRITERIA: the fiber attenuation does not increase by

more than a pre-determined value, typically 0.05 db.

In some cases, the cable passes the test if there are no cracks
developed on the cable.
 OBJECT: The purpose of this test is to determine the
ability of the cable to withstand repeated bending.

APPARATUS: The apparatus allows a cable sample to

be bent backwards and forwards through at an angle
of 1800, the extreme positions making an angle of
900 on both sides of the vertical, while the sample is
subjected to a tensile load.

The apparatus is capable of cycling at a rate of 30

cycles per minute.
 PROCEDURE:A cable sample is secured to the bending arm
while it is in an upright position.

A pre-determined weight is attached to the bottom of the

cable sample.

The motor is turned on and the arm oscillates between the

two extreme positions flexing the cable. The number of
flexing cycles depends on the cable design.

PASS/FAIL CRITERIA: the fiber attenuation does not increase

by more than a pre-determined value, typically 0.05 db.
 OBJECT: This test method is intended to establish the ability of
the cable to withstand the mechanical twisting.

SAMPLE: The length of the cable under torsion should be

sufficient to permit the appropriate clamping and twisting.

A typical value for small cables is 1 m, whereas large cable

samples are usually defined in terms of the cable diameter.

A common length value is 125 times the cable diameter.

 The twisting apparatus consists of two cable
gripping devices or clamps, one fixed and one
that can rotate.
 PROCEDURE: The cable is installed in the test fixture. A pre-determined
weight is fixed to one of the clamps to provide the tension to the cable
sample.

The rotating clamp is then rotated as follows:

1800 in one direction.

Back to the starting position.

1800 in opposite direction.

Back to the starting position.

These four steps constitute a cycle. The cable sample is subjected to a

pre-determined number of such cycles, typically 10.

PASS/FAIL CRITERIA: The attenuation must not change by more than

0.05db.

The cable should not show any indications of mechanical failure, such as
jacket cracks, armor opening etc.
 OBJECT: The purpose of this test is to determine the ability of an optical
fiber cable to withstand bending around a test mandrel.

APPARATUS: The Apparatus is a simple mandrel of a specified diameter on

which a cable sample can be wrapped tangentially in a close helix.

PROCEDURE: The sample is wrapped in a close helix around the mandrel at a

uniform rate. Sufficient tension is applied to ensure that the sample
contours the mandrel. The sample is then unwrapped. A cycle consists of
one wrapping and one unwrapping.

The test is often performed at low temperature to verify the cable ability to
be installed at such temperatures without being damaged.
 OBJECT: This measuring method is designed to determine the stability of the
attenuation in cables submitted to extreme temperature conditions.

SAMPLE: A Sample is a standard cable of a length sufficient to make accurate

measurement of the attenuation change. Single mode fiber cables should be at
least 500 meters long, and preferably 1000m long.

In order to gain the reproducible values, the cable sample is placed in a climate
chamber as a loose coil or on a reel.

APPARATUS: A climate chamber is used of a suitable size to accommodate the

sample. The chamber temperature can be controlled to within + and 30 C of the
specified testing temperature.
 PROCEDURE: The temperature in the chamber is first
lowered to a appropriate low temperature TA.
After the temperature stability in the chamber has been
reached, a sample is exposed to the low temperature
conditions for the appropriate period T1.
The temperature in the chamber is then raised to a
temperature TB, .
The sample is then exposed to higher temperature
conditions for the appropriate period T1.
The temperature in the chamber is then lowered to an
ambient temperature.
This completes one cycle. Typically cables are exposed to
2 such cycles.
 OBJECT: The purpose of this test is to determine the ability of a
cable to block water migration along a specified length.

SAMPLE: A 1 to 3 m long cable sample is used. A Water tight seal

is applied to one end of the sample to allow a 1 m height of
water to be applied.

APPARATUS: The apparatus consists of a vertical pipe containing

water at a height of 1 metre.
The cable sample is laid flat and a suitable arrangement is made
in order to determine if water leaks from its exposed end.
 PROCEDURE: The sample is supported
horizontally and a 1 m height of water is applied
for 24 hour.

A watersoluble fluorescent dye or other suitable

coloring agent may be used to aid in the
detection of water seepage(water leakage).

PASS/FAIL CRITERIA: No leaks should be detected

from the exposed cable end.
 This test is performed to check the resistance offered by the cables to the
fire.

A cable sample is placed over a gas burner and connected to an electrical

supply at its rated voltage.

Fire is applied for a period of 3 hours. The temperature on the cable is

between 7500 C and 8000 C. After 3 hours power and power is switched off.

12 hours later, cable sample is re-energized and it must maintain the circuit
integrity.
 Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR)
Simple Dielectric Withstand
Dielectric Loss(Tan Delta)
Online Partial-Discharge
Offline Partial Discharge
 TEST DESCRIPTION: Measures changes in the
cable impedance as a function of circuit length by
observing the pattern of wave reflections.
Used to identify the location of accessories and
faults etc.
FIELD APPLICATION: offline test that uses a low
voltage, high frequency pulse generator.
Testing may be performed by the utility crew or
service provider.
 TEST DESCRIPTION: Application of voltage above
normal operating voltage for a prescribed duration.
Attempts to drive the weakest location(s) within cable
segment to failure while segment is not in service.
FIELD APPLICATION:
Offline test that may use:
DC
50/60 Hz AC
VLF AC
Damped AC
 TEST DESCRIPTION: Measures total cable system loss(cable,
elbows, splices and terminations)
May be performed at one or more frequencies.
May be performed at multiple voltage levels.
Monitoring may be conducted for long durations.
FIELD APPLICATION:
Offline test that may use:
50/60 Hz AC
VLF AC
 TEST DESCRIPTION: Measurement and interpretation of
partial discharges signals above normal operating voltages.
Signal reflections(combined with TDR information) allows
location to be identified within cable segment.
FIELD APPLICATION: Offline test that may use :
50/60 Hz.
VLF AC
Damped AC
 TEST DESCRIPTION: Measurement and interpretation of
discharge and signals on cable segments and /or
accessories.
Signals captured over minutes/hours.
Monitoring may be conducted for long durations.
FIELD APPLICATION: Testing performed by a service
provider.
Measurement requires sensor placements at multiple
locations along cable circuit.