Measurement of longitudinal strain in optical fiber cables during installation by cable ploughing

This paper reports a series of experiments in which a number of optical fiber cables were installed using cable ploughing equipment. The elongation of fibers in these cables was monitored during installation in order to assess whether excessive strain levels were encountered. The experiments confirmed that optical fiber cables can be satisfactorily installed using such techniques, and that residual strain levels were sufficiently low that the fiber lifetime was not prejudiced. It was found that optical fiber cables that are flexible and in which fibers are loosely housed can be installed with lower strain levels than other cables. A range of cable-ploughing equipment was used, and equipment which controlled the rate at which cable was fed from the cable drum was found to yield the best performance.