When installing fiber optic cables for the network, there are always some questions to ask, such as should we bury them or hang them up? Although I am not an architect, we will try to understand some of the different scenarios used in these two applications and fiber optic cable types. When you decide whether to hang the fiber on a pole or bury it in the ground, several factors will play a role. These factors include the type of terrain where the cables are installed, and whether you are in a rural or urban area. The weather pattern in the cable installation area is another important factor to consider. The other is the structure that is in place, such as the existing pole used to hang the cable.
1. Which cable is used for each application?
When studying optical cables for these two applications, we will study them separately. Some cables are suitable for both applications, and some are more suitable for one of them. The fiber optic cables used will always be suitable for outdoor applications and will have an external sheath to help keep the internal fiber optic cables safe under different conditions, extreme or not. One thing you will notice is that all the jackets are the same black. This is to prevent the big guy called the sun in the sky and its ultraviolet rays from interfering with the optical signal transmitted along the optical fiber.
2. Different types of overhead cables
There are several different options available when viewing aviation applications. You also have limits on the span and the environmental conditions you are in when ice accumulates. Not only do you need to know the strength limit of the cable, but you also need to calculate how much weight the pole you will use can bear. The first type is called ADSS or fully insulated self-supporting cable. A messenger wire is not required because this cable is nonconductive, insulated, reinforced, and has a strong jacket. When installing this type of fiber optic cable, you will use several different types of accessories to help hang the cable on the pole.
There is also a self-supporting cable in Figure 8, with a messenger wire incorporated into the cable. When you see the bare end, the outer outline looks like the number 8. It also needs to buy some hardware to hang it on the pole.
So these two types are your self-supporting cables, you don’t need a separate messenger line before installation, you can install the cable. The messenger line is a galvanized, stranded, aluminum-clad steel wire that runs in front of the fiber optic cable. This kind of wire is used to connect fiber optic cables to increase strength and stability. When using this method, you should make sure that the cable you will be running can be tied to the messenger wire. Bundling refers to wrapping the optical cable with a binding wire around the transmission line to fix it in a proper position without exerting excessive pressure on the cable or the fibers in it. When working in an aerial application, a key factor is whether there is already any infrastructure (poles) where you will run the cable. In cities and suburbs, the distance between houses is relatively close, and the distance between telephone poles will not exceed the maximum length that can be tolerated.
3. Different ways to lay fiber optic cables
There are two main methods for buried optical cables. When burying cables in the ground, there are a few things you need to pay attention to and follow. When you want to bury the cable, the frost line is a very important consideration, especially in the north, you need to dig a lot deeper. The frost line is the level at which the ground and soil no longer freeze. In order to reach below the frost line, the deeper you need to dig, it will have a direct impact on the cost of the project.
Direct burial is when you have an external plant cable, armored by corrugated steel belts. In this case, you don’t need anything else to protect your cable-hence the name directly buried. Another method is to use conduits and armor fibers are no longer needed. This process usually requires more time and expense because you have to pass through the conduit, and then the cable passes through the conduit.
When cables are buried underground, there are some advantages. As long as it is operated properly and is below the frost line, the weather will not affect the operation of the cable. It will not be affected by wind and ice problems, which usually cause severe damage in aviation applications. When there is no existing infrastructure where you will run fiber optic cables, you will usually see buried cables. Usually in rural areas, you will see cables buried in the ground instead of being installed in the air. This is related to the distance between the two poles, and in some cases, it is not cost-effective to install a new magnetic pole.
Although each application has many advantages, even if it is installed correctly, there are some disadvantages. In both cases, there are several factors that will not only increase the cost, but also change the construction plan. One of the factors is the type of terrain you are traversing. If you perform underground applications in a rocky environment, the costs associated with this will increase dramatically because of the equipment, time, and manpower required to dig in the rocky terrain.
In this case, the installation of poles will be cost-effective, as the amount of excavation that needs to be done will be less. The downside to overhead cables is that in extreme weather conditions, you may need to repair damaged fibers. In bad weather conditions, cables are more likely to be damaged by ice, wind, or fallen branches or trees. When dealing with these two situations, it is beneficial to work with the architect, who will investigate the entire route and provide you with the best solution. Sometimes a job requires you to use overhead cables in some jobs and bury cables in other areas.
Most importantly, you want to run the cable in the most cost-effective way possible. If this means using existing infrastructure or understanding the terrain and appropriate technology, it will be most beneficial when deciding or determining the new route of the cable.
