OUTLINE

Introduction

Pre-survey

Pre-ripping

Ripped and Plowed Area

FOC Cable Plowing

FOC and warning tape installed by cable plowing

Advantages and disadvantages of cable plowing

Restoration

Sequence of FOC installation

References

Introduction
The presentation will provide with an overview of the
Installation method of direct buried fiber optic cable
by means of Cable Plowing.

PRE-SURVEY

A pre-survey of the fiber cable route

is very important in planning for a
direct buried optical fiber project. One
of the objectives of the pre-survey is
to determine where each reel of fiber
optic cable is to be placed.

The location of all underground

utilities across or near the proposed
route must be determined prior to
construction. The locating crew must
properly mark the exact location of
the identified obstruction to permit
easy
identification
for
the
construction team.

The cable route should be staked at

100m interval to guide ripping and
plow operator align their equipment

Pre-ripping

Cable routes must be surveyed and stakes set before pre-ripping or

trenching work can begin.

Prior to plowing of the fiber optic cables, it is recommended that the

entire route be pre-ripped so that any obstacles beneath the surface at
1300mm depth can be identified and removed or necessary precautions
taken prior to the actual placement of the cable.

The ripping ensures all obstacles are detected prior the installation of
the cable.

When Plow machine is used, FOC depth of

installation is at 1200mm, as per SAES-T-928, para.
6.6.a

Areas that cannot be ripped should be marked and

recorded.

A ripping machine is any type of bulldozer that have a

hook behind it, at least 1500mm hook length.

Ripped and Plowed Area

The outlook of ripped area and the plowed area are
exactly the same. It shows the same hump created
by the hook at the back of ripping machine.

FOC Cable Plowing

When rock is detected it should be removed by either
Rock Saw or Jackhammer / Backhoe equipment
(please refer to pictures of succeeding slides).
Rock Saw is an equipment used to pulverize rocks
and spoil heaps or debris do not stock-file and
scatter around the area. The fine powder and rock
cuttings left in the trench after sawing will not provide
a good bed material for the cable.
Jackhammer/Backhoe is an equipment used to break
hard rocks and excavates broken rocks and debris
found during the ripping stage.

The Excavator, Jackhammer, rock saw

and backhoe are equipment used to open
the trench.
Only Saudi Aramco certified operators
shall operate heavy equipment.

Rock Saw

Jackhammer or Rock Breaker

Backhoe

Cable Plowing Equipment

Cable Plowing Operation

THE INSTALLATION MUST BE OBSERVED CONTINUOUSLY FOR OBSTRUCTION, PROPER

FEEDING OF THE CABLE, REQUIRED DEPTH AND CORRECT ROUTE ALIGNMENT.

INSTALLATION OF TWO DIRECT

BURIED FOC ON THE SAME
TRENCH

WHEN REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION, SPLIT SUB-DUCT MAYBE

PLACED OVER THE FIBER OPTIC CABLE DURING INSTALLATION.

When selecting a plow route it must be wide enough to accommodate a

plowing machine. The route must have sufficient vertical clearance to
permit safe and proper operation of the equipment.

FOC and warning tape installed by a plow

machine.
For a typical FOC and warning tape installed by a plow
machine, you will not be able to see its details when
the plowing operation begins.
The next slide # 20 & # 21 will show you the distance of
the Fiber Optic from metallic warning tape or orange
terra Tape.

Typical FOC and warning tape

installed by a plow machine
Ground level
Min. 300 mm from
the ground level

1200
mm

Detectable Metallic
Terra Marker Tape
300 mm from the
FOC

100 mm

FOC

AN ORANGE MARKER TAPE SHALL BE PLACED FLAT IN THE TRENCH ABOVE ALL OPEN TRENCH DIRECT
BURIED FIBER OPTIC CABLES. THE MARKER TAPE IS TO BE PLACED APPROXIMATELY 300 MM BELOW
GRADE. WHEN THE FIBER OPTIC CABLE IS ALL DIELECTRIC (NON-METALLIC), A DETECTABLE MARKER
TAPE SHALL BE PLACED IN THE TRENCH ABOVE THE CABLE. THE MARKER TAPE SHALL NOT BE PLACED
CLOSER THAN 300 MM TO THE CABLE. WHEN THE MARKER TAPE IS PLACED BY MEANS OF PLOWING, IT
SHALL BE CONTINUOUS. (SAES - T 624 SEC. 4.5.6)

Advantages and Disadvantages

of Cable Plowing
Advantages of Plowing:
Speed of installation in open areas.
Less ground disturbance than may be caused by
trenching.
Cable Plowing requires a minimum of restoration
works
Disadvantages of Plowing:

Large size and high cost of equipment.

Requires skilled equipment operators, quality
supervision, and equipment in good condition.

Possibility of damaging cables or under ground

utilities.

RESTORATION

The marker post should be

placed on top of the installed
cable.

When FOC and marker post

installation is completed this
area is then back bladed by
a wheeled loader to
flattened or level the
surface.

The surface at grade level of

the excavated area is
restored to as good or better
than the original condition.

Cable route leveling is

required for all cable plough
work as specified in
conformance with applicable
standards.

Sequence of FOC Installation using Mole Plow:

Survey / Stationing FOC route must be stationed in order to identify the

actual location where FOC will be installed.

Locating and Exposing of Existing Utilities Existing utilities along the FOC
route must be located and exposed. Exposed utilities must be protected and
restored to its original condition after the installation. If there are no existing
conduits on these crossings, installation of duct bank is required.

FOC Route Marking - FOC route must be marked using white gypsum
powder or any other means in order for the Ripping Machine or Rock Wheel
operator to see the correct path from his position.

Ripping it is done to open up the ground to be able to install the FOC

together with the warning tape. This is also one way of identifying rock areas
where rock breakers would then be employed. If Rock wheel is used, rock
breaker is not necessary.

Cable Plowing This is the quickest method of installing direct buried FOC.
However, @ road crossings and any other utilities crossings FOC has to be
reeled out and pulled thru the conduit and reeled in to the cable drum on the
other end of the crossing. A marker must be placed at the mole plow blade to
ensure that the desired depth is met.

Restoration - Verify that the surface at grade level of the excavated area is
restored to as good or better than the original condition.

SAUDI ARAMCO STANDARD

REFERENCE

SAES-T-624 Telecommunication Outside Plant - Fiber

Optics.

SAES-T-629 - Telecommunication Outside Plant Copper

Cable and Wire

SAES-T-928 - Telecommunication - OSP Buried Plant

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