Stripping of directly buried optical cables

Directly buried optical cables require careful, layer-by-layer stripping using specialized tools to expose fiber units without causing damage.

Preparation and Safety

Before starting, ensure a clean, well-lit workspace and use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses and gloves to prevent injury from sharp tools or fiber shards. Inspect the cable for damage, kinks, or bends and confirm the cable is at zero tension if accessing mid-span. Gather all necessary tools, including a cable sheath stripper, wire cutters, thin-nosed pliers, lint-free cloth, and fiber optic cleaver.

Step-by-

Step Stripping Procedure

Mark the Sheath: Determine the length of cable sheath to remove and mark the cable at the required points. Assemble the Cable Stripper: Position the stripper on the marked line, ensuring the blades are aligned correctly to avoid damaging the fiber bundle. Remove the Outer Jacket: Pull the stripper along the cable toward the free end, then use wire cutters to cut along the two scored lines.

Flex the cable to split the sheath and expose the fiber units. Handle Steel Strength Members: If the cable contains steel wires for tensile strength, remove or cut them to the required length using pliers.

Remove Water-

Blocking Materials: Cut and remove any water-swellable yarns or tapes carefully to prevent contamination or fiber damage. Clean the Fibers: Use a lint-free cloth and, if necessary, a cleaning solution to remove debris or resin from the exposed fibers. Prepare Individual Fibers: For termination or splicing, strip the protective coatings from each fiber using a high-precision fiber optic cable stripper.

Adjust the stripper blade depth according to the fiber diameter to avoid nicks or scratches. Cleave and Inspect: Use a fiber optic cleaver to create a clean, perpendicular end face, and inspect with a microscope or visual fault locator to ensure no defects.

Best Practices

Progressive Layer Stripping: Remove layers sequentially (outer jacket, aramid yarn, buffer tubes) to prevent damage to underlying fibers. Tool Maintenance: Keep cutting edges sharp and clean to ensure precise stripping. Protect Exposed Fibers: Cover stripped fibers with protective caps or sleeves until termination or splicing.

Practice on Dummy Sections: For new or unfamiliar cables, practice stripping on a spare section to avoid accidental fiber damage.

Notes for Direct Burial Cables

Directly buried cables often include armored layers and water-blocking materials to withstand environmental stress. Stripping these cables requires careful handling of metal armor and water-swellable yarns to prevent fiber damage and maintain long-term reliability. Always follow manufacturer-specific guidelines for cable type, sheath thickness, and fiber count.

By following these steps and using the appropriate tools, technicians can safely strip directly buried optical cables, ensuring clean, undamaged fibers ready for splicing or termination, which is critical for long-term network performance and reliability.