Technical Specifications for the Installation of Fiber Optic Cable

1.0 Introduction
Information Services and Technology (IST) currently specifies the installation of 62.5/125 micron multimode and 8.3/125 micron singlemode fiber optic cable to support data communication services on the Berkeley campus.

The following IST specifications for the selection and installation of fiber-optic cable and associated hardware are intended to ensure a reliable and consistent fiber optic media infrastructure for the Berkeley campus.

2.0 Fiber Cable Specifications
Fiber installed on the Berkeley campus must meet or exceed the following specifications.

2.1 Multimode Fiber
Installed cable shall be 62.5/125micron core/cladding, enhanced grade, multimode, and graded index glass fiber. All materials in the cable shall be dielectric.

2.1.1 Performance
Installed fiber must meet or exceed the following performance specifications.
Wavelength (nm)

Max. Attn.(dB/Km)

Min. Bandwidth (Mhz*Km)
850

3.0

200
1,300

0.9

500

2.1.2 Cable Construction
Installed cable must be manufactured to meet or exceed the following specifications:

2.1.2.1 Plenum Cable (Inside Cable)
Plenum rated cable shall be used for all interior installations. Installed cable shall meet or exceed the following specifications:

1. Tight buffered 900 um, mechanical strippable Teflon (for plenum applications).
2. EIA/TIA -598 color coding for fiber optic cable.
3. Aramid yarn strength member, capable of supporting a short-term tensile load of 400 lb. without stretching.
4. Capable of bend radii as small as 20 x outside cable diameter (under installation load) and 10 x outside cable diameter (long term load).
5. Capable of a minimum crush resistance of 850 lb./in.


2.1.2.2 Outside Plant Cable
Outside plant cable shall be used for all applications where cable is to be run in underground conduits. Outside plant cable may not be used for interior applications and shall meet the following specifications:

1. Gel filled buffer tube, 250 um, acrylate.
2. EIA/TIA-598 color coding for fiber optic cable.
3. Flooded core
4. Capable of bend radii as small as 20 x outside cable diameter (under installation load) and 10 x outside cable diameter (long term load).
5. Capable of a minimum crush resistance of 850 lb./in.

2.1.3 Recommended Suppliers
Corning and Berk-Tech fiber are currently recommended for installation on campus. Cable from other manufacturers will be considered. All cable installed must be cleared by IST prior to installation.

2.2 Singlemode Fiber
Installed cable shall be 8.3/125micron core/cladding, singlemode, and graded index glass fiber. All materials in the cable are to be dielectric.

2.2.1 Performance
Installed fiber must meet or exceed the following performance specifications.
Fiber cable types

Wavelength (nm)

Max. Attn. (dB/Km)
Singlemode, Inside plant

1,310

1,550

1.0

1.0
Singlemode, Outside plant

1,310

1,550

0.35

0.2

2.2.2 Cable Construction
Riser or plenum rated cable shall be used for all interior installations. Installed cable shall meet or exceed the following specifications:

2.2.2.1 Riser or Plenum (Inside Cable)
Riser cable shall be used for all interior installations and shall meet the following specifications:

1. Tight buffered 900 um, mechanical strippable Teflon.
2. EIA/TIA -598 color coding for fiber optic cable.
3. Aramid yarn strength member, capable of supporting a short-term tensile load of 400 lb. without stretching.
4. Capable of bend radii as small as 20 x outside cable diameter (under installation load) and 10 x outside cable diameter (long term load).
5. Capable of a minimum crush resistance of 850 lb./in.

2.2.2.2 Outside Plant Cable
Outside plant cable shall be used for all applications where cable is to be run in underground conduits. Outside plant cable may not be used for interior applications and shall meet the following specifications:

1. Gel filled buffer tube, 250 um, acrylate.
2. EIA/TIA -598 color coding for fiber optic cable.
3. Flooded core
4. Capable of bend radii as small as 20 x outside cable diameter (under installation load) and 10 x outside cable diameter (long term load).
5. Capable of a minimum crush resistance of 850 lb./in.

2.2.3 Recommended Suppliers
Corning and Berk-Tech fiber are currently recommended for installation on campus. Cable from other manufacturers will be considered. All cable installed must be cleared by IST prior to installation.

3.0 Installation Standards

3.1 Underground Inter-Building Cable
All fiber cable is to be protected with inner duct. After installation, inner ducts are to be permanently labeled as containing fiber optic cable. Instruction for labeling will be provided by IST.

All cable and inner duct are to be fully supported throughout its entire run.

At no time shall more than 400 pounds of tension be placed on any fiber cable while it is being pulled through tray or conduit. It is preferred that all fiber cable be pulled with hand power only. If power winches or mechanical advantage devices are used to pull cable, a tensionometer must be used to insure that maximum tension is not exceeded. Alternatively, a "mechanical fuse" rated at 350 pounds may be included in the linkage. Torsion shall be avoided by the use of a swivel at the cable end. While under tension, a minimum bend radius of 20 times the outside cable diameter will be maintained through the use of pulleys and sheaves where required. After pulling, no bend may have a radius, at rest, of less than 10 times the outside cable diameter.

3.1.1 Labeling
Each cable and inner duct is to be permanently labeled at each end with a unique cable number. In addition, labels shall be affixed to the cable/inner duct at every transition of a vault, hand hole, riser closet, or major pull box. Labels will be in the form of “-Location one-IST Location two- sequence number”. For example, cable number 123 from Evans Hall to Wurster Hall would be labeled as "CNS-Eva-Wur-123.

Each fiber optic strand shall be labeled with a unique identifier at the ST coupler in the FIC. Connectors shall be labeled on the identifying sheets on the front of the FIC.

Each fiber shall be labeled where it enters the back of the coupler panels. The identifier shall be in the format Cable # - tube- strand. For tight buffered cables the "tube identifier" shall be "xx".

3.1.2 Conduit Assignments
The Berkeley Campus has a conduit management system in force. Scopes of Work for cable installation, supplied by IST for each project, will specify which conduits are to be used for cable installation.

4.0 Termination Standards
The terminal ends of all fibers cable strands shall be field connectorized. The connectors shall be mounted on bulkheads and installed in enclosures called Fiber Integration Centers (FIC). It is IST’s practice to terminate both ends of all fibers within a fiber cable with ST, epoxy and polish style connectors. Termination of older cables may be of several types including mechanical or fusion spliced pigtails. The choice of termination method must be cleared with IST prior to termination.

4.1 Fiber Organizers
Fiber cables are to be terminated in one of two types of enclosures. I may specify either wall-mounted or rack-mountable stand-alone units for installation. Rack mounted units made by ADC, Avaya, or an equivalent, will be acceptable. The final choice of fiber organizer shall be cleared with IST prior to installation.

Each enclosure shall be labeled with a machine made label with permanent black ink on a white background. Labels shall be in the format "FIC_NN", with the numbers, "NN", supplied by IST. In addition, each FIC shall be labeled on the face plate with the identifiers of the cables it contains.

Each fiber optic strand shall be labeled with a unique identifier at the ST coupler in the FIC. Connectors shall be labeled on the identifying sheets on the front of the FIC. Each fiber shall be labeled where it enters the back of the coupler panels. The identifier shall be in the format Cable #-tube- fiber strand #. For tight buffered cables the “tube identifier” shall be “xx”.

4.2 Connectors and Splices
Fiber ends are to be terminated in ST-type connectors with composite ferrules. They must be of the "epoxy and polish". Exceptions may occur when an older UCB installation is being expanded. Some older locations are terminated with connectors such as biconic. In all cases, IST will specify connector requirements.

If it is necessary to splice pigtails onto an existing, partially terminated fiber cable, the splice type utilized must conform to whatever is already in use at that location. Clearance from IST must be obtained before installing any type of splice.

4.3 Miscellaneous
At each end of the cable, sufficient slack (15 - 30') shall be left to facilitate reasonable future relocation of the FIC. Slack shall be mounted on walls or upper ladder racks according to IST’s direction.

5.0 Testing

5.1 Before Installation
It is suggested that each individual fiber in a cable be tested with an OTDR for length and transmission anomalies while on the reel before installation.

5.2 After Installation and termination

5.2.1. All single mode and multi mode fiber strands shall be tested end-to-end for bi-directional attenuation, 850 nm/1300 nm for multimode and 1310 nm/1550 nm for singlemode fibers. Tests should be conducted in compliance with EIA/TIA-526-14 or OFSTP 14, Method B, according to the manufacturer’s instructions for the test set being utilized.

5.2.2. Tests must ensure that the measured link loss for each strand does not exceed the “worst case” allowable loss defined as the sum of the connector loss (based on the number of mated connector pairs at the EIA/TIA-568 B maximum allowable loss of 0.75 dB per mated pair) and the optical loss (based on the performance standard above, 2.1.1 and 2.2.1).

5.2.3. After the cable is in place it shall be tested in the following manner:

1. After termination, each fiber shall be tested with an ODTR for length, transmission anomalies, and end-to-end attenuation. Results are to be recorded and supplied to CNS in the form of hard-copy printouts or photographs of screen traces.
2. After termination and bulkhead mounting, each terminated fiber is to be tested for end-to-end loss with a power meter/light source. As above, results are to be recorded and supplied to CNS.
3. The maximum allowable attenuation for any splice or termination is 0.3 dB.

5.2.4. The contractor shall review all end faces of field terminated connectors with a fiber inspection scope following the final polish. Connector end faces with hackles, scratches, cracks chips and or surface pitting shall be rejected and repolished or replaced if repolishing will not remove the end face surface defects. The recommended minimum viewing magnifications for connector ends are 100X for multimode fiber and 200X for singlemode fiber.

Any deviation from these test procedures must be approved in writing in advance by IST. Questions regarding means, methods, or materials should be directed to Jay Kim at (510) 642-9344 or cns-projects@uclink.berkeley.edu.

Source:ist.berkeley.edu/is/nso/pm-sd/standards/fiber-optic-cabling