Underground Cable Installation At a Glance
As the title suggests, underground civil engineering services involve construction work underground and are one of the processes used in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure below ground level. It includes laying and repairing of various types of utilities, such as water pipes, gas pipes and power lines. Our underground cable installation services amount to the installation, repair, testing, and inspection of underground ducts, asbestos materials, and other fiber-reinforced materials.
The quality and designs of the underground cable installation can be affected by numerous features that come with it and each company will have its own technique based on its expertise.
What is underground cable installation?
Underground cable installation refers to installing cables below a topographical surface, usually within conduits or trenches. This type of cable installation aims to protect the cables from physical damage, environmental factors, and interference from other underground utilities.
Moreover, there are three types of underground cable installation:
- Direct buried system
- Draw-in system
- Conduit (also known as ‘solid’) system
Direct buried cable installing
Direct buried cable installation is used when the cables are buried directly into the ground.. This method is ideal for projects such as installing lightning rods and telephone lines.
Draw-in system
For heavily populated areas such as urban cities and towns, the draw-in method incorporates manholes either by way of ducts, conduits along the cable route. Manholes are adopted for better positioning of the cables.
Conduit installation
For conduit installation, multiple cables are installed at one time and need protection from weathering elements such as water, heat and UV rays because the cables are laid in open pipes or troughs. Conduits can be made out of plastic, concrete or metal pipe and can be purchased in various sizes depending on how many cables are wanted to install at once.
The underground cable installation process
Underground cables are buried in trenches and tunnels. The installation process is different from aerial cable installation.
While it requires careful planning and execution to ensure that it is done correctly and efficiently, below are some of the main steps followed as a general rule of thumb:
- First, a survey needs to be done to figure out how many cables need to be put in and their specific lengths.
- Then the route for the cables should be identified and marked out. If there are any obstacles along the way (such as pipes, trees etc.), it must be taken into consideration while marking out the route so that it can be avoided while fitting cable ducts or digging trenches.
- After marking out the route, trenches are dug depending on where it will be placed (if this is an open area). The depth of these trenches varies on how deep the cables are needed to run into the terrain. In general, underground utilities are required to be placed 1 metre depth from the pipe top in Singapore.
Take it to the next level
Underground cables are less likely to be damaged by unpredictable weather events like monsoon rains or accidents involving vehicles hitting poles carrying aerial lines. As a result, one can expect longevity and less maintenance than their above-ground alternatives. This saves money on repairs and replacements each time it breaks down.
Drawing on the latest developments in engineering theory and practice, Lih Ming specialises in proper execution and care during the process to reap the benefits of underground cable installation.
