Certified Fiber Optics Practice Exam

What is the tensile loading allowed during the installation of fiber optic cables compared to after installation?

1. Lower

2. Equal

3. Higher

4. Variable

The correct answer is: Higher

During the installation of fiber optic cables, the tensile loading that is allowed is designed to be higher than what is permitted after installation. This is primarily due to the nature of the installation process, which can involve pulling and tensioning the cables to navigate bends, corners, and various routes in conduit systems. The design specifications for many fiber optic cables account for this increased tensile load during installation to facilitate the necessary handling and placement of the cable. Once the cables are installed, they are expected to be in a stable environment where they are less likely to experience the dynamic forces they do during installation. The reduced tensile load after installation helps to prevent damage to the fibers themselves, which can be quite fragile and sensitive to tension. Excessive tensile loading after installation can lead to microbending or macrobending, potentially resulting in signal loss or damage to the core of the fiber. As for the other options, lower tensile loading refers to conditions that would typically not be suitable during installation because that could hinder the process. Equal tensile loading does not take into account the variances in handling between installation and post-installation scenarios. Variable tensile loading does capture some aspects of differing conditions, but it does not clarify the specific nature of the loading allowed before and after installation. Thus