oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-131:2025

Optical fibre cables - Part 1-131: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Mechanical tests methods - Microduct inner clearance test, method e31

Lichtwellenleiterkabel – Teil 1-131: Fachgrundspezifikation - Grundlegende Prüfverfahren für Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Mechanische Prüfverfahren - Prüfung des Durchgangs von Mikrorohren, Verfahren E31

Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-131: Spécification générique - Procédures fondamentales d’essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais mécaniques - Essai de jeu interne du microconduit, méthode e31

Optični kabli - 1-131. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za optične kable - Mehanske preskusne metode - Preskus notranje zračnosti mikrocevovoda, metoda e31

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 30-Apr-2025
• ICS: 33.180.10 - Fibres and cables
• Technical Committee: MOC - Mobile Communications
• Current Stage: 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 11-Feb-2025
• Due Date: 01-Jul-2025
• Completion Date: 22-Apr-2025
• Ref Project: prEN IEC 60794-1-131:2025 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-131: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Mechanical tests methods - Microduct inner clearance test, method e31

Relations

• Splited From: SIST EN 60794-1-21:2015 - Optical fibre cables -- Part 1-21: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Mechanical tests methods (IEC 60794-1-21:2015)
• Effective Date: 09-Sep-2025
• Splited From: SIST EN 60794-1-21:2015/A1:2020 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-21: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Mechanical tests methods (IEC 60794-1-21:2015/A1:2020)
• Effective Date: 09-Sep-2025

Overview

prEN IEC 60794-1-131:2025 (Method E31) specifies the microduct inner clearance test used with optical fibre cable installations by blowing. The test confirms that the inner bore of a short microduct or protected microduct assembly is maintained after manufacture or after exposure to mechanical or environmental tests. A successful E31 test indicates the microduct has not been significantly deformed or obstructed and is suitable for blown cable installation.

This method is intended to provide a reproducible, supplier–customer agreed check of bore integrity using simple apparatus and a clear acceptance requirement: the test object shall pass through the microduct.

Key Topics

• Objective: Verify maintenance of the microduct inner bore following manufacture or testing (e.g., crush, environmental exposure).
• Scope: Applies to microducts intended for optical fibre cable installation by blowing techniques.
• Sample: A short length of microduct or microduct assembly, typically 2 m and no less than 1 m.
• Test object:
  • Can be a sphere or a short length (for example, 100 mm) of similar sized cable or fibre unit.
  • For practical agreement, the test object diameter shall be no less than 85 % of the nominal microduct bore diameter, unless otherwise agreed between supplier and customer.
• Apparatus:
  • Test object as above.
  • A safe catcher or method to retrieve the object at the far end of the sample.
• Procedure:
  • Place the test object into the test sample and allow it to travel to the far end. The typical method is to tilt the sample from horizontal to vertical to let gravity move the object through the bore.
• Acceptance:
  • Requirement: The object shall pass through the microduct.

Applications

This test is directly applicable to manufacturers, test laboratories, and end-users involved in microduct and blown optical-fibre cable deployments. Practical uses include:

• Quality control after extrusion or assembly of microducts.
• Verification following mechanical tests (e.g., crush, bending) or environmental conditioning.
• Supplier–customer acceptance testing to ensure compatibility with blown cable units.

Benefits:

• Simple, low-cost verification of bore integrity.
• Representative of a worst-case static obstruction condition (no push/blowing forces applied).
• Facilitates clear pass/fail criteria for installation readiness.

Related Standards

• IEC 60794-1-2 - General guidance for basic optical cable test procedures. This document provides the general requirements and definitions that apply across the IEC 60794-1-1xx series.

Test Reporting and Specification Details

The specification and test report should record:

• To be specified: Test object dimensions, mass and surface material; microduct inner diameter (ID) and outer diameter (OD); and sample length.
• To be reported: The test result (pass/fail) and any deviation from the method.

Method E31 offers a concise, repeatable procedure to confirm that microducts will allow passage of cable units intended for blown installation, supporting reliable fibre deployments.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2025
Optični kabli - 1-131. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za
optične kable - Mehanske preskusne metode - Preskus notranje zračnosti
mikrocevovoda, metoda e31
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-131: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test
procedures - Mechanical tests methods - Microduct inner clearance test, method e31
Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-131: Spécification générique - Procédures
fondamentales d’essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais mécaniques - Essai de
jeu interne du microconduit, méthode e31
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN IEC 60794-1-131:2025
ICS:
33.180.10 (Optična) vlakna in kabli Fibres and cables
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

86A/2533/CDV
COMMITTEE DRAFT FOR VOTE (CDV)
PROJECT NUMBER:
IEC 60794-1-131 ED1
DATE OF CIRCULATION: CLOSING DATE FOR VOTING:
2025-02-07 2025-05-02
SUPERSEDES DOCUMENTS:
86A/2483/CD, 86A/2528/CC
IEC SC 86A : FIBRES AND CABLES
SECRETARIAT: SECRETARY:
France Mr Laurent Gasca
OF INTEREST TO THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES: HORIZONTAL FUNCTION(S):

ASPECTS CONCERNED:
SUBMITTED FOR CENELEC PARALLEL VOTING NOT SUBMITTED FOR CENELEC PARALLEL VOTING
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The CENELEC members are invited to vote through the
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submitting ISC clauses. (SEE AC/22/2007 OR NEW GUIDANCE DOC).

TITLE:
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-131: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures -
Mechanical tests methods - Microduct inner clearance test, Method E31

PROPOSED STABILITY DATE: 2028
NOTE FROM TC/SC OFFICERS:
this electronic file, to make a copy and to print out the content for the sole purpose of preparing National Committee
positions. You may not copy or "mirror" the file or printed version of the document, or any part of it, for any other purpose
without permission in writing from IEC.

IEC CDV 60794-1-131 Ed1 © IEC 2024 -2- 86A/2533/CDV

1 CONTENTS
2 FOREWORD . 3
3 1 Scope . 5
4 2 Normative references . 5
5 3 Terms and definitions . 5
6 4 General requirements . 5
7 5 Method E31: Microduct inner clearance test . 5
8 5.1 Object . 5
9 5.2 Sample . 6
10 5.3 Apparatus . 6
11 5.4 Procedure . 6
12 5.5 Requirements . 6
13 5.6 Details to be specified . 6
14 5.7 Details to be reported . 6
IEC CDV 60794-1-131 Ed1 © IEC 2024 -3- 86A/2533/CDV

16 INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
17 ____________
19 OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES –
21 Part 1-131: Generic specification – Basic optical cable test procedures –
22 Mechanical tests methods - Microduct inner clearance test, Method E31
24 FOREWORD
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