kSIST FprEN IEC 60794-1-210:2026

Optical fibre cables - Part 1-210: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic pressure, Method F10

Lichtwellenleiter - Teil 1-210: Fachgrundspezifikation - Grundlegende Prüfverfahren für Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Umweltprüfverfahren - Widerstandsfähigkeit von Unterwasserkabeln gegen hydrostatischen Druck, Verfahren F10

Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-210: Spécification générique - Procédures fondamentales d’essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais d’environnement - Résistance des câbles immergés à la pression hydrostatique, méthode f10

Optični kabli - 1-210. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za optične kable - Okoljske preskusne metode - Odpornost podvodnega kabla proti hidrostatičnemu tlaku, metoda F10

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 30-Jun-2025
• ICS: 33.180.10 - Fibres and cables
• Technical Committee: MOC - Mobile Communications
• Current Stage: 5020 - Formal vote (FV) (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 31-Mar-2026
• Due Date: 19-May-2026
• Completion Date: 03-Apr-2026
• Ref Project: FprEN IEC 60794-1-210:2026 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-210: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic pressure, Method F10

Relations

• Splited From: SIST EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-22: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods (IEC 60794-1-22:2017)
• Effective Date: 06-Jan-2026

Overview

kSIST FprEN IEC 60794-1-210:2026 is an international standard developed by CLC and IEC for the testing of optical fibre cables, with a focus on their environmental resistance, specifically the underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic pressure. It provides uniform test procedures for manufacturers, quality assurance, and procurement professionals to assess the integrity and performance of optical fibre cables used in submarine and underwater applications. The standard introduces Method F10, addressing how these cables withstand hydrostatic pressure both radially and longitudinally, ensuring reliability in harsh submerged environments.

Key Topics

• Test Methods for Hydrostatic Pressure Resistance
  The standard details procedures for testing optical fibre cables under conditions simulating underwater hydrostatic pressure. This includes:

  • F10A: Radial hydrostatic pressure resistance
  • F10B: Longitudinal hydrostatic pressure resistance
    • F10B.1: One cable end sealed, one open (simulating localized cable damage)
    • F10B.2: Part of the cable inside and part outside the pressure vessel
  • F10C: Longitudinal pressure for cables passing through vessel walls or into compartments

• Test Apparatus and Materials
  Requirements for pressure vessels, water quality (using potable or sea water simulation as specified), optical attenuation measurement equipment, and leak detection tools such as UV lights or water sensors.

• Performance Requirements
  Clear criteria are defined, such as:

  • No unacceptable change in fibre attenuation or cable structure under radial pressure
  • Water ingress limitations for longitudinal pressure scenarios (length of penetration or amount of water ingress)
  • Duration and pressure levels specified per application
    These benchmarks support compliance and robust product qualification in the optical cable industry.

Applications

• Submarine and Underwater Optical Cables
  The test methods defined in this standard are essential for evaluating cables deployed in submarine telecommunications, underwater sensing, offshore energy platforms, and any situation where optical cables are subjected to high hydrostatic pressures.

• Quality Assurance in Cable Manufacturing
  Laboratories and manufacturers use these methods for product verification, type approval, and batch testing to ensure that cables will not fail due to water ingress or pressure-related damage.

• Cable Procurement Specifications
  Purchasers and system integrators reference this standard in technical specifications and contracts to set clear performance expectations for underwater cable installations.

• Maintenance and Reliability Assessment
  This standard supports ongoing reliability assessments of in-service cables, helping infrastructure operators mitigate risks to network uptime in underwater environments.

Related Standards

The kSIST FprEN IEC 60794-1-210:2026 standard references and revises previous methodologies, and is closely related to the following standards:

• IEC 60794-1-1: Optical fibre cables - Part 1-1: General requirements
• IEC 60794-1-2: Basic optical cable test procedures - General guidance
• IEC 60793-1-46: Measurement of changes in attenuation of optical fibres
• ITU-T G.976: Test methods for optical fibre submarine cable systems
• IEC 60794-1-22 (superseded): Previously contained Method F10, now individualized in this edition

These related documents provide additional requirements for optical fibre cable performance, testing, and quality systems. Adhering to these international standards ensures a comprehensive approach to the qualification and validation of optical cables used in challenging underwater environments.

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Keywords: optical fibre cables, underwater cable, hydrostatic pressure, IEC 60794, environmental test methods, cable resistance, submarine communication, fibre optic testing, CLC, Method F10

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025
01-junij-2025
Optični kabli - 1-210. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za
optične kable - Okoljske preskusne metode - Odpornost podvodnega kabla proti
hidrostatičnemu tlaku, metoda f10
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-210: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test
procedures - Environmental test methods - Underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic
pressure, method f10
Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-210: Spécification générique - Procédures
fondamentales d’essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais d’environnement -
Résistance des câbles immergés à la pression hydrostatique, méthode f10
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025
ICS:
33.180.10 (Optična) vlakna in kabli Fibres and cables
oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025 en
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025

oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025
86A/2554/CDV
COMMITTEE DRAFT FOR VOTE (CDV)
PROJECT NUMBER:
IEC 60794-1-210 ED1
DATE OF CIRCULATION: CLOSING DATE FOR VOTING:
2025-04-25 2025-07-18
SUPERSEDES DOCUMENTS:
86A/2388/CD, 86A/2549/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
Attention IEC-CENELEC parallel voting
The attention of IEC National Committees, members of
CENELEC, is drawn to the fact that this Committee Draft
for Vote (CDV) is submitted for parallel voting.
The CENELEC members are invited to vote through the
CENELEC online voting system.
This document is still under study and subject to change. It should not be used for reference purposes.
Recipients of this document are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of
which they are aware and to provide supporting documentation.
Recipients of this document are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant “In Some
Countries” clauses to be included should this proposal proceed. Recipients are reminded that the CDV stage is
the final stage for submitting ISC clauses. (SEE AC/22/2007 OR NEW GUIDANCE DOC).

TITLE:
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-210: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures -
Environmental test methods - Underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic pressure, Method
F10
PROPOSED STABILITY DATE: 2028
NOTE FROM TC/SC OFFICERS:
download 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,
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oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025
IEC CDV 60794-1-210 ED1 © IEC 2025 2
1 CONTENTS
3 FOREWORD . 3
4 1 Scope . 5
5 2 Normative references . 5
6 3 Terms and definitions . 5
7 4 Method F10: Underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic pressure . 5
8 4.1 Object . 5
9 4.2 Sample . 6
10 4.3 Apparatus . 6
11 4.3.1 Pressure vessel . 6
12 4.3.2 Water . 6
13 4.3.3 Optical attenuation measuring apparatus . 6
14 4.3.4 Detecting devices . 6
15 4.4 Procedure . 7
16 4.4.1 General . 7
17 4.4.2 Procedure for F10A . 7
18 4.4.3 Procedure for F10B . 7
19 4.4.4 Procedure for F10C . 8
20 4.5 Requirements . 9
21 4.6 Details to be specified . 9
22 4.7 Details to be reported . 9
23 Bibliography . 11
25 Figure 1 – Test set-up of F10A . 7
26 Figure 2 – Test set-up of F10B.1. 8
27 Figure 3 – Test set-up of F10B.2. 8
28 Figure 4 – Test set-up of F10C . 9
oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025
IEC CDV 60794-1-210 ED1 © IEC 2025 3
30 INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
31 ____________
33 OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES –
35 Part 1-210: Generic specification – Basic optical cable test procedures –
36 Environmental test methods –Underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic
37 pressure, Method F10
39 FOREWORD
40 1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
41 all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
42 co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and
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66 expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
67 Publications.
68 8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
69 indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
70 9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of patent
71 rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
72 IEC 60794-1-210 has been prepared by subcommittee 86A: Fibres and cables, of IEC technical
73 committee 86: Fibre optics. It is an International Standard.
74 This first edition cancels and replaces Method F10 of the second edition of IEC 60794-1-22
75 published in 2017. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
76 This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
77 edition:
78 a) the environmental test contained in IEC 60794-1-22: 2017 will now be individually numbered
79 in the IEC 60794-1-2xx series. Each test method is now considered to be an individual
80 document rather than part of a multi-test method compendium.
81 b) the original method F10 is reserved as F10A, and two new test methods F10B and F10C
82 are added according to the different test object and procedure.
83 c) for method F10A, detailed content of apparatus, procedure and details to be specified are
84 modified, and set-up is added.

oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025
IEC CDV 60794-1-210 ED1 © IEC 2025 4
85 d) detailed content of object, sample, apparatus, procedure, set-up, requirements, details to
86 be specified and reported of method F10B and F10C are added.
87 The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
86A/XX/FDIS 86A/XX/RVD
89 Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
90 the above table.
91 The language used for the development of this International Standard is English.
92 This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
93 accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
94 at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
95 described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/publications.
96 A list of all parts in the IEC 60794 series, published under the general title Optical fibre cables,
97 can be found on the IEC website.
98 The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
99 stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
100 specific document. At this date, the document will be
101 • reconfirmed,
102 • withdrawn,
103 • replaced by a revised edition, or
104 • amended.
oSIST prEN IEC 60794-1-210:2025
IEC CDV 60794-1-210 ED1 © IEC 2025 5
106 OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES –
108 Part 1-210: Generic specification – Basic optical cable test procedures –
109 Environmental test methods –Underwater cable resistance to hydrostatic
110 pressure, Method F10
113 1 Scope
114 This part of IEC 60794-1 describes test p
...