17-24 termination point.
At aerial splice enclosures, store 100 f eet of slack cable on cable storage racks. At below ground splice enclosures, coil 100 feet of slack cable in manhole or junction box where enclosure is located. At equipment cabinet end of drop cable assembly, terminate all fibers with approved connectors to the connector panel. Label all connectors, pigtails and the connector panel. At the aerial splice enclosure location, cap off all unused fibers and label to correspond with the connector panel. 1730 -4 MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT Communications Cable (____- Fiber ) will be measured and paid as the actual linear feet of fiber - optic cable of each fiber count furnished, installed and accepted. Measurement will be made by calculating the difference in length markings located on outer jacket from start of run to end of run for each run. Terminate all fibers before determining length of cable run. Drop Cable will be measured and paid as linear feet of fiber -optic drop cable furnished, installed and accepted. Measurement will be made by calculating the difference in length markings located on outer jacket from start of run to end of run for each run. Terminate all fibers before determining length of cable run. No measurement will be ma de for terminating, splicing and testing fiber -optic cable, communications cable identification markers , fiber -optic cable storage racks or lashing wire and all necessary hardware as these will be incidental to the installation of fiber -optic cable. Paymen t will be made under: Pay Item Pay Unit Communications Cable ( ____ -Fiber) Linear Foot Drop Cable Linear Foot FIBER -OPTIC SPLICE CENTERS 1731 -1 DESCRIPTION Furnish and install fiber -optic interconnect centers, fiber -optic splice enclosures and all necessary hardware. Modify existing fiber -optic interconnect centers and/or splice enclosures as shown in the plans. Refer to manufacturer’s recommendations for opening, modifying and re -sealing the existing fiber -optic interconnect center and/or fiber -optic splice enclosures. 1731 -2 MATERIALS Refer to Division 10. Item Section Fiber -Optic Splice Centers 1098 -12 Furnish m aterial , equipment and hardware under this section that is pre-approved on the ITS and Signals QPL available on the Department’s website. 1731 -3 CONSTRUCTION METHODS
A.General Include on the cover of each s plice tray in a legible format the following information:
1.Splice location reference number or identification information (i.e. 06 -1011 tray 1 of 3, 06- 1011 tray 2 of 3, etc.)
17-25 (2) Date the splice was made
3.Company name of individual performing the splicing
4.Name of individual performing the splicing
B.Workmanship Upon cutting the cable and removing t he outer jacketing material down to the individual buffer tubes, secure the central strength member to the enclosure so that no tensile force is applied to the fibers. Secure the individual buffer tubes to the splice trays by a method recommend by the man ufacturer. Determine the length of each buffer tube needed to ensure the buffer tube can be looped a minimum of two times around the inside of the splice tray. Upon determining the length of buffer tube needed remove the buffer tube to expose the individual fibers for fusion splicing. Adjust individual fiber lengths as necessary to ensure that once the fusion splicing process is completed that the finished splices will align with the “splice block organizer” supplied within the splice tray. Ensure the slice block organizer has individual fusion splice space holders for each fiber splice. While prepping the individual fibers for splicing install the heat shrink protecting tube over the fiber and then perform the splicing operations, following the manufact urer’s instructions. Verify the newly formed splice does not exceed 0.05 dB of attenuation. If the attenuation is more than 0.05 dB then remake the splice until it meets the 0.05 dB or less requirement. Finish the splicing operation by sliding the heat shrink tube over the splice and applying heat to activate the heat shrink tubing. Secure the finished splice in the splice block organizer. Ensure each splice is properly secured in a space holder in the splice block organizer. Multiple splices secured to the same space holder are unacceptable. Ensure all buffer tubes are contained within splice trays so no bare fibers are outside tray and do not damage the fiber or violate the minimum bending radius of the fiber. Prior to installing the cover over the s plice tray and placing it in its final resting location, take a mandatory digital photograph of the splice tray that shows the final workmanship. Ensure the photograph shows the “Workmanship Identification Information” as well as the workmanship associate d with installing and terminating the fiber. Include digital copies of each photograph via NCDOT’s File Transfer System (FTS) as part of the OTDR Test Results submittal.
C.Termination and Splicing within Interconnect Center Install interconnect centers with connector panels, splice trays, storage for slack cable or fibers, mounting and strain relief hardware and all necessary hardware. Terminate and splice all fibers including unused fibers. Label all fiber -optic connectors, whether on jumpers, c onnector panels or other equipment, to prevent improper connection. Obtain approval of fiber -optic connector labeling method. For all fibers designated for termination to connector panel within interconnect center, fusion splice fibers to pigtails. For al l cut fibers designated to pass through interconnect center, fusion splice fibers. For all buffer tubes designated to pass through interconnect center, neatly coil excess tubing inside interconnect center.
D.Termination and Splicing within Splice Enclosure Install splice enclosures with splice trays, basket containment assemblies, racking for slack cable or fibers, mounting and strain relief hardware, and all other necessary hardware. Fusion splice all fibers including fibers designated to be coupled with fibers from a drop cable assembly and cut fibers designated to pass through splice enclosure.
17-26 For all buffer tubes designated to pass through splice enclosure, neatly coil excess tubing
inside basket provided with enclosure. Label all fiber -optic splices. Ob tain approval of fiber -optic connector labeling method from the Engineer . Install heat shrink cable shields using methods recommended by the manufacturer of the enclosure. Perform a pressurization flash test on enclosure in accordance with manufacturer’s recommended procedures at the conclusion of splicing procedure and before final placement of enclosure. For aerial installations, secure enclosures to messenger cable using manufacturer supplied hardware. Secure SMFO cable and drop cable assemblies to sno wshoes. Install enclosures with enough slack cable to allow enclosure to be lowered to ground level and extended into a splicing vehicle. For underground, manhole, and junction box facility installations, place the enclosure along with required spare cable s in the facility in a neat and workmanship like manner.
E.Modify Interconnect Center s and Splice Enclosure s Modify existing fiber -optic inter connect c enters and splice enclosures as shown in the plans . Install additional patch panels, splice trays and pigtails where necessary and fusion splice fiber connections and perform OTDR testing as required by the plans. Install new fiber -optic jumpers and make connections to equipment and patch panels as neces sary.
F.Testing Provide notification a minimum of 10 business days before beginning OTDR tests to the Engineer . After splicing is completed, perform bi- directional OTDR tests on each fiber, including unused fibers. Install a 1 ,000 foot pre -tested launch cab le between the OTDR and fiber - optic cable to be tested and a 1,000 foot pre -tested destination cable on the end of the fiber - optic cable to be tested . Ensure each launch cable has been tested and is compatible with the fiber being installed. Provide Engi neer with test results of the launch cable before use. Re-test or replace launch cable at Engineer’s request . Ensure fusion splice losses do not exceed 0.05 dB and connectors have a loss of 0.5 dB or less. If any fiber exceeds maximum allowable attenuation or if fiber properties of the cable have been impaired, take appropriate actions up to and including replacement of the fiber cable. Clearly label each OTDR trace identifying a starting and ending point f or all fibers being tested. Record the attenuation level of each fiber and clearly indicate OTDR trace results in report format. Test t he fiber -optic cable at both 1310 and 1550 nm. Furnish durable labeled plots and electronic copies via the Department’ s File Transfer System (FTS) of test results for each fiber including engineering calculations demonstrating that OTDR test results meet or exceed the attenuation requirements and that optical properties of the cable have not been impaired. Clearly label each OTDR trace identifying a starting and ending point for all fibers being tested. Provide engineering calculations and tests for fiber -optic cable that demonstrate the loss budget where the fiber originates and where the fiber meets an electronic devic e. The calculations shall summarize the optical losses versus the allowable losses for the communications equipment between each pair of communications hardware. Provide a summary section or spreadsheet with a labeled tabular summary showing each test se gment with begin and end points and actual versus allowable losses. Label the manufacturer’s
Source: North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2024 Edition. Pages 822–824 of 857.