Can Fibre Optic Monitoring Be Added to Existing Underground Cable Infrastructure?

Yes, fibre optic monitoring does not necessarily need to be planned when underground cable infrastructure is first installed.

Remark Group's DAS-based monitoring solution can be deployed alongside both new and existing underground cable routes.

For organisations with established infrastructure, the important question is therefore what is practically required to introduce the dedicated sensing fibre alongside the existing cable route.

No, the protected underground cable does not need to be replaced simply because fibre optic monitoring is being introduced.

Remark Group's solution uses a dedicated sensing fibre installed alongside the existing cable infrastructure. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) then uses this fibre to detect physical disturbances along the monitored route. This means monitoring can potentially be introduced without replacing the infrastructure it is intended to protect.

The practical requirements for installing the sensing fibre will, however, depend on the existing route and surrounding environment.

For an explanation of DAS and how the sensing technology works, read our complete guide to fibre optic monitoring for underground cable protection.

Existing infrastructure is already constrained by the way the original cable route was installed and the environment through which it passes. Before determining how monitoring could be introduced, the existing route needs to be understood.

This includes:

• The underground cable infrastructure requiring protection
• The route of the existing cable
• The surrounding environment
• The sections of infrastructure where monitoring is required
• The practical requirements for introducing the dedicated sensing fibre

The purpose of the assessment is to establish how the sensing fibre can practically be introduced alongside the infrastructure already in place.

It also avoids assuming every existing underground cable route can be approached in exactly the same way.

The main difference is when the monitoring requirement is considered. For a new underground cable project, the sensing fibre and monitoring requirements can be considered alongside the cable infrastructure from the outset.

With an existing route, the infrastructure and surrounding conditions are already established. The monitoring solution therefore needs to take account of what is already in place. Understanding the current route is consequently an important first step before determining the appropriate deployment approach.

Monitoring may be considered where an organisation wants greater awareness of physical activity around an existing underground cable route.

This can include routes exposed to disturbances associated with:

• Cable theft or tampering
• Excavation
• Mechanical activity
• Rodent movement

It may also be relevant where existing security measures provide limited visibility of activity occurring along the underground route itself. Whether fibre optic monitoring is appropriate will depend on the infrastructure, surrounding environment and risks being managed.

Already have underground cable infrastructure in place? Speak to Remark Group about whether fibre optic monitoring can be introduced alongside your existing route.