3122 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 33, NO.

6, DECEMBER 2018

Cyclic Loading of Underground Cables Including the

Variations of Backfill Soil Thermal Resistivity and
Specific Heat With Temperature Variation
Ossama El-Sayied Gouda , Gomaa Fahmey A. Osman , Waleed A. A. Salem , and Shawky H. Arafa

Abstract—The aim of this paper is to calculate the temperature characteristics in designing underground cables are investigated
distribution of a cable conductor and the soil surrounding the cable in [13]–[15]. References [16], [17] report on moisture move-
under cyclic loading conditions, taking into account the formation ment in the soil surrounding a cable and the current capacity of
of a drying zone in the backfill material. The thermal model of
an underground cable is considered by using the IEC 60853-2 the cable as related to the use of artificial background materials.
method, including the effects of the variations in temperature on IEC 60853-2 [9] included the effect of temperature on conductor
the thermal resistivity and specific heat of the soil. The results are resistance, but ignored the changes in soil resistivity and specific
compared with IEC 60853-2 and thermoelectric equivalent method heat caused by variations in temperature of the conductor due to
calculations. This study is done on eight sandy soil types as backfill load cycling. References [8] and [13] present numerical models
materials, and calculations are carried out by using a 33-kVx cable.
The results indicate that the modifications done on the IEC 60853-2 to measure heat and moisture transfer in the soil surrounding a
method are required to improve its capability to simulate the field power cable during transient conditions using the equations of
conditions during load cycling of power cables. Reference [16]. This paper presents a modified thermal model
Index Terms—Power cables, thermal analysis, thermal resistiv-
for improving IEC 60853-2 [9] calculations. Variations of soil
ity, moisture content, specific heat, dry band. thermal resistivity and volumetric specific heat with moisture
content are investigated and included in IEC 60853-2 calcula-
I. INTRODUCTION tions. Experimental work is carried out in this paper on eight
HE thermal analysis of buried power cables plays major different soil types to consider the relations between moisture
T role when designing underground electrical grid. Cables
should transfer power at maximum current carrying capacity
content and specific heat with soil temperature, and determi-
nation of the temperature where the formation of the dry zone
without exceeding permissible limits [1]. This current is af- occurs for each soil type. The calculations are done on a single
fected by cable design parameters and the properties of the sur- core 33 kV cable and the results obtained are compared with
rounding backfill materials as given in IEC 60287-1-3 [1]. Many those obtained by using IEC 60853-2 [9] and the TEE model.
studies have discussed the important factors that influence the
current carrying capacity of cables under steady state conditions II. EXPERIMENTAL WORK
[2]–[5]. Under load cycling conditions, buried cables generate A. Experiment Setup
varying amounts of radiated heat depending on the amount of
load that is being served. This heat can reduce the moisture level Eight natural backfill materials are tested to determine the
in the backfill material surrounding the cable. This phenomenon thermal behavior and drying band formation of each soil type.
can cause dry band formations in the soil surrounding the cable, Fig. 1 shows the testing arrangement used in the soil thermal
leading to thermal instability of the soil and potential break- analysis. Each soil sample is placed in a plastic cylinder with
down failure of the polymeric insulation of the cable due to a diameter of 100 mm and a height of 120 mm. The heater
over-heating [6]–[8]. Cyclic ratings and thermal analysis of un- that simulates the heat flux generated during thermal loading
derground power cables are studied in [9], [10]. Experimental of the underground cable is placed at the top of the isolated
study and numerical simulation of heat dissipation in under- cylinder. The heat flow is in the downward direction of the
ground power cables are explained in [11], [12]. Power cable testing device and measured using a heat flux meter. The cylinder
thermal analysis, soil model for dynamic thermal rating and soil containing the samples was closed and thermally insulated from
the surrounding environment by O-ring. By this configuration,
Manuscript received February 22, 2018; revised April 12, 2018 and May 23, moisture tension and water content can be regulated. Moisture
2018; accepted June 16, 2018. Date of publication June 19, 2018; date of current sensor is placed in the isolated cylinder to measure the level of
version November 20, 2018. Paper no. TPWRD-00186-2018. (Corresponding the soil moisture that changes with temperature. A number of
author: Ossama El-Sayied Gouda.)
The authors are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Cairo Univer- junction-K thermo-couples are placed at different distances from
sity, Giza 12613, Egypt (e-mail:,[email protected]; gom3a_osman@ the heat source to measure the temperature variation along the
yahoo.com; [email protected]; [email protected]). length of the sample of soil. The characteristics of the samples
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this paper are available online
at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org. of soil are shown in Table I. Grain size analysis was done for
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TPWRD.2018.2849017 the clay and sand mixtures using a sieve. The sand and clay soil
0885-8977 © 2018 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission.
See http://www.ieee.org/publications standards/publications/rights/index.html for more information.

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GOUDA et al.: CYCLIC LOADING OF UNDERGROUND CABLES INCLUDING THE VARIATIONS OF BACKFILL SOIL THERMAL 3123

TABLE I
SOIL SAMPLES CHARACTERISTICS AT HEAT FLUX DENSITY
730 (W/m2 ) AND p f = ∞

Fig. 1. Thermal testing arrangement of soil samples.

grain size used in experimental tests was selected to be between

0.15 and 1.18 mm [18]. During the test compaction of the soil
was high. As it is known the total porosity depends on the soil
density and the soil grain size. The average measured value of
the total porosity was 21.1%.

B. Results of the Experimental Work

The eight soil samples to be tested are heated at a flux density
of 730 (W/m2 ) and suction tension (pf = ∞). The purpose of
this experimental work is to implement the variations of the soil
thermal resistivity, moisture content, and volumetric specific
heat with temperature change into the thermal model per IEC
60853-2. The heat flux of the heater per unit length, the radial
distance from the heater and temperature can be used to calculate
the specific heat of the eight samples of soil [17], [19]–[22]. The
experimental results for the samples are given in Table I.
The determination of the specific heat each level of mois-
ture content is determined according to the relation given in Where, γd , γm ax and γm in are dry, maximum and minimum
[20]–[21]. density of the soil respectively, θ and θa are the soil and ambient
Cpsoil = Cd γd + Cw γw G1 (1) temperature respectively and the value of g1 to g7 are given as
3
follows [23].
Where, Cpsoil is volumetric specific heat in (J/m .°C), Cd is
dry specific heat in (J/Kg.°C), Cw is specific heat of water in
(J/Kg.°C), γd is the dry density of the soil sample, γw is water g1 = 1.35 g3 = 0.017 g5 = 0.299 g7 = 0.01
density and G1 is the tested soil moisture content. The change of g2 = 1.15 × 10−3 g4 = 0.0179 g6 = 1.08 × 10−7
the moisture and volumetric specific heat with soil temperature,
The experimental results indicate that the critical temperature of
and relation between moisture content and volumetric specific
different tested samples change from 49 °C to 58 °C depending
heat are given in Figs. 2(a), (b) and (c). The overall relation of
on soil components.
the soil thermal resistivity ρsoil as a function of the soil moisture
The results obtained for volumetric specific heat and moisture
content, dry density and temperature is determined according
content are in good agreement with the results obtained by
to [23].
N. H. Abu-Hamdeh [20] and Gouda et al. [7], [19] respectively.
g3
log10 ρsoil = (g1 − g2 γd ) x1 (θ) + Equations (3) and (4) describe the relationship between moisture
g4 + xG 1
2 (θ ) content and volumetric specific heat with soil temperature are
g5 (θ − θa ) obtained from experimental results of each soil type as shown
x1 (θ) = 1 + + g6 (γm ax − γd ) (θ − θa )2 in Figs. 2(a) and (b) using a curve fitting technique.
(γd − γm in )
Equations (3) and (4) calculate the parameters of the different
γd soil samples as given in Tables II and III. Therefore, to include
x2 (θ) = (1 − g7 (θ − θa )) (2)
γw the effect of moisture content and temperature variations due to

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3124 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 33, NO. 6, DECEMBER 2018

TABLE II
EQUATION (3) PARAMETERS (K1 −K 4 ) OF SOIL SAMPLES

TABLE III
EQUATION (4) PARAMETERS (K5 −K 8 ) OF SOIL SAMPLES

Fig. 2. (a) Relation between moisture content and temperature. (b) Relation
between volumetric specific heat and temperature. (c) Relation between mois-
ture content and volumetric specific heat.

load cycling on the thermal resistance and thermal capacitance

of the soil, these equations are inserted in the program for cal- Fig. 3. Critical temperature, thermal resistivity and time to form dry zone
versus percentage of sand and clay of each sample.
culating the temperature distribution of the cable conductor and
the surrounding soil.
K2 − K1 zone versus the percentage of sand and clay by volume for
G1 = K1 +  K 4 (3) each sample. From this figure it is noticed that increasing the
1 + Kθ3 clay volume percentage in backfill material leads to a decrease
in both the thermal resistivity and temperature at which the
K6 − K5 dry zone forms. While the time required to form a dry band
Gpsoil = K5 +  K 8 (4) decreases with the increase in the percentage of clay until 50
1 + Kθ7 to 60 percent, after which it increases again. This may be due
to the retention of water in the clay. Table IV gives the values
Fig. 3 shows the critical temperature necessary to form a of wet soil thermal resistivity at starting and at the end of the
dry zone, and the thermal resistivity and time to form a dry formation of the dry zone within the samples.

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GOUDA et al.: CYCLIC LOADING OF UNDERGROUND CABLES INCLUDING THE VARIATIONS OF BACKFILL SOIL THERMAL 3125

TABLE IV according to the formula given in IEC 60287-1-3 [1]. The matrix
SOIL SAMPLES THERMAL RESISTIVITY
form given in (7), are obtained using the thermal model node heat
balance equations (5). The matrix form given in (7), represents
the thermal analysis of TEE model.
⎡   ⎤
⎡  ⎤ − Q 41T 3 + Q 41T 4 1
0
θe ⎢  Q T
4 3  ⎥
⎣ θ s ⎦= ⎢ 1
− 1
+ 1 1 ⎥
⎣ Q3 T3 Q3 T1 Q3 T3 Q3 T1 ⎦
θ c 1
0 Q1 T1 − Q 11T 1
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ 1 ⎤
θe Q 4 T 4 . θa
. ⎣ θs ⎦ + ⎣ Q13 . (Ws + Wd2 ) ⎦ (7)
1
θc Q1 . (W c + W d1 )

The solution of matrix (7) is given in equation (8) [28].

⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
θe (t)  − λt θe (∞)
⎣ θs (t) ⎦ = c1 v1 .e 1 + c2 v2− .eλ2 t + c3 v3− .eλ3 t + ⎣ θs (∞) ⎦
θc (t) θc (∞)
(8)
Here, v1− , v2− and v3− are meant as Eigen vector and λ1 , λ2 and
λ3 are denoted as Eigen value. Equation (9) used to calculate
the value of constants c1 , c2 and c3 by determine the value of
Fig. 4. Thermal model of single core cable layers and the surrounding soil. the initial temperature (0) at each load cycle and calculating the
temperature at steady state condition (), the capacitance in
III. THERMAL ANALYSIS OF UNDERGROUND CABLES Fig. 4 is ignored at steady state.
LOADED BY THE LOAD CYCLE ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
 − c1 θe (0) θe (∞)
A. Thermoelectric Equivalent Method (TEE) v1 v2− v3− ⎣ c2 ⎦ = ⎣ θs (0) ⎦ − ⎣ θs (∞) ⎦ (9)
c3 θc (0) θc (∞)
The different elements of a cable and the surrounding soil
according to IEC 60853-2 [9], [24]–[27] are given in the thermal The thermal capacitance and resistance of single core cable
model shown in Fig. 4. By taking the thermal analysis at each in each cable layer laid in flat formation and the surrounding
node, the equations representing the system are. soil are calculated using the following equations [1], [9].
   
1 θs − θe θe − θα
θ e = · − T1 =
ρi
ln
Di
(10)
Q4 T3 T4 2π dc
   
1 θc − θs θs − θe
θ s = . Ws + Wd2 + − T3 =
ρj
ln
De
(11)
Q3 T1 T3 2π Ds
     
1 θc − θs  2 
θ c = . Wc + Wd1 − (5) ρsoil 4L 2L
Q1 T1 T4 = ln + ln 1 + (12)
2π De S
The three capacitances of the model Q1 , Q3 and Q4 are Qc = Cpc . Ac (13)
given as:
π 2 
Qi = Di − d2c Cpi (14)
Q1 = Qc + p. Qi 4
π 2 
Q3 = (1 − p) .Qi + Qs + Qj Qs = Ds − Di2 Cps (15)
4
Q4 = Qsoil (6) π 2 
Qj = De − Ds2 Cpj (16)
4
where, θc , θs and θe are the conductor, sheath (screen) and   2 
jacket temperature above ambient temperature respectively and 2 De
Qsoil = π L − Cpsoil (17)
T1 , T3 and T4 are the insulation, jacket and surrounding soil 2
thermal resistances respectively. Qc , Qi , Qs , Qj and Qsoil are the
thermal capacitances of conductor, insulation, screen, jacket and where, ρi , ρj , and ρsoil and Cpc , Cpi , Cps , Cpj and Cpsoil are
surrounding soil respectively and p is the van wormer coefficient the thermal resistivity and volumetric specific heat of each cable
[9]. The thermal losses in the conductor are defined as Wc , layer material and the surrounding soil respectively. Therefore,
losses of the sheath Ws and dielectric losses of the insulation dc , Di , Ds and De are the external diameter of the conductor,
layer are Wd1 and Wd2 . The different cable losses are calculated insulation, screen and the cable surface respectively, S is the

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3126 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 33, NO. 6, DECEMBER 2018

Here, qs is the screen loss factor. To obtain the transient

conductor temperature of the cable, the following equations are
used [9].
1
Mo = (QA {TA + TB } + QB TB ) (24)
2
No = QA TA QB TB (25)

Mo + Mo2 − No
a= (26)
No

Mo − Mo2 − No
b= (27)
No
 
1 1
Ta = − b (TA + TB ) (28)
a − b QA
Tb = T A + T B − T a (29)
The transient conductor temperature (θce ) rise above cable
surface temperature is given by [9]:
    
θce (t) = Wc Ta 1 − e−at + Tb 1 − e−bt (30)
The second part of the thermal circuit according to IEC
60853-2 is the cable environmental, the transient temperature
response of the cable environment (θe ) above ambient tempera-
ture is calculated by using exponential integral (Ei) as given in
equation (31) [9]:
     
ρsoil WI −De 2 −L2
θe (t) = −Ei − −Ei
4π 16tδ tδ
Fig. 5. (a) Construction details of 33 kV cable and (b) Load cycle of 33 kV
K =N −1
     
cable and ambient temperature.  −(dpk )2 (d pk )2
+ −Ei − −Ei
4tδ 4tδ
distance between the cables in case of flat formation, L is burial K =1

depth, and Ac is the conductor area. (31)

Where, WI is the total power loss of the cable, -Ei(-x) is the
B. IEC 60853-2 Method exponential integral function, δ is the soil thermal diffusivity,
dpk and d’pk are the distances from center of cable (k) to center
According to IEC 60853-2, for long time durations, the cable
of the cable (p) and the distance from image of the center of cable
layers are divided into two loops as given in Fig. 4. The first loop
(k) to the center of cable (p) respectively, and N is the cable
includes the conductor thermal capacitance and thermal resis-
number. The total conductor temperature (θc ) above ambient
tance and capacitance of the inner part of insulation (TA , QA )
temperature is given by [9]:
and the second loop includes the thermal resistance and capac-
itance of the remaining cable components (TB , QB ) according θc (t) = θce (t) + α (t) θe (t) (32)
to the following equations:
Here, α is the attainment factor used to determine how the
TA = T1 (18) temperature of the surface affects the conductor temperature at
any given time as [9]:
T B = qs T 3 (19)
θce (t)
QA = Qc + pQi (20) α (t) = (33)
[Wc (TA + TB )]
Qs + p Qj The soil thermal diffusivity change with moisture content and
QB = (1 − p) Qi + (21)
qs thermal resistivity is given by:
1 1 10−3
p=  − 2 (22) δ= (34)
2 ln Di
dc
Di
−1 ρsoil γd (0.82 + 0.042G1 )
dc

1 1 C. Modified IEC 60853-2 Method

p =  − 2 (23)
2 ln De To include the effects of variations in soil temperature on the
Ds
De
Ds −1
soil thermal resistivity and specific heat, equations (3) and (4)

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GOUDA et al.: CYCLIC LOADING OF UNDERGROUND CABLES INCLUDING THE VARIATIONS OF BACKFILL SOIL THERMAL 3127

Fig. 6. (a) Conductor temperature using TEE method and IEC 60853-2 and
IEC 60853-2 modified method. Soil sample 1 is backfill material. (b) Soil
temperature using TEE method and IEC 60853-2 and IEC 60853-2 modified Fig. 7. (a) Conductor temperature using TEE method and IEC 60853-2 and
method. Soil sample 1 is backfill material. IEC 60853-2 modified method. Soil sample 5 is backfill material. (b) Soil
temperature using TEE method and IEC 60853-2 and IEC 60853-2 modified
method. Soil sample 5 is backfill material.
are inserted in the program used in the IEC 60853-2 method
calculations. The parameters of theses equations for each soil
sample are given in tables II and III. One important aim of this between each space according to IEC 60287-1-3 [1] and it is
paper is to include the thermal resistivity and specific heat of grounded at both ends. The model in the TEE method is di-
the underground cable and the surrounding variations in the soil vided into a number of zones in order to obtain accurate results.
with temperature changes of the conductor due to load cycling The TEE, IEC 60853-2 and modified IEC 60853-2 calculations
of the cable. The results are compared with those obtained using are carried out using MATLAB (2016b). Fig. 6(a) shows the
IEC 60853-2. The calculations are carried out by using 33 kV transient temperature of the center cable conductor loaded ac-
distribution cable. cording to the load cycle given in Fig. 5(b) using soil sample
1(90% sand + 10% clay with 0.032 per unit moisture content
by volume and initial 0.91 °C.m./W wet thermal resistivity) as
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION backfill material. The transient temperature of the center cable
A. 33 kV Cable Construction and Load Current Cycle surrounding soil is given in Fig. 6(b).
As shown, in Fig. 6(a) the conductor temperature reaches
The construction details of 33 kV cable components are given about 101 °C after 80 hours of loading using the TEE method
in Fig. 5(a). Fig. 5(b) shows the load cycle and ambient temper- and 80 °C and 49 °C using the modified IEC 60853-2 and
ature variations during a four day period. the IEC 60853-2 method respectively. Calculations given in
Fig. 6(b) indicate that the complete formation of drying zone in
B. Simulation Results (Thermal Analysis)
soil sample 1 is formed after 58 hours using the IEC 60853-2
The transient temperature distribution of the cable compo- modified method and 62 hours when the TEE method is used.
nents and the surrounding soil are calculated for a 33 kV single The IEC 60853-2 method indicates that there is no formation of
core, 3phase cable loaded according to the load cycles shown a dry zone.
in Fig. 5(b) using the TEE, IEC 60853-2 and IEC 60853-2 Similar results are obtained by using soil sample 5 (50%
modified methods. Comparisons are made between the results sand + 50% clay + 0.071 moisture content by volume) as
of these methods. The flat formation 33 kV cable used in this the backfill material, having 0.805 °C.m./W wet thermal re-
study is placed at an 800 mm depth with a 142 mm spacing sistivity. As shown in Fig. 7(a), after 80 hours of loading us-

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3128 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 33, NO. 6, DECEMBER 2018

TABLE V
SUMMERY OF THERMAL ANALYSIS OF EIGHT TESTED SOIL AS BACKFILL
MATERIAL USING TEE METHOD, IEC 60853-2 METHOD, MODIFIED
IEC 60853-2 METHOD, AND FEM

Fig. 8. (a) Temperature distribution of cable layers and surrounding soil sam-
ple 3 as backfill material (70% sand + 30% clay + 0.05 moisture content)
using FEM and COMSOL multiphysics program. (b) Temperature distribu-
tion of cable components and the soil around the cable using soil sample 6 as
backfill material (40% sand + 60% clay + 0.09 moisture content), using FEM
and COMSOL multiphysics program. (c) Temperature distribution of each cable
layer and surrounding soil sample 8 as backfill material (15% sand + 85% clay +
0.2 moisture content) using FEM and COMSOL multiphysics program.

Similar calculations are done using the same cable, same load
cycling, but with a change of backfill soil surrounding the cable.
ing the same load cycle the TEE calculations gave 131 °C for Table V gives the comparison between calculations done using
the conductor temperature, according to the IEC 60853-2 mod- the TEE, IEC 60853-2 and modified IEC 60853-2 methods.
ified method calculations the conductor temperature reaches From this table, it can be observed that the cable conductor and
to 106 °C, and using the IEC 60853-2 method the conductor soil temperatures in the case of using the TEE and modified IEC
temperature reaches to 46 °C. As shown in Fig. 7(b), using 60853-2 methods, the results are close to each other, but there
the TEE and IEC modified methods, the dry band is formed are big differences in soil and the conductor cable temperature
after about 61 and 57 hours from the start of cable loading, re- compared with the IEC 60853-2 method calculations. Even in
spectively, while no dry band is formed when the IEC 60853-2 the time required to form the dry zones, there is agreement to
method is used for the calculations. some extent between the TEE and the modified IEC 60853-2

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GOUDA et al.: CYCLIC LOADING OF UNDERGROUND CABLES INCLUDING THE VARIATIONS OF BACKFILL SOIL THERMAL 3129

methods, while the IEC 60853-2 method indicated that no dry 14th Int. Middle East Power Syst. Conf., Cairo University, Egypt, Dec.
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