Drying of cable backfill by vapour diffusion balanced by capillary water suction: a laboratory experiment with altered groundwater levels

Journal article, 2023

The performance of underground infrastructures, such as an electrical transmission cable, is strongly affected by transmission-induced high temperatures, which have an impact on the properties of the cable and the electric load. Therefore, it is essential to determine if a high load will cause a dry out of a sandy thermal backfill close to the cable. This paper aims at describing processes and establishing criteria for when a dry out can occur. Processes that are addressed are e.g., vapour diffusion and capillary water transport. Criteria of interest are e.g., groundwater levels and capillarity of soil. A new pilot laboratory experiment, with varying groundwater levels, was developed to investigate the dry out of the cable sand in close proximity to an operating cable. The experimental results show that a thermal backfill can withstand a dry out, at a high current load in a cable, if there is a capillary contact to a groundwater level 2 m below the backfill material.