22/07/2019 Simple Calculations for Cable Pulling

CONTENT

Simple Calculations for Cable Pulling

You can keep from damaging cables during the pulling process by paying
attention to installation parameters and correctly sizing bends.
John DeDad | Nov 01, 2001

Even if your crew has taken all the necessary precautions in paying out cable and
handling the reels, a cable pull can still go sour if you damage the cable's outer
insulation during the process. However, with the help of a few calculations and a
working knowledge of arithmetic, you can prevent problems in recently energized
feeders by calculating the maximum allowable pulling tension for any installation
— and you don't even need to know calculus.

Mathematical proficiency aside, you do have to know the following installation

parameters:

• Raceway size
• Cable configuration
• Correction factor for cable weight
• Jamming potential
• Conductor clearance
• Sidewall bearing pressure

Now, let's see how these factors apply in a sample pulling tension calculation.

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Fig. 1. Diagram of proposed 15kV feeder installation.

Sample power feeder installation

Suppose you're involved in a design/build project for a paper mill and your client
needs a 400A, 15kV feeder to run as shown in Fig. 1 (right). The client has
required all feeders on the site to be pull-in-pull-out type in galvanized rigid steel
(GRS) conduit. The client has also stipulated you use 90°C, single-conductor,
grounded neutral, MV cables with tape shielding; XLPE insulation; and an overall
PVC jacket. After referring to NEC Table 310.73, size the feeder at 500kcmil. With
these requirements in hand, check with the cable manufacturer and you'll find the
MV cable you need has an outer diameter (d) of 1.60 in. and a weight of 2.2 lb/ft.

Now it's time to size the conduit. Table 1 in Chapter 9 of the NEC, states the
allowable percentage of conductor fill is 40%. You can calculate the total area of
the three MV cables using the following equation:

Area = 3 x (pi ÷ 4) x d2
Area = 3 x .785 x 1.602
Area = 6.03 sq. in.

In this situation, Table 4 (Rigid Metal Conduit) in Chapter 9 of the NEC calls for a
5-in. conduit. This conduit size will allow you to slip under the allowable
percentage of conductor fill by 10%.

Fig. 2. The number of single-conductor cables of equal weight and

diameter and the ratio of the raceway inside diameter to the
conductor outside diameter will determine the geometric positions in
which the cables sit.

Position makes a di erence

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It may not seem important, but each cable's geometric position (Fig. 2 right) has
a unique effect on the amount of frictional force, or drag, the conductors endure
during the pull. In addition, the positioning affects the weight factor. By using the
ratio of the raceway's inside diameter (D) to the conductor's outside diameter (d),
you can find what geometric position you can expect to see.

Although the position of one cable is easy to predict (see option A in Fig. 2), other
positions are not as obvious:

• Triangular (option B in Fig. 2): This occurs when you pull three individual
conductors from three separate reels, and their D/d ratio is less than 2.5. If you
pull individual triplexed conductors from a single reel, they also will sit in this
position.
• Cradle (option C in Fig. 2): This position may occur when you pull three
individual conductors from three separate reels, and their D/d ratio is between
2.5 and 3.0. This position is the least favorable because it yields the worst-case
scenario of drag during the pull.
• Diamond (option D in Fig. 2): This position occurs when you pull four
individual conductors from four separate reels, and their D/d ratio is less than
3.0. If you pull quadruplexed individual conductors from a single reel, the
multiconductor cable will also sit in this position.

To determine how the conductors will sit in the conduit, refer to Table 4 for the
inside diameter (D) of the 5-in. GRS conduit, which is 5.07 in. Use the ratio of the
conduit's inside diameter (D) to the cable's outside diameter (d) to find how the
single conductors will sit in the conduit. In this case, this ratio is:

D÷d
5.07in. ÷ 1.60 in.
= 3.17

Because this ratio results in a number greater than 3.0, the individual conductors
will sit in a cradle configuration in the conduit.

Conductors “weigh” more than you think

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Now that you know the cable positioning, it's necessary to determine how the
conductors' weight will affect the pull.

Weight correction factor is important because when you pull two or more
conductors in a raceway, the sum of the forces developed between the conductors
and the raceway is always greater than the sum of the individual conductor
weights.

Table 1. Weight correction factor equations.

The equations in Table 1 (right) for determining weight correction factor for
specific installations are based on the inside diameter of the raceway and the
outside diameter of the conductor.

When you have three single conductors of equal diameter and weight (which is
the most common scenario), you can expect a higher weight factor for the cradle
position than the triangular position. What does this mean to you? It means you
should assume the conductors would sit in the cradle position (unless you are
pulling triplexed individual conductors from a single reel), because this will yield
a higher and more conservative pulling tension calculation. Use the following
equation to find the weight correction factor:

W = 1 + {(4 ÷ 3) x [d ÷ (D-d)2}
W = 1 + {(4 ÷ 3) x [160 ÷ (3.47)2}
W = 1.28

Don't jam those cables

When sizing your raceway system, you should always consider the possibility of
cables jamming or wedging. This usually occurs when you have three or more
individual conductors lying side by side in a single plane. As you pull the
conductors through a bend, the curvature of the bend tends to squeeze the
conductors together.
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However, if you're pulling one or two conductor cables, a multiconductor cable

with an overall jacket, or a nonjacketed multiconductor cable made of a triplexed
or quadruplexed conductor assembly, you probably don't have to worry about
jamming.

Use the following formula to determine the likelihood of jamming. Use the inside
diameter of the raceway and the outside diameter of the individual conductor:

1.05 x (D ÷ d)

The constant 1.05 factor is a reflection of the fact that bends are actually oval in
the sectional view.

• If the value is less than 2.5, you will not have a jamming problem.
• If the value is less than 3.0 but greater than 2.8, jamming is very possible.
• If the value is greater than 3.0, you won't have a jamming problem.

Note: Keep away from jam ratios of 2.8 to 3.2 for Type MV extruded dielectric
power cables.

Using the values for inside diameter of the raceway and the outside diameter of
the individual conductor from the example, you get the following value:

1.05 x (D ÷ d)
1.05 x (5.07 in. ÷ 1.60 in.)
= 3.33

Because this calculation results in a number greater than 3.0, you probably won't
have a jamming problem.

Conductors need headroom, too

Don't forget you must also have adequate clearance between the uppermost
conductor and the top of the raceway to ensure a safe and easy pull. For straight

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pulls, you can have a clearance as small as ¼ in. and still be safe. For more
complex pulls, you should have between ½ in. and 1 in.

Table 2. Clearance equations.

Use the equations in Table 2 (right) on page 42 (which are based on worst-case
scenarios) to find the clearance distance for a given raceway and cable sitting
position. Note that these equations include a 5% increase (a factor 1.05) to
compensate for variations in cable and raceway diameters and the oval shape of
the raceway sections at bends. However, because the conductors in the current
example will sit in the cradle position, you will not need to check for clearance.

Table 3. Coefficients of friction of raceway/cable configurations.

Calculating the pulling tension

Now that you've checked most of the factors that affect cable pulling, it's time to
start calculating the pulling tension, using the following equation:

T=LxwxfxW

where T is the total pulling tension (lb), L is the length (ft) of cable feeder you're
pulling, w is the total weight (lb/ft) of the conductors, f is the coefficient of
friction (usually 0.5 for well-lubricated conditions), and W is the weight
correction factor. (See Table 3 for coefficients of friction of various
raceway/cable configurations.)

Table 4. Tension multipliers for various bending radii. Note: These

multipliers are based on a coefficient of friction of 0.5. If the

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coefficient of friction is 1.0, you must square the multiplier. If the

coefficient of friction is 0.75, you must raise the multipier to the 1 1/2
power.

Assuming you're pulling from Point A to Point H, you should begin the
calculation in incremental parts. Refer to Table 4 for bend multiplier values:

Step 1: TA-B = 10 ft x 6.6 lb/ft x 0.5 x 1.28

TA-B = 42 lb

Step 2: TA-C = TA-B 90° bend multiplier

TA-C = 42 lb x 2.2
TA-C = 92 lb

Step 3: TC-D = 75 ft x 6.6 lb/ft x 0.5 x 1.28

TC-D = 317 lb

Step 4: TA-D = TA-C + TC-D

TA-D = 92 lb + 317 lb
TA-D = 409 lb

Step 5: TA-E = TA-D x 90° bend multiplier

TA-E = 409 lb x 2.2
TA-E = 900 lb

Step 6: TE-F = 635 ft x 6.6 lb/ft x 0.5 x 1.28

TE-F = 2,682 lb

Step 7: TA-F = TA-E + TE-F

TA-F = 900 lb + 2,682 lb
TA-F = 3,582 lb

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Step 8: TA-G = TA-F x 90° bend multiplier

TA-G = 3,582 lb x 2.2
TA-G = 7,880 lb

Step 9: TG-H = 30 ft x 6.6 lb/ft x 0.5 x 1.28

TG-H = 127 lb

Step 10: TA-H = 7,880 lb + 127 lb

TA-H = 8,007 lb

Based on the proper calculations, you'll need approximately 8,000 lb of pulling

tension to pull the 15kV conductors, but you're not done yet.

Cables are sensitive to pressure on their walls

The final step in the cable-pulling process is determining whether the pulling
tension will compromise the conductor's sidewall bearing pressure limit. When
you pull a cable or individual conductors through a raceway bend or around a
sheave, sidewall bearing pressure (SWBP) develops between the cable or
conductor wall and the bend or sheave.

This pressure has a very dramatic effect on power feeder raceway system design
because it relates directly to the radii of bends, pulling tension, and the cable or
conductors' weight. Most of the time, you can omit this weight factor from your
SWBP calculation because it's relatively small in comparison to pulling tension.

Table 5. Sidewall bearing pressure (SWBP) equations.

Usually, SWBP is expressed in terms of tension out of the bend (lb), divided by
the bend radius (ft). The calculated result is a unit of force-per-unit-length. Use
the equations in Table 5 (right) to find the SWBP for various cable/raceway
configurations and specific radius bends. If you're pulling a multiconductor cable,
use the single-conductor equation. Looking at Table 5, you can see that as you
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increase the bend radius, the SWBP decreases. In addition, each equation defines
the specific conductor in each conductor position that will experience the
maximum crushing force:

• Cradle position: center conductor.

• Diamond position: bottommost conductor.
• Triangular position: bottom two conductors.

Triangular position: bottom two conductors.

Refer to Table 6 (right) for recommended SWBP limits for various cable types
and constructions. You can use these limits in your raceway system design efforts.
For example, if the design calls for pulling three single-conductor 600V XLPE
conductors around a bend and your pulling tension calculation yields a value of
3,600 lbs, then the minimum bend radius would be 3,600 lbs divided by 1,200
lbs/ft, or 3 ft. Verify the three 90° bends have a sufficient radius to limit the
SWBP on the conductors to 750 lb.

Because tension TA-C (92 lb) is relatively small, you can use standard elbows and
not worry about exceeding the 750-lb SWBP limit. Tension TA-G, however, is
another matter — it is imperative that you don't exceed the 750-lb SWBP limit.

Use the SWBP equation for a cradled position and solve for radius (R):

SWBP = [(3W - 2) x T] ÷ 3R
750 = {[(3 x 1.28) - 2] x 7,880} ÷ 3R
R = 14,499 ÷ 2,250 = 6.44 ft

This means you need to bend a 10-ft length of conduit into a large-radius sweep.
(You'll need the extra length to compensate for the bend.)

Pulling cable is hard enough if you know what you're doing, so failing to follow
the proper procedure can make the job that much more arduous, not to mention
pointless if your feeders fail shortly after the pull. Because even the slightest
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oversights in determining maximum allowable pulling tension can cause

problems in new feeders, it's crucial that you implement the correct calculations
to get the job done right the first time.

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