Blavier Test Board

(PDU Lab Project)

Submitted by:
Hamas Ali (19-EE-009)
Hassan Zia (19-EE-025)
M. Usama Malik (19-EE-113)

Submitted to:
Engr. Usama Ashfaq
Section: A1

Department: Electrical Engineering Department

University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila.

 • Introduction:
This project is about building the Blavier Test Board. This test is used to locate a fault in an
underground cable by constructing a Wheatstone Bridge and comparing the resistance to determine
the fault position rather than calculating it from the cable's known lengths. However, in labs, we
use a test board to do this test.

• Theoretical Background:

Blavier Test:
Blavier’s Test is used to find the earth fault location in an underground cable. The two ends faulty
cable are mentioned as sending end and far end respectively as shown in fig 1. In this test, the
sending end of the cable must be open and isolated and the resistance between sending end and
earth point is measured by keeping the far end isolated from earth and then it measured keeping far
end of the faulty cable, shorted to the ground.
Suppose, we get, resistance values R1 and R2 in these two said measurements respectively. In the
fault location, the conductor is shorted to ground, because of fault. Thus, this short circuit may have
some resistance that is mentioned as g.
In Blavier’s test the total line resistance is supposed to be mentioned as L. The resistance
between the sending end to the fault end is mentioned as x and the resistance between the fault
end to the far end is denoted as y.

Calculating Total Resistances:

So, the total resistance L is equals to the addition of x and y resistances.

Now, the total resistance of the x and g loop is nothing but R1 – the conductor resistance between
sending end and earth by keeping far end open.

The total resistance of the entire loop of the above circuit is nothing but R2 – the conductor
resistance between sending end and earth by keeping far end earthed.
Calculating x:
By solving the above three equation and eliminating g and y:

This expression gives the resistance from the sending end to the fault location. The corresponding
distance is calculated by known resistance per unit length of the cable. A practical difficulty in
Blavier’s test is that the resistance to ground g is variable, being influenced by the amount of
moisture present in the cable and the action of the current at the fault condition. Also, the resistance
g may be so high that it exerts very little shunting action when y is placed in parallel with it by
grounding the far end of the line.
 • Equipment Required:
Following equipment required for the construction of Blavier Test Board:
• Banana Terminals
• Resistors
• Wooden Board
• Acrylic Sheet (Transparent)
• Banana Wires
• Screws
• Copper Wire

• Construction:

1. First, we made a wooden board of Dimensions 2x1 feet. (Length 24 inches and width 12
inches).

2. Secondly, we drilled 14 holes on the wooden board at different points for locating banana
terminals.

3. Then, using copper wire, we build a ground line between points 10 and 14 including
11,12,13.
4. Following that, we build a fault of 1.1ohms between points 7 and 11 and between points 8
and 12 build a fault of 1.3 ohm, while between points 9 and 13, fault of 1.3 is built.

5. There are various resistances from point 1 to 6. The resistance between points 1 and 2 is
2.3-ohm, 1.3 ohm between points 2 and 3, 1.1 ohm between points 3 and 4, 1.3 ohm
between points 4 and 5, and 2.3 ohm between points 5 and 6.

6. Finally, we adhered our project's Pena-flex to the wooden board.

 • Applications:
This test is used to locate a fault in an underground cable by constructing a Wheatstone Bridge in
it and measuring the resistance to determine the fault position rather than calculating it from the
cable's known lengths.

• Limitations:
In addition, balancing the bridge is tough. As a result, the fault position cannot be accurately
determined. Due to high voltage or high current, the current circulation via the cable would
produce temperature rises.

• Conclusion:
We have completed a project on the blavier test board that is used in the blavier test. The blavier
test is used to locate an underground cable's earth fault. Test of Blavier (For a Single Cable
Faults) When a ground fault develops in a single cable and no other cables are present (other than
the problematic one), a blavier test can be used to find the fault in that wire. This work was a
significant step in understanding fundamental concepts.