Executive Summary

Aerial bundled cables (ABC) are overhead power lines using multiple insulated phase conductors bundled tightly together. The cables have recently been used in Karachi for power transmission instead of standard copper cables to avoid electricity theft. The partial replacement of existing standard copper cables with ABC cables has decreased the electricity and/or cables theft considerably in the metropolis.

However, the performance and life of such cables in coastal areas is not known due to less frequent usage of the cables. Due to the above mentioned fact, KE (the premier company supplying power to the metropolis) is interested in finding the degradation rate of the cables with respect to the environmental conditions including moisture, thermal and mechanical loading conditions. Knowledge of degradation rate will enable M/s KE to predict remaining useful life (RUL) of the cable. RUL knowledge will enable M/s KE to plan repair/replacement actions well in time to ensure smooth and continuous supply of electricity.

The RUL prediction requisites usage of appropriate non-destructive testing techniques (NDT) to access the state and in turn degradation rates of the ABC installed in different parts of metropolis. Suitable NDT data with respect to time instants from in-service Application for ICT-Related Research and Development Grant Page 4 ABC cables will not only offer diagnostic information of the cable. The NDT measurement data will also assist in setting the acceptance Criteria for assessing longevity of in-service Low-Tension (LT) and High Tension (HT) ABC. M/s KE team will extend their all out assistance in the NDT data acquisition.

A user friendly GUI will also be developed for M/s KE managers to avail the postproject benefits. The GUI will offer diagnostic as well as prognostic results of ABCs upon feeding of the historical NDT data.