A critical assessment of cable rating methods under soil drying out conditions

Abstract

The design of underground cable systems must account for the risk of soil drying out due to heat dissipation, which can degrade cable performance and lead to environmental concerns. This study investigates a cost-effective cable rating methodology tailored to South African conditions, where native soils are used instead of engineered backfill. Using the IEC 60287 standard, an Excel-based calculation tool is developed to assess the effects of key installation parameters, including soil thermal resistivity, ambient soil temperature and cable laying depth. Soil samples from Sandton, South Africa, revealed thermal resistivity ranging from 0.596 K·m/W, at 14.5% moisture, to 3.72 K·m/W, at 0% moisture, resulting in current ratings from 518.34 A to 224.21 A. Worst-case conditions—high resistivity, increased depth, 1150 mm and elevated soil temperature, 28°C—reduced ampacity by over 45%. The findings underscore the need to incorporate site-specific soil data and worst-case assumptions into cable rating designs to prevent thermal degradation. The developed method offers a practical, locally optimised alternative for utilities in semiarid regions.