A Model For Cable Containment
Published 06 Jul 2021
Cable Support & Containment
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Special thanks to Paul Darlington from Rail Engineer for kind permission to republish this article
MITA Powered by WIBE is a major multi-national company, operating in a wide range of sectors including Rail, Utility, Data-centre, Renewable, Oil & Gas and Process industries – the company’s extensive Cable Support range includes a market-leading range of GRP Elevated Cable Troughing & Accessories which are designed and manufactured in the UK.
GRP elevated cable troughing is an especially useful containment system for rail.
Ground Level Troughing (GLT) is used in signalling and telecoms schemes for the cable connections to lineside equipment such as points, train detection, signals and radio sites.
However, in many places, GLT cannot be used due to the ground profile and steep embankments and cuttings. GRP is an ideal alternative for such locations and it is also essential for large current-carrying power cables, such as medium voltage 25kV trackside power cables.
MITA WIBE is the leading “fit & forget” Cable Troughing & Management System manufactured in GRP with PADS Approval and specific material formula’s for trackside and tunnel applications on Network Rail infrastructure.
MITA are marker-leaders in the manufacture of GRP non-metallic troughing, GRP cable ladders, CABSYS cable trays, ducts, cable support channels and Fibastrut as the brand continues to lead the industry towards a sustainable future for a wide range of low (LV), medium (MV) and high voltage (HV) cable installation applications.
High quality manufacture
The MITA GRP is produced by pultrusion technology.
This uses a combination of unidirectional and cross-strand glass mat which is resin-impregnated and pulled through a hot die to produce a very solid, structurally sound profile with excellent mechanical rigidity.
Unlike some other troughing systems, MITA GRP does not contract or expand with heat causing the troughing route to distort. It is produced with a high quality of manufacture and modified by the use of additives to the resin, and with protection from ultra-violet light. The product is produced in either 3m or 6m lengths for easy transportation and installation.
MITA GRP is 70% lighter than steel and 90 times lighter than concrete; the cable trough is also corrosion resistant. It does not conduct heat and has excellent durability against adverse weather conditions. The rail cable management product offers excellent UV stability resulting in a cost-effective long-term solution.
The MITA GRP is provided in a wide range of trays, troughing and ladders which can support any type of cable – especially power and fibre cables which require a gentle bending radius. Unlike some competitors’ systems, MITA TM elevated troughing is provided with GRP support posts to increase its durability.
The troughing lids clip securely in place, providing cable theft protection. Further security can easily be added by installing stainless steel bands around the elevated route.
MitaTM GRP troughing in use on the East Coast Main Line
Network Rail approval
The MITA GRP elevated cable route has been fully approved by Network Rail under Certificate of Acceptance PA05/00442 issued in 2015 for use in locations unsuited to GLT. The Zero Halogen Low Smoke (ZHLS) version has also been approved for use in sub-surface stations and connecting tunnels.
Furthermore, the approval applies to a very impressive 42-page list of accessories, including bends, brackets, risers and transition/reducer pieces. Allowing connections to existing GLT cable routes, reducers are important and not always available in other cable containment systems.
London Underground has successfully used MITA GRP troughing. They were concerned that their sensitive signalling equipment was susceptible to contact by flakes of galvanisation from steel support systems and that their DC traction cabling system might create eddy currents within troughing ladders and supports if they were metallic.
MITA GRP troughing was chosen as it is non-magnetic and has non-conductive properties. The ZHLS version is also a requirement for London Underground’s sub-surface locations.
The cable containment system is not just used in rail, but has also been successfully employed in a wide range of industries including data centres, power industries, manufacturing, water treatment, food production, industrial buildings and oil and gas.
Working with GRP
Another particularly useful feature of the MITA GRP system is its ability to be integrated with the Bentley Raceway and Cable Management Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool.
This provides a complete layout, routing and material estimating function in a single, integrated system. It can be applied from the initial concept design through to detailed design and construction.
A user can create an accurate 3D model of the cable troughing route, making it easy to ensure that adequate space and clearances are available in confined locations, and for the detailed design and material requirements to be quickly and easily produced.
MITA GRP is a non-hazardous, inert product – the cable support system is lightweight and can be manually handled without difficulty, unlike concrete. In contrast to steel, GRP does not have to be deburred or given edge treatment before fitting, saving time and further reducing labour costs. During installation, any cutting, drilling, bonding and jointing can be easily undertaken and will not give rise to a hazardous situation, with any dust kept to a minimum.
Sample Components of the MITA GRP Troughing System
Andrew Sillars, Contractor Specification Engineer, says: “Having supported the specification of Glass Reinforced Polymer cable containment since 2005, I have experienced its unique features such as light weight, long-life durability, no deburring, no earth bonding and many more. All these advantages of GRP Cable Containment support a cheaper, quicker and easier-to-install system that gives a true fit-and-forget solution.”
Original Source Rail Engineer Magazine article written by Paul Darlington
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RAIL ENGINEER MAY / JUNE 2021
View the latest edition below or click the following link where the original The Trackside Conduit Article can be found https://www.railengineer.co.uk/rail-engineer-may-june-2021-hs2s-largest-bridge-decarbonising-scotland-and-piccadilly-line-trains/
Paul Darlington joined British Rail as a Trainee Telecoms Technician in September 1975. He became an instructor in telecommunications and moved to the telecoms project office in Birmingham, where he was involved in designing customer information systems and radio schemes. By the time of privatisation, he was a project engineer with BR Telecommunications Ltd, responsible for the implementation of telecommunication schemes included Merseyrail IECC resignalling.
With the inception of Railtrack, Paul moved to Manchester as the Telecoms Engineer for the North West. He was, for a time, the Engineering Manager responsible for coordinating all the multi-functional engineering disciplines in the North West Zone.
His next role was Head of Telecommunications for Network Rail in London, where the foundations for Network Rail Telecoms and the IP network now known as FTNx were put in place. He then moved back to Manchester as the Signalling Route Asset Manager for LNW North and led the control period 5 signalling renewals planning. He also continued as Chair of the Safety Review Panel for the national GSM-R programme.
After a 37-year career in the rail industry, Paul retired in October 2012 and, as well as writing for Rail Engineer, is the Managing Editor of IRSE News.
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