Up Jacketed FRP Rod

Up jacketed act as a rigid strength member for fiber optic cables which demonstrates superior resistance to strain caused by thermal contraction or expansion. It improve low temperature performance of fiber-optic cables through the use of a polymeric upjacket for rigid strength members with a reduced coefficient of thermal expansion. In such type of arrangement, rigid strength members are jacketed with a cellular polymeric material, a copolymer of polypropylene, to avoid low temperature differential contraction. The use of a cellular, rather than a solid, material reduces the overall material cross-sectional area, thereby reducing the total contractive force.

Several side benefits include reduced cable weight, reduced material consumption and easier field preparation. Another advantage of using a cellular material is that the effective transverse rigidity of the central member is closer to that of the buffer tubes. This reduction in transverse rigidity makes the central member less likely to indent the buffer tubes during cable crush, as would be the case for a more rigid central structure.