IEC 60811-100:2012

IEC 60811-100 ®
Edition 1.0 2012-03
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Electric and optical fibre cables – Test methods for non-metallic materials –
Part 100: General
Câbles électriques et à fibres optiques – Méthodes d’essai pour les matériaux
non-métalliques –
Partie 100: Généralités
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IEC 60811-100 ®
Edition 1.0 2012-03
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Electric and optical fibre cables – Test methods for non-metallic materials –

Part 100: General
Câbles électriques et à fibres optiques – Méthodes d’essai pour les matériaux

non-métalliques –
Partie 100: Généralités
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX L
ICS 29.035.01; 29.060.20 ISBN 978-2-88912-955-3

– 2 – 60811-100  IEC:2012
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Test values . 6
5 Applicability . 6
6 Type tests and other tests . 7
7 Test report. 7
Annex A (informative) Structure and content of IEC 60811 . 8

Table A.1 – Parts and their previous reference . 8
Table A.2 – Cross-reference for original parts and clauses . 10

60811-100  IEC:2012 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ELECTRIC AND OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES –
TEST METHODS FOR NON-METALLIC MATERIALS –

Part 100: General
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
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with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
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4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
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between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
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5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
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6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 60811-100 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 20:
Electric cables.
This first edition of IEC 60811-100 collects together general matters that apply to the
restructured IEC 60811 series. A detailed explanation is provided in the Introduction. Annex A
provides full information on the relation between the current and the previous series.
This revised series of IEC 60811 is based upon the principle of “one test – one part”. One
significant technical change that now applies throughout the series is a defined minimum
scheme for the presentation of test reports.

– 4 – 60811-100  IEC:2012
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
20/1279/FDIS 20/1328/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all the parts in the IEC 60811 series, published under the general title Electric and
optical fibre cables – Test methods for non-metallic materials, can be found on the IEC
website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
60811-100  IEC:2012 – 5 –
INTRODUCTION
The IEC 60811 series specifies the test methods to be used for testing non-metallic materials
of all types of cables. These test methods are intended to be referenced in standards for
cable construction and for cable materials.
NOTE 1 Non-metallic materials are typically used for insulating, sheathing, bedding, filling or taping within cables.
NOTE 2 These test methods are accepted as basic and fundamental and have been developed and used over
many years principally for the materials in all energy cables. They have also been widely accepted and used for
other cables, in particular optical fibre cables, communication and control cables and cables for ships and offshore
applications.
Each test method is contained in a separately numbered part. These respective parts are
identified in Table A.1 of Annex A, with the corresponding clauses from the previous version
of this part given for information. Table A.2 of Annex A lists the clauses of the previous
version, to facilitate location of the corresponding part in the current version.

– 6 – 60811-100  IEC:2012
ELECTRIC AND OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES –
TEST METHODS FOR NON-METALLIC MATERIALS –

Part 100: General
1 Scope
This Part 100 of IEC 60811 describes general requirements and considerations that are
applicable to all the test methods given in the particular parts, unless otherwise specified.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 60050-461, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary – Part 461: Electric cables
IEC 60502-1, Power cables with extruded insulation and their accessories for rated voltages
from 1 kV (U = 1,2 kV) up to 30 kV (U = 36 kV) – Part 1: Cables for rated voltages of 1 kV
m m
(U = 1,2 kV) and 3 kV (U =3,6 kV)
m m
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 60050-461, together
with the following, apply.
3.1
median value
when several test results have been obtained and ordered in an increasing (or decreasing)
succession, the median value is the middle value if the number of available values is odd, and
the mean of the two middle values if the number is even
4 Test values
Full test conditions (such as temperatures, durations, etc.) and full test requirements are not
specified in the particular parts of IEC 60811. It is intended that they should be specified by
the standard dealing with the relevant type of cable.
Rounding rules as specified in IEC 60502-1 shall be used, unless specified in particular parts.
Any test requirements which are given in the particular parts of IEC 60811 may be modified
by the relevant cable standard to suit the needs of a particular type of cable.
5 Applicability
Conditioning values and testing parameters are specified where appropriate for the most
common types of insulating and sheathing compounds and of cables.

60811-100  IEC:2012 – 7 –
Where not specified in particular parts, a minimum stabilization time of 16 h shall elapse after
extrusion or application as appropriate, before testing.
Unless otherwise specified in particular parts, testing shall be carried out at room
temperature: (23 ± 5) °C.
6 Type tests and other tests
The test methods described in the particular parts of IEC 60811 are primarily intended to be
used for type tests. In certain tests, where there are essential differences between the
conditions for type tests and those for more frequent tests, such as routine tests, these
differences are indicated.
7 Test report
The test report shall contain the following minimum information:
a) The type and identification of the tested material and of the cable from which it comes.
b) Reference to the particular part and test method of IEC 60811, where alternatives exist.
c) Test conditions, for example duration, temperature.
d) The date of the test.
e) The result of the test and associated specified requirements.
f) State compliance or non-compliance to specified requirements.
Any deviation from the specified procedure shall be recorded.

– 8 – 60811-100  IEC:2012
Annex A
(informative)
Structure and content of IEC 60811

Table A.1 – Parts and their previous reference
Part Title Previous
reference
General
100 General N/A
General tests
201 Measurement of insulation thickness 60811-1-1
202 Measurement of thickness of non-metallic sheath 60811-1-1
203 Measurement of overall dimensions 60811-1-1
Electrical tests
301 Measurement of the permittivity at 23 °C of filling compounds 60811-5-1
302 Measurement of the d.c. resistivity at 23 °C and 100 °C of filling compounds 60811-5-1
Miscellaneous tests
401 Thermal ageing methods. Ageing in an air oven (Method 8.3 deleted) 60811-1-2
402 Water absorption tests 60811-1-3
403 Ozone resistance test on cross-linked compounds 60811-2-1
404 Mineral oil immersion tests for sheaths 60811-2-1
405 Thermal stability test for PVC insulations and PVC sheaths 60811-3-2
406 Resistance to stress cracking of polyethylene and polypropylene compounds 60811-4-1
407 Measurement of mass increase of polyethylene and polypropylene compounds 60811-4-2
408 Long-term stability test of polyethylene and polypropylene compounds 60811-4-2
409 Loss of mass test for thermoplastic insulations and sheaths 60811-3-2
410 Test method for copper-catalyzed oxidative degradation of polyolefin insulated conductors 60811-4-2
411 Low temperature brittleness of filling compounds 60811-5-1
412 Thermal ageing methods - Ageing in an air bomb 60811-1-2
Mechanical tests
501 Tests for determining the mechanical properties of insulating and sheathing compounds 60811-1-1
502 Shrinkage test for insulations 60811-1-3
503 Shrinkage test for sheaths 60811-1-3
504 Bending tests at low temperature for insulation and sheaths 60811-1-4
505 Elongation at low temperature for insulations and sheaths 60811-1-4
506 Impact test at low temperature for insulations and sheaths 60811-1-4
507 Hot set test for cross-linked materials 60811-2-1
508 Pressure test at high temperature for insulation and sheaths 60811-3-1
509 Test for resistance of insulations and sheaths to cracking (heat shock test) 60811-3-1
510 Methods specific to polyethylene and polypropylene compounds – Wrapping test after 60811-4-2
thermal ageing in air
511 Measurement of the melt flow index of polyethylene compounds 60811-4-1
512 Methods specific to polyethylene and polypropylene compounds - Tensile strength and 60811-4-2
elongation at break after conditioning at elevated temperature

60811-100  IEC:2012 – 9 –
Part Title Previous
reference
513 Methods specific to polyethylene and polypropylene compounds – Wrapping test after 60811-4-2
conditioning
Physical tests
601 Measurement of the drop-point of filling compounds 60811-5-1
602 Separation of oil in filling compounds 60811-5-1
603 Measurement of total acid number of filling compounds 60811-5-1
604 Measurement of absence of corrosive components in filling compounds 60811-5-1
605 Measurement of carbon black and/or mineral filler in polyethylene compounds 60811-4-1
606 Methods for determining the density 60811-1-3
607 Test for the assessment of carbon black dispersion in polyethylene and polypropylene 60811-4-1

– 10 – 60811-100  IEC:2012
Table A.2 – Cross-reference for original parts and clauses
Pre-existing
version Current
Test
part
Part Clause
1-1 8.1 Measurement of insulation thickness 201
8.2 Measurement of thickness of non-metallic sheaths 202
8.3 Measurement of overall dimensions 203
9 Tests for determining the mechanical properties of insulation and sheathing 501
compounds
1-2 8.1 Thermal ageing methods. Ageing in an air oven 401
8.2 Thermal ageing methods. Ageing in air bomb 412
8.3 Deleted
8.4 Moved to 401 Annex A
1-3 8 Methods for determining the density 606
9 Water absorption tests 402
10 Shrinkage test for insulation 502
11 Shrinkage test for PE sheaths 503
1-4 8.1 & 8.2 Bending tests at low temperature for insulation and sheaths 504
8.3 & 8.4 Elongation at low temperature for insulation and sheaths 505
8.5 Impact test at low temperature for PVC insulations and sheaths 506
2-1 8 Ozone resistance test on elastomeric compounds 403
9 Hot set test for cross-linked materials 507
10 Mineral oil immersion test for sheaths made with elastomeric compounds 404
3-1 8 Pressure test at high temperature for PVC insulations and PVC sheaths 508
9 Tests for resistance of PVC insulations and PVC sheaths to cracking 509
3-2 8 Loss of mass test for PVC insulations and sheaths 409
9 Thermal stability test for PVC insulations and PVC sheaths 405
4-1 8 Resistance to environmental stress cracking of polyethylene and polypropylene 406
compounds
9 Wrapping test after thermal ageing in air 510
10 Measurement of the melt flow index of polyethylene and polypropylene 511
compounds
11 Carbon black and/or mine
...