IEC 61156-8:2009

IEC 61156-8 ®
Edition 1.1 2013-05
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Part 8: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to
1 200 MHz – Work area wiring – Sectional specification

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form

or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from

either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester.
If you have any questions about IEC copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication,

please contact the address below or your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

IEC Central Office Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé Fax: +41 22 919 03 00

CH-1211 Geneva 20 info@iec.ch
Switzerland www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

Useful links:
IEC publications search - www.iec.ch/searchpub Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The advanced search enables you to find IEC publications The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and
by a variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical electrical terms containing more than 30 000 terms and
committee,…). definitions in English and French, with equivalent terms in
It also gives information on projects, replaced and additional languages. Also known as the International
withdrawn publications. Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) on-line.

IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication
details all new publications released. Available on-line and or need further assistance, please contact the
also once a month by email. Customer Service Centre: csc@iec.ch.

IEC 61156-8 ®
Edition 1.1 2013-05
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –

Part 8: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to

1 200 MHz – Work area wiring – Sectional specification

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.120.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-0853-3

– 2 – 61156-8  IEC:2009+A1:2013(E)

CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4

1 Scope . 6

2 Normative references. 6

3 Terms and definitions . 6

4 Installation considerations . 7

4.1 Installation conditions . 7

4.2 Climatic conditions. 7

5 Materials and cable construction . 7
5.1 General remarks . 7
5.2 Cable construction . 7
5.2.1 Conductor . 7
5.2.2 Insulation . 7
5.2.3 Cable element . 7
5.2.4 Cable make-up . 8
5.2.5 Screening of cable core . 8
5.2.6 Sheath . 8
5.2.7 Identification . 8
5.2.8 Finished cable . 8
6 Characteristics and requirements . 8
6.1 General remarks . 8
6.2 Electrical characteristics . 9
6.2.1 Conductor resistance . 9
6.2.2 Resistance unbalance . 9
6.2.3 Dielectric strength . 9
6.2.4 Insulation resistance . 9
6.2.5 Mutual capacitance . 9
6.2.6 Capacitance unbalance . 9
6.2.7 Transfer impedance . 9
6.2.8 Coupling attenuation . 10
6.2.9 Current-carrying capacity . 10
6.2.10 Shield resistance . 10
6.3 Transmission characteristics . 10
6.3.1 Velocity of propagation (phase velocity) . 10

6.3.2 Phase delay and differential delay (delay skew) . 10
6.3.3 Attenuation . 11
6.3.4 Unbalance attenuation . 11
6.3.5 Near-end crosstalk (NEXT) . 12
6.3.6 Far-end crosstalk (FEXT) . 12
6.3.7 Alien (exogenous) near-end crosstalk . 12
6.3.8 Alien (exogenous) far-end crosstalk . 12
6.3.9 Alien (exogenous) crosstalk of bundled cables . 12
6.3.10 Impedance . 12
6.3.11 Return loss (RL) . 12
6.4 Mechanical and dimensional characteristics and requirements . 13
6.4.1 Dimensional requirements . 13
6.4.2 Elongation at break of the conductors . 13

61156-8  IEC:2009+A1:2013(E) – 3 –

6.4.3 Tensile strength of the insulation . 13

6.4.4 Elongation at break of the insulation . 13

6.4.5 Adhesion of the insulation to the conductor . 13

6.4.6 Elongation at break of the sheath . 13

6.4.7 Tensile strength of the sheath . 13

6.4.8 Crush test of the cable . 13

6.4.9 Impact test of the cable . 13

6.4.10 Bending under tension . 13

6.4.11 Repeated bending of the cable . 14

6.4.12 Tensile performance of the cable . 14

6.4.13 Shock test of the cable. 14
6.4.14 Bump test of the cable . 14
6.4.15 Vibration test of a cable . 14
6.5 Environmental characteristics . 14
6.5.1 Shrinkage of insulation . 14
6.5.2 Wrapping test of insulation after thermal ageing . 14
6.5.3 Bending test of insulation at low temperature . 14
6.5.4 Elongation at break of the sheath after ageing . 14
6.5.5 Tensile strength of the sheath after ageing . 14
6.5.6 Sheath pressure test at high temperature . 14
6.5.7 Cold bend test of the cable . 14
6.5.8 Heat shock test . 15
6.5.9 Damp heat steady state . 15
6.5.10 Solar radiation . 15
6.5.11 Solvents and contaminating fluids . 15
6.5.12 Salt mist and sulphur dioxide . 15
6.5.13 Water immersion . 15
6.5.14 Hygroscopicity . 15
6.5.15 Wicking . 15
6.5.16 Flame propagation characteristics of a single cable . 15
6.5.17 Flame propagation characteristics of bunched cables . 15
6.5.18 Halogen gas evolution . 15
6.5.19 Smoke generation . 15
6.5.20 Toxic gas emission . 15
6.5.21 Integrated fire test . 15

7 Introduction to the blank detail specification . 16
Bibliography . 17

Table 1 – Transfer impedance . 10
Table 2 – Coupling attenuation . 10
Table 3 – Attenuation, constant values . 11
Table 4 – Return loss (RL) . 12

– 4 – 61156-8  IEC:2009+A1:2013(E)

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL PAIR/QUAD CABLES

FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS –
Part 8: Symmetrical pair/quad cables

with transmission characteristics up to 1 200 MHz –

Work area wiring – Sectional specification

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 in the subject dealt with may participate in
this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also
participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely 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
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence between any
IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in the latter.
5) IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any equipment
declared to be in conformity with an IEC Publication.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or other
damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and expenses arising
out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC Publications.
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.

This consolidated version of the official IEC Standard and its amendment has been prepared
for user convenience.
IEC 61156-8 edition 1.1 contains the first edition (2009) [documents 46C/887/FDIS and 46C/894/
RVD], its corrigendum (July 2009) and its amendment 1 (2013) [documents 46C/957/CDV and
46C/966/RVC].
A vertical line in the margin shows where the base publication has been modified by
amendment 1. Additions and deletions are displayed in red, with deletions being struck
through.
61156-8  IEC:2009+A1:2013(E) – 5 –

International Standard IEC 61156-8 has been prepared by subcommittee 46C: Wires and

symmetric cables, of IEC technical committee 46: Cables, wires, waveguides, R.F. connectors,

R.F. and microwave passive components and accessories.

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

A list of all parts of the IEC 61156 series, under the general title: Multicore and symmetrical

pair/quad cables for digital communications, can be found on the IEC website.

The committee has decided that the contents of the base publication and its amendment will

remain unchanged until the maintenance result 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.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.
IMPORTANT – The “colour inside” logo on the cover page of this publication indicates that
it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct understanding of its
contents. Users should therefore print this publication using a colour printer.

– 6 – 61156-8  IEC:2009+A1:2013(E)

MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL
...