Self-supporting aerial cable consists of one or more insulated conductors assembled with a steel core or attached to a separate steel strand that supports the cable across spans.
Self-supporting aerial cable is overhead cable built so that it can support its own weight across spans without a separate messenger run alongside it. It consists of one or more insulated conductors combined with a steel strength member, which may be an integral steel core within the cable or a separate steel strand to which the cable is attached. The steel member bears the mechanical load of the suspended span, while the conductors carry the signal or power.
By incorporating its own support, self-supporting aerial cable simplifies overhead runs, since the cable and its support are handled as one assembly. The steel strength member is sized to carry the cable weight along with wind and ice loads over the span.
In commercial and industrial communication and power, self-supporting aerial cables carry signals and power overhead between structures. Recognizing the construction helps in understanding how aerial cable supports itself across distances.
Because the steel strength member is sized to carry the cable weight along with wind and ice loads, self-supporting aerial cable simplifies overhead runs by handling the cable and its support as one assembly, whether the steel member is integral to the cable or attached alongside it.
At Windy City Wire, an understanding of cable constructions, including self-supporting aerial designs, reflects a focus on matching cable to its application. Recognizing how an integral or attached steel member supports a span helps illustrate the engineering behind aerial cable.