Ice is the heaviest load an ADSS cable will ever see. In regions with radial ice thickness exceeding 15 mm, the effective cable weight can increase 5-15× — pushing tension beyond MAT if the design didn’t account for it. This guide covers ice-specific design and installation.
Ice Loading Design
- Use 50-year return period ice thickness data from national meteorological agencies. IEC 60826 provides default zones.
- Double-jacket construction is standard for ice zones with >15 mm radial ice. The second jacket layer prevents micro-cracking under combined ice + wind loading.
- Design sag for maximum ice, not bare cable. The cable’s sag under full ice load must maintain ground clearance. See our sag and tension guide.
Related Reading: Wind and ice loading · Extreme weather · Large span design
Key Takeaways
- Ice loading can increase cable weight 5-15×. Design sag and tension for worst-case ice, not bare cable.
- Double-jacket is standard for ice zones >15mm radial.
- Use 50-year return period data — not average ice thickness.
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