Reliable fiber cables must endure temperature cycling without significant signal loss. During manufacturing, installation, and long-term operation, these cables are subjected to a variety of environmental conditions. Temperature fluctuations can induce stress and strain, particularly in loose-tube design where the fiber is free to move. This paper builds off existing work from Henry Rice and Jacob Savoie, applying finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate dry loose-tube cable designs under temperature load [1]. This study aims to improve the simulation model so that it aligns more closely with observed field behavior, better capturing how excess fiber length (EFL), the coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE), and subunit free space contribute to the internal stress placed on the optical fibers. It also demonstrates the viability of the model for predicting the impact of stress on attenuation in finished cables with various materials, fiber counts, and tube sizes. By systematically comparing simulated contact pressure with measured attenuation, this study reinforces the correlation established in previous work, confirming that FEA can yield accurate predictions of temperature-induced attenuation and guide better cable design.
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