The paper reports on the experimental characterisation and subsequent devel
opment of an electrical model for cable oversheath faults under AC voltages
. The characteristics can be represented by a combination of linear resista
nce and capacitance below a threshold voltage and a non-linear resistance a
bove the threshold voltage. The proposed model was then incorporated into A
TP (Alternative Transient Program). The simulation results clearly show sat
isfactory similarity between the model and the experimental results. The de
veloped electrical model may therefore be used to accurately simulate sheat
h-to-earth fault conditions in buried cable systems.