Method for detecting a fault occurring in a cable

A method for detecting and locating a fault affecting a cable, the cable being configured to conduct an electrical current, the method comprising:

• a) placing a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor being able to detect the occurrence of a fault in the cable, the second sensor being able to detect an acoustic wave propagating along the cable, following the occurrence of the fault in the cable;
• b) detecting the occurrence of the fault with the first sensor, at a first time, and with the second sensor, at a second time, subsequent or identical to the first time;
• c) selecting a propagation speed of the acoustic wave generated by the fault;
• d) estimating a position of the fault depending on the first time and on the second time, on the basis of the propagation speed resulting from c);
• e) determining a reference propagation speed depending on the position estimated in d) of the fault, and comparing the reference propagation speed with the propagation speed resulting from c);
• and
• f) depending on the comparison,
• validating the position resulting from d);
• or
• reiterating c) to f) while adjusting, in c), the propagation speed
• wherein, in e), the reference propagation speed is determined using a propagation function describing a variation in the propagation speed of an acoustic wave, in the cable, as a function of the propagation distance of the acoustic wave.