system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Can undersea cables undergo creep rupture?

The pressure down there must be quite high. Is there any proof that undersea cables have undergone creep?
gpt
Submarine cables used to fail for lots of reasons. Modern ones fail for three reasons: manufacturing defects at joints, dragging anchors close to shore, and deliberate interference.

In modern material terms the pressures involved are not that impressive. Transocean cables are laid at around 3-4km depths, which is only 400atm pressure. Yes, that's a squeeze, but it's a long, thin, solid structure. The external pressure is applied uniformly along the cable, so creep is not an issue.

Modern (laid in the last 15 years) cables are capable of operating for many decades unless cut accidentally or deliberately.