The behaviour of a novel dynamically installed anchor during deployment – insights from field tests

Abstract

Offshore wind developments are moving towards deep water where the energy is abundant and visual and sound interference is minimised. However, construction in deep water poses several challenges to developers, among which are the high cost of operation and material transport. The current study addresses the behaviour of a novel foundation system (pending US patent) that aims at minimising the cost of deployment for emerging offshore wind facilities. To this end, the preliminary results of an offshore field test on the small scale dynamically installed anchor are presented and the testing methodologies are briefly outlined. The results provide insights into the behaviour of the anchor as it is released into the water column, impacts with the seabed, and finally, achieves it maximum penetration depth. This is enabled through a detailed study of the data obtained from an accelerometer built into the anchor, which tracks the anchor motion over the course of its deployment. Overall, the findings in this research contribute to an enhanced understanding of the behaviour of dynamically installed anchors as perceived through field tests.