Anchor geotechnics for floating offshore wind: Current technologies and future innovations

A rapid expansion of the anchor market is required to meet the increasing demand for floating offshore wind. This paper, which is aimed at a broad readership within and beyond geotechnical engineering, summarises the current state-of-the-art and discusses future developments of anchor types and geotechnical design methods.Current anchor technologies are presented via comparative analytical assessments of performance across a range of practical scales and seabed conditions. This analysis demonstrates the relative merits and performance of different anchor types, using simplified cost-performance indicators for each anchor technology. An example outcome is the large differences in anchor efficiency (capacity per unit weight), that are linked to the different ways anchors achieve their holding capacity.Potential improvements in the performance-cost response for each anchor type, through future enhancements, are then explored. These enhancements are categorised as (1) unlocking higher anchor performance through improved design methods with a better understanding of the geotechnical response, (2) upscaling or (3) commoditising of the anchor type, by making larger versions or enabling more efficient mass production and installation, or (4) invention of new anchor technologies. Finally, findings of the different sections are summarised within a single table to enable a quick selection of anchoring solutions.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2023.114327
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029801823007114
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00298018
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Cerfontaine, Benjamin
  • 0000-0002-4833-9412
  • White, David
  • 0000-0002-2968-582X
  • Kwa, Katherine
  • 0000-0002-4675-8736
  • Gourvenec, Susan
  • 0000-0002-2628-7914
  • Knappett, Jonathan
  • 0000-0003-1936-881X
  • Brown, Michael
  • 0000-0001-6770-4836
• Publication Date: 2023-7-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 114327
• Serial:
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Volume: 279
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Pergamon
  • ISSN: 0029-8018
  • EISSN: 1873-5258
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00298018

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Floating structures; Geotechnical engineering; Mooring anchors; Offshore structures; Underwater foundations
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Marine Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01882873
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 23 2023 10:09AM