Numerical Study of Suction Embedded Plate Anchor

Abstract

Suction embedded plate anchor (SEPLA) is a viable deep water mooring system due to advantages in terms of low cost, accurate positioning, short installation time and high efficiency. The objective of this thesis is to address issues related to the application of SEPLAs as a permanent mooring system. First, the Eulerian large deformation finite element analysis was conducted in ABAQUS to study the pullout behaviour of SEPLA in uniform clay and in clay with linearly increasing shear strength. An approach to predict the uplift capacity of plate anchor under different combinations of embedment ratio, overburden pressure and soil non-homogeneity is proposed. Second, the keying process and the effect of installation were assessed. Factors affecting the loss of embedment during the keying process and the final anchor capacity such as anchor contact behaviour, anchor geometry, soil sensitivity, installation method as well as pullout angle are investigated. The thesis also extends the study on the behavior of SEPLA under sole vertical pullout to combined vertical, horizontal and moment loadings. An improved yield locus for plate anchor under general loading condition after the keying process under short-term condition considering the remolding of the soil is proposed.