A Simple Approach for Determining the Holding Capacity of Torpedo Anchors Embedded in Cohesive Soils

Abstract

Torpedo anchors have been used in various offshore applications especially due to its low cost installation and the ability to withstand high inclined loads. This anchor consists of a shaft in which flukes are welded in order to increase the soil-anchor contact region and, consequently, its holding capacity. Since this anchor presents a singular geometry, different from a regular cylindrical anchor/pile, the computation of the holding capacity of a torpedo anchor is not straightforward. In a previously presented work, the holding capacities of typical torpedo anchors were assessed with a finite element (FE) model in which both the anchor and the surrounding soil are represented with three-dimensional finite elements. However, this FE model demands a significant computational effort and, consequently, simpler approaches would be desirable in order to design these anchors. Relying on the FE model and a parametric study, this paper presents simple formulae to predict the holding capacities of torpedo anchors embedded into cohesive soils. These formulae are employed to predict the holding capacities of two different torpedo anchors, which are compared to those estimated with the FE model. Results agreed very well indicating that this simpler approach may be employed to quickly evaluate the holding capacities of these anchors.