Comparison of 1g and centrifuge modelling of drag embedment anchors with subsurface wireless tracking

The kinematic behaviour of drag embedment anchors has become a recent research focus due to the increase in offshore renewable energy devices. This is due to their potential use as an anchoring system for future floating wind applications, in addition to the need to understand their penetration behaviour as a part of the cable burial risk assessment (CBRA). Studies on the behaviour of anchors typically consist of field scale or model centrifuge tests, where such facilities are not readily available to all and can result in significant cost. In addition to this, measuring the load-penetration behaviour of an anchor has proven to be a significant challenge, as any contact-based methods are likely to influence the penetration behaviour of the anchor. In this paper a novel wireless method of recording the inclination of the anchor and calculating the penetration depth is presented. A comparison of the penetration behaviour of a Class F (AC-14) anchor has been investigated in sand using centrifuge and 1-g model scale testing. The results indicate that the 1-g testing can match the behaviour of the anchor testing in the centrifuge in terms of both the position of the anchor and its orientation during the dragging event.