Abstract

The issue of floating wind turbine anchors is rarely addressed. Yet their nature and positioning is of interest, especially in terms of environmental and geometrical influence (e.g. navigability). In addition, wind turbine movements are transmitted to the foundations in the form of non-permanent cyclic solicitation. The purpose of this project is to gain a better understanding of the soil-anchor interaction under repeated load (tension) of certain deep foundation anchorages of different geometries: helical piles, but also driven piles or suction piles, depending on the nature of the seabed (sand or clay normally consolidated) and its possible variability, the inclination of the load.

To do this, a targeted campaign of experiments on physical models in centrifuge is under progress in order to observe and understand the behaviour of this type of anchoring system and to establish an experimental database. The results can be compared with existing sizing methods.