Experimental Study on Dynamic Penetration of OMNI-Max Anchor in Clay

Abstract

As a newly developed gravity installed anchor, the OMNI-Max anchor is an efficient anchoring foundation due to its dynamic installation and diving property during keying. However, due to the complex geometry of the anchor, it is with difficulty to predict the anchor final penetration depth embedded in the seabed. This study carried out 1g model tests in normally consolidated (NC) and lightly overconsolidated (LOC) clay to investigate the effects of the impact velocity, and the soil strength on the anchor final penetration depth. The anchor dynamic penetration process in the soil was recorded by a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer. By integrating the anchor acceleration recorded by the MEMS accelerometer, the anchor velocity-displacement curve was obtained. Finally, an empirical formula is put forward to predict the final penetration depth of the OMNI-Max anchor. This study may be beneficial for the engineering design and application.