Research on the installation mechanism of helical anchors in layered clay
Research on the installation mechanism of helical anchors in layered clay
The successful installation of large-scale offshore helical anchors has become a critical factor in determining their practical applicability in floating wind power projects. However, most existing research on helical anchor installation has focused on homogeneous soil conditions, without adequately accounting for the complexity introduced by realistic layered soil. To address this gap, a CEL-based large-deformation numerical framework tailored for soft-over-stiff double-layer clay was developed. This model simulates the installation of helical anchors in soft-over-stiff clay, characterizing the load-transfer and the depth-dependent variations in installation torque and vertical force. To further elucidate the mechanisms governing force and torque development, the contributions of individual helical anchor components were quantified, and the surrounding soil flow behavior during penetration was analyzed. These findings elucidate the installation of helical anchors in layered clay, thereby providing insights for future research on layered soils.
Le Wang; Zhaobin Ji; Junbiao He; Yunlong Xu; Dongxue Hao; Wei Hu; Zhichao Shen; Chunhui Zhang; Yinghui Tian; Linrui Zhang; Canhui Li
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 4: Innovative Methods for Offshore Foundation Installation
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-61