Angled Pile Anchors for Undersea Load Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional undersea anchoring systems face challenges in rock bottoms and areas with insufficient sediment, requiring expensive deep water drilling rigs and unable to effectively manage bending and shear forces, especially in deep water environments.
Innovation Solution
An undersea anchor system utilizing seabed drills to install angled pile anchors, which can withstand both vertical and horizontal loads, eliminating the need for surface drilling rigs and optimizing mooring line design by aligning pile anchors with the mooring line resultant load direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bored piled anchors are used in rock bottoms, then anchoring capability is improved, but installation cost increases due to expensive drilling vessels and complex procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive surface drilling rigs with a seabed drill system that operates directly from the seabed. The drill string is deployed through a borehole from the surface, but the actual drilling operation is performed by equipment positioned on the seabed, eliminating the need for expensive drilling vessels while maintaining the ability to drill into rock bottoms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a drill string as an intermediary mechanism that transfers drilling capability from the surface to the seabed. The drill string is lowered through the borehole and used to install anchors from the seabed, serving as a bridge between surface deployment capabilities and seabed installation needs.
2Strength
If angled pile anchors are used to resist horizontal loads, then bending and shear forces are minimized, but anchor installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs angled pile anchors that are installed at specific angles relative to the horizontal plane. This angular configuration dynamically optimizes the load distribution, allowing the anchors to resist horizontal mooring forces more effectively by converting them into axial loads along the pile, thereby minimizing bending and shear forces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If deep water drilling rigs are used for anchor installation, then anchoring in deep water is enabled, but operational cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive deep water drilling rigs with a seabed drill system that can be deployed from smaller vessels. The drill string is lowered through the water column and operated from the seabed, enabling deep water anchor installation without requiring costly specialized drilling vessels.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional anchors are used in areas with insufficient sediment, then anchoring in diverse seabed conditions is limited, but anchor design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal anchor system that can be installed in various seabed conditions including rock bottoms and areas with insufficient sediment. The angled pile anchor design combined with seabed drilling capability provides multi-functionality, allowing the same system to operate effectively across different seabed types without requiring specialized anchor designs.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An undersea anchor that includes a frame that is fixed to the seafloor by one or more pile anchors, for example grouted pile anchors. The frame is configured to permit it to function with one or more seabed drills to allow the pile anchors) to be installed at an angle relative to horizontal so the pile anchors can take horizontal and vertical loads.