Published Paper Details:

Torpedo anchors are recent foundation systems used to secure offshore structures like oil and gas platforms. This study explored how well these anchors hold in soft clay seabed, focusing on how their fin configuration and the angle at which they are pulled affect their load carrying capacity. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory test tank using a small-scale torpedo anchor model (1:40 scale, 42.5 cm long, 2.6 cm diameter) placed in a 1-meter diameter and 1 m deep tank filled with the soft clay. The clay properties were tested like strength and water content to prepare a test bed in the tank. The model anchor was embedded in a test tank in a way that its top is just at the clay bed surface. The model torpedo is pulled with different pullout angles to see its displacement under applied loads. The study also looked at how different fin configurations like Finless, 2-Fins, 3-Fins and 4-Fins attachments influence the load carrying capacity of torpedo. Results revealed that the fin configured torpedo anchors had enhanced performance in terms of load carrying capacity due to mobilization of shear resistance of surrounded clay soil. The angle at which the anchor pulled out also influenced the holding capacity. Some of the pullout angles showed low holding capacity due to lack of sufficient passive resistance from the soil. These findings would help engineers to understand the behavior of model torpedo and further it provides insights to plan for field testing as well as development of design methodologies to estimate the load carrying capacity. By increasing fin configurations and understanding pullout angles, anchors can work more effectively in soft clay, making offshore platforms safer and more cost-effective in terms of installation.