Anchor Loading and Testing for Tension Leg Platform Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Tension leg platform (TLP) wind turbines are proposed as a solution for offshore floating
wind turbines to reduce the footprint of the mooring system whilst also enhancing system
stability and removing a large amount of mass compared to other floating foundation types.
However, the high tensions in the tendons transfer large uplift forces into the anchors whilst
conservatism in the traditional offshore industry leads to large safety factors being used in
design. This has caused the anchor systems for TLPs to be unaffordable for floating wind
projects. Through OrcaFlex analysis of two TLP platform concepts, the most onerous cases
for anchor loading will be investigated. Using these load cases, suction caisson anchors,
alongside some novel anchor designs, will be tested using the ORE Catapult's scaled anchor
test rig. Using the outputs of the testing, alongside other technical and economic factors,
a holistic methodology for comparison of anchors will be developed to enable the selection
and sizing of anchors for TLP projects. This will help to reduce the cost of TLP floating
offshore wind, which is seen as the major barrier to the adoption of the technology at
present.