Development of micropile technology for subsea environment

Project Description

Use of robotically-installed micropiles in the subsea environment represents important innovation and potential cost saving for marine renewable energy projects. Marine micropile anchor systems typically comprise multiple, relatively small, hollow micropiles (~100mm diameter) drilled into the seafloor using a robotic seabed drill and expendable drill bits. Grout is pumped through the hollow micropile, filling the hole around the pile. The micropiles are installed through a template which forms the anchor fixture. The entire system is designed for deployment using a small size (i.e. cheaper) vessel. This project will include the design and temporary installation of two demonstration micropile anchors. The anchor frames will represent structures which would support the foundations of offshore wind turbines or hydrokinetic energy converters. The two anchors will be load tested both horizontally and vertically and the results compared with design predictions.