Simulation on installation process of suction embedded plate anchor considering effect of particle breakage

The suction embedded plate anchor is a kind of anchor foundation applicable to deep-sea structures. Based on the discrete element method, the installation process of the suction embedded plate anchor in particle breakable foundation is simulated, and the influences of soil particle breakage on motion characteristics of anchor body and loss of embedment are investigated. The results show that the soil particle breakage results in the inclined upward penetrating motion of the anchor plate during the load-rotating process, which affects the embedment loss of the anchor. The penetration motion is related to the eccentricity ratio of geometrical dimensions of suction embedded plate anchor. When the eccentricity ratio is very small, the penetrating motion does not occur. With the increase of eccentricity ratio, the degree of penetration motion first increases and then decreases. Compared with the situation without considering the soil particle breakage, the embedment loss caused by soil particle breakage during the installation of anchor body is much more than that caused by unbroken soil particle. At the same time in particle breakable foundation, under the influences of penetrating motion, when the eccentricity ratio of suction embedded plate anchor reaches 0.3, the loss of embedment no longer increases linearly with the increase of inclination angle of the anchor chain tension. When the inclination angle of the anchor chain tension exceeds 45°, as the inclination angle of the anchor chain tension increases, the loss of embedment is at higher speed.