Assessing Novel Helical Anchor Design Capacity in Soils for Marine Renewable Energy and Aquaculture Applications
Principal Investigator: Melissa Landon (Civil & Environmental Engineering, UMaine)
Partner: Aaron Gallant (Civil & Environmental Engineering, UMaine), Richard Akers (Maine Marine Composites), Krish Thiagarajan (Mechanical Engineering, UMaine), Andrew Goupee (Mechanical Engineering, UMaine)
Abstract: This project aims to assess a novel composite helical anchor for marine renewable energy and aquaculture applications by partnering with a Maine-based company, Maine Marine Composites (MMC). The objectives of this research are to evaluate the complex soil-structure interaction and geotechnical capacities that can be obtained with helical anchor systems for offshore applications, and aid in the development of a new composite helical anchor that will provide an economic alternative to traditional offshore foundation types.