BEHAVIOR OF ANCHORS IN DIFFERENT SOIL CONDITIONS.

The application of soil mechanics concepts to the problem of anchor holding power clearly illustrates the insufficiency of the concept of efficiency by itself, in that it is merely an empirical relationship between the weight of the anchor and its holding power. Laboratory and in-situ tests have been performed to analyze the behavior of special adjustable-configuration ahcors as a function of the nature of the soil and to determine the influence of leading geometric and mechanical parameters on the kinematics. Holding power appears mainly linked to fluke surface area, depth of anchor burial and the mechanical properties of the soil. In-situ tests performed on small-sized anchors confirm the general analysis and provide bases for comparing the leading anchors used in offshore operations.