Research on the Influence of Size Effect on the Uplift and Bearing Capacity of Spiral Anchors for Deep Sea Floating Foundations

In response to the issue of the size effect of helical anchors in deep-sea areas on their uplift bearing capacity, this study was proposed based on the ratio of the anchor shaft diameter to the anchor helix diameter and the ratio of the pitch to the anchor helix diameter. Eight sets of small-scale anchors were designed for laboratory model tests to study the impact of different anchor shaft diameters to anchor helix diameter ratios and the ratio of the pitch to the anchor helix diameter on uplift bearing capacity. The results indicate that smaller ratios of the anchor shaft diameter to the anchor helix diameter and the pitch to the anchor helix diameter can improve the uplift bearing capacity of helical anchors. In addition, this study found that the uplift bearing capacity of helical anchors decreased with the increase in the ratio of the anchor diameter to the anchor helix diameter and the ratio of the pitch to the anchor helix diameter. Based on this, a prediction equation for the uplift bearing capacity of helical anchors was proposed.