Work

Laboratory Investigation of the Uplift Resistance of a New Winged H-Pile Anchor Developed for Offshore Marine Aquaculture

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: To enhance the stability and safety of marine aquaculture facilities by addressing the limited uplift resistance capacity and susceptibility to deflection of conventional straight-shafted piles, this study introduces an improved H-pile anchor and conducted laboratory experiments. The new anchor incorporates resized H-piles with wing plates added to both sides, optimized for area and placement, as well as an adjusted loading angle. The findings demonstrate a positive correlation between the uplift resistance capacity of the H-pile anchor and its length and width, indicating that while increased pile length significantly enhances resistance, widening has a minimal impact. Additionally, enlarging the wing plate area improves the resistance; however, efficiency (δ) decreases with the increase in the area, suggesting the existence of an optimal size. The optimal wing plate dimensions (L = 80 mm, W = 25 mm) improve uplift resistance by at least 10.6% compared to non-wing pile anchors. Furthermore, positioning the wing plates at the base of the pile anchor rather than the top enhances resistance by approximately 13.8%. Setting the anchor layout angle to 45° reduced the displacement under inclined loads. This research provides essential theoretical support and practical guidance for strengthening the safety and stability of marine aquaculture facilities.

Source: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

DOI: 10.3390/jmse13020342