RIGGS - Offshore Geotechnical Engineering with Remote Intelligent Geotechnical Seabed Surveys

The aim of the Joint Industry Project (JIP) is to advance geotechnical site investigation technology through improved control and instrumentation, new types of penetrometer and other tools, and new engineering design methods to apply the SI data more directly to geotechnical design. The remote and intelligent tools will be deployed from a seabed frame or ROV-based platform.

This compact arrangement will allow SIs to be executed more rapidly, from smaller vessels, and at lower cost. The new tools - including novel penetrometers invented at UWA - will provide more detailed measurements of soil response, through seabed interactions that are more directly relevant to engineering design. For example, a compact instrumented pipe-like penetrometer is far more suited to the determination of pipe-soil friction factors, than a cone penetrometer.

The JIP will unlock earlier and more reliable geotechnical definition in projects, leading to more efficient design and reduced option-carrying.

The JIP is divided into six work packages: (1) control, actuation and acquisition, (2) surface penetrometers, (3) deep penetrometers, (4) free fall penetrometers, (5) erosion and scour measurements and (6) blue sky tools.

The deliverables from the JIP include:

• State-of-the-art reports (Rev. 1 issued at start of JIP, Rev. 2 issued at end of JIP),

• Interim and final reports on (i) SI technology and (ii) direct design using in situ SI data

• Recommended designs and proof-of-concept demonstrations of an advanced actuation, control and data system for a seabed frame or ROV-based SI platform

• Recommended practices for new/improved penetrometers (surface: toroid, ball; piezoprobe; free-fall; embedded: piezoball): design and geometry; test execution steps; interpretation methods for soil properties; interpretation methods for direct design

• Performance data from each penetrometer type, at full scale, at an onshore clay test site

• Development of a new in situ seabed erosion property measurement device: design and geometry, test execution steps, data interpretation methods; performance data

• The research will be underpinned by experimental and numerical modelling at UWA, including a major programme of centrifuge testing, as well as three campaigns of field-scale trials performed at Australia’s national soft clay test site, located at Ballina in NSW

Partners

• Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems (COFS) part of University of Western Australia

• Fugro Advanced Geomechanics Pty Ltd.

Fugro Contact: Phil Watson (philw@ag.com.au)