GRP CloCaFound Project Establishment Support

Purpose of this research and development project is to solve and verify technical challenges related to introducing GRP as a new lightweight material for subsea Closed Caisson Foundations (CCF). This technology will facilitate the use of smaller installation vessels and thus help to reduce installation costs significantly. The market for CCF is large and international. R&D challenges are to develop and verify calculation methodology for CCF made in composites, especially issues related to buckling and soil structure interaction. Establish manufacturing, calculation and verification methods for composite - steel interface for transfer of high loads. Verify the environmental and economical saving potential. The goal is to develop a closed caisson foundation product in a lightweight GRP material, which will do all the above, and market it to all Norwegian and foreign companies within subsea, oil and gas, renewable energy, and other business.