Marine Infrastructure & Seabed Analysis
Over the past decade, the development and construction of offshore wind farms has gained momentum worldwide. As a specialist in seabed movement, WaterProof receives many enquiries from developers and installation companies seeking to determine the optimum depth at which to bury cables and other offshore infrastructure, such as pipelines, in the seabed. The cables must not be buried too deep (heat load & unnecessarily expensive) but neither should they be buried too shallowly in the seabed, as they may then be exposed, posing a risk of damage (from fishing, anchors, deliberate damage, free-span forces, etc.).
WaterProof has now determined the optimum burial depth for thousands of kilometres of export and in-field cables in both domestic and international waters. Within the Netherlands, there is often a comprehensive and extensive set of historical soil surveys available, which improves the accuracy of predictions. However, even if only a few or just one depth survey is available, WaterProof has now developed tools that enable it to make a reasonably reliable assessment of the optimum installation depth.
Studies in the Dutch North Sea
The image provides an overview of cable routes in the Dutch North Sea for which WaterProof is carrying out, or has carried out in the past, sedimentation and burial depth studies.
Through these studies, we map changes to the seabed and the position of the cables. This provides valuable insights into, amongst other things, sedimentation, erosion and the extent to which cables have become buried or, conversely, exposed over time.
This knowledge contributes to a better understanding of seabed dynamics and supports clients in the management, maintenance and protection of subsea cable infrastructure.
Studies in the Dutch North Sea
The image provides an overview of cable routes in the Dutch North Sea for which WaterProof is carrying out, or has carried out in the past, sedimentation and burial depth studies.
Through these studies, we map changes to the seabed and the position of the cables. This provides valuable insights into, amongst other things, sedimentation, erosion and the extent to which cables have become buried or, conversely, exposed over time.
This knowledge contributes to a better understanding of seabed dynamics and supports clients in the management, maintenance and protection of subsea cable infrastructure.
The seabed consists of a static part (left) and a mobile part (centre and zoomed-in image, right). In the mobile seabed, sand ripples and other seabed features are clearly visible (red-blue undulations).
An example of a prediction of the future seabed topography based on a probabilistic method in which the probability of the seabed falling below a certain level in 50 years’ time has been determined.
