Abstract
Magnitude of the slamming load impulse on a suction anchor affects the allowable wave conditions for launch and recovery operations. Experimental and numerical modelling were used to study the loads caused by waves on a suction anchor at several submergence levels. The presence of an air pocket inside the anchor when it is partly submerged has a significant effect on the response of the water column inside the anchor. Estimation of the internal water surface response is very crucial as the slamming load imposed on the internal top surface of the anchor is strongly dependent on it. Combination of model tests measurements and numerical simulations were used to estimate the slamming load impulse.