In a society with increasing energy demands, companies are exploring new ways to harvest energy offshore. Producing energy at sea presents numerous challenges, one of which is the need to transport energy back to shore using cables that can withstand continuous motion from waves and currents.

NKT is a cable manufacturing company that has recently begun developing dynamic and semi-dynamic offshore cables. These new cables require more extensive testing than traditional onshore cables due to the harsh offshore environment. One of the key tests involves torsional loading. NKT currently does not have their own torsion testing equipment but intends to purchase their own. This thesis will therefore focus on developing a conceptual design for a torsion testing setup, without considering economic constraints.

Through literature studies and interviews, a broad understanding of the problem has been established. Six different torsion testing methods, covering testing of tubes, wood, wires, and cables, have been analysed. Based on these studies, a conceptual test rig has been developed. The proposed setup is horizontally oriented with a half-open structure. The cable will have one fixed end and one rotating end, where the rotation is generated by a motor applying torque. The fixed end consists of a block that can either move axially or be secured using removable joints. A counterweight is attached to the block via a wire supported by a wheel, helping to prevent the cable from bending due to gravity.Torque and tension measuring equipment is placed at the rotating end to avoid constraining the movable block. Angle and position tracking devices will be installed along the cable to monitor its behaviour and ensure that no slippage occurs. A reference wire and a distance monitoring device will also be included to detect any slippage or unintended bending.

Future research should focus on gathering more specific information about the cables. This will enable the possibility to choose more specialised components and refine the setup. The limited scope of this thesis resulted in a general design that can be adapted for other torsion tests, and may help guide future standards for dynamic offshore cable testing.