Numerical Investigation of Novel Spudcan Shapes for Easing Spudcan-Footprint Interactions
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 9
Abstract
This paper reports a measure for easing spudcan-footprint interactions when a jack-up rig needs to be installed near existing jack-up footprints. Two novel spudcan shapes, a skirted spudcan with four rectangular holes and a skirted spudcan with six circular holes and sloped bottom profile, were investigated using 3D large deformation finite-element (LDFE) analyses. The LDFE analyses were performed using the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach in the commercial finite-element package ABAQUS. After displaying the validity of the analyses against existing LDFE results and centrifuge test data, the efficiencies of the novel spudcans were studied against a generic spudcan shape, including the effects of spudcan offset distance from the footprint and the footprint depth. Both soft and stiff seabed strength profiles were considered, with the undrained shear strength increasing with depth. The potential of the spudcan sliding toward the footprint center during installation was evaluated based on the resultant maximum horizontal force () and moment () acting on the different spudcans. It is found that, between the two novel spudcans, the spudcan with six holes and sloped bottom profile is more effective at reducing and . Any reduction in the resultant horizontal force on the spudcan can generate a large reduction of the moment at the top of a long jack-up leg. The results from this study indicate that the novel spudcan with circular holes and sloped bottom profile has the potential to ease spudcan-footprint interactions without any additional mechanical operations.
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Acknowledgments
The third author is an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellow and is supported by the ARC Project DE140100903. The work forms part of the activities of the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems (COFS), currently supported as a node of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Geotechnical Science and Engineering and as a Centre of Excellence by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation. This support is gratefully acknowledged, as is the benefit of discussion with Dr. Dong Wang.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 9 • September 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 7, 2017
Accepted: Mar 2, 2018
Published online: Jun 21, 2018
Published in print: Sep 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Nov 21, 2018
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