Insight into the Behavior of a Caisson Anchor under Cyclic Loading in Calcareous Silt
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 7
Abstract
This paper provides insight into the behavior of a stiffened caisson anchor under inclined cyclic loading in calcareous silt. A series of tests was conducted in a beam centrifuge. A monotonic test was first performed, quantifying the pure monotonic capacity, and then four cyclic loading tests varying the mean load, amplitude, and number of cycles. Cyclic soil characterization T-bar tests and caisson tests were linked. Undrained cyclic T-bar tests led to generate excess pore pressure, resulting in degradation of soil strength and stiffness. For partially drained cyclic caisson tests, the excess pore pressure generated during initial undrained monotonic loading experienced partial dissipation. Healing due to consolidation outweighed the damage due to initial pore pressure generation. Postcyclic monotonic capacity was found to be up to 35% higher compared with the pure monotonic capacity unless the anchor failed during cyclic loading. Measured rotation indicated the evolution of anchor failure mechanism. Caisson capacity under inclined loading was presented as a failure envelope, with the effect of cyclic loading accentuated. The contribution of the soil–chain interaction on the caisson capacity was minimal. No trenching was apparent on the soil surface, and no gap was formed around the anchor in the considered centrifuge testing conditions.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The research presented here was undertaken with support from the Australian Research Council (ARC) through the Discovery Project DP170104864. The first author is a recipient of the Scholarship for International Research Fees and Ad Hoc Postgraduate Research Scholarships at the University of Western Australia. The second author is an ARC Future Fellow and is supported by the ARC Project FT190100735. The work forms part of the activities of Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems (COFS). This support is gratefully acknowledged, as is the assistance of the centrifuge technicians Manuel Palacios and Adam Stubbs; and Ph.D. student Sunji Park.
References
Acosta-Martinez, H. E., and S. M. Gourvenec. 2006. One-dimensional consolidation tests on kaolin clay. Perth, WA: Univ. of Western Australia.
Andersen, K. H., J. D. Murff, M. F. Randolph, E. C. Clukey, C. T. Erbrich, H. P. Jostad, B. Hansen, C. Aubeny, P. Sharma, and C. Supachawarote. 2005. “Suction anchors for deep water applications.” In Proc., 1st Int. Symp. on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG), 3–30. Leiden, Netherlands: A.A. Balkema.
API (American Petroleum Institute). 2007. Recommended practice for planning, designing and constructing fixed offshore platforms—Working stress design. API RP2A-WSD. 21st ed. Washington, DC: API Publisher Services.
Arora, K. R. 2014. Soil mechanics and foundation engineering. Delhi, India: Standard Publishers Distributors.
Aubeny, C. P., S. W. Han, and J. D. Murff. 2003. “Inclined load capacity of suction caissons.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech. 27 (2): 1235–1254. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.319.
Bhattacharjee, S., S. Majhi, D. Smith, and R. Garrity. 2014. Serpentina FPSO mooring integrity issues and system replacement: Unique fast track approach. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Bjerrum, L. 1954. “Geotechnical properties of Norwegian marine clays.” Géotechnique 4 (2): 49–69. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1954.4.2.49.
Chan, N. H. C., J. M. Paisley, and G. L. Holloway. 2008. “Characterization of soils affected by rig emplacement and Swiss cheese operations—Natuna Sea, Indonesia: A case study.” In Proc., 2nd Jack-Up Asia Conf. and Exhibition. Ottawa: Canadian Science Publishing.
Chang, K., M. S. Hossain, D. Wang, and Y. H. Kim. 2019. “Cyclic capacity and diving potential of novel fish anchor in calcareous silt.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 145 (9): 04019054. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002095.
Chen, J. 2017. “Centrifuge model study on pull-out behaviour of suction embedded plate anchor.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National Univ. of Singapore.
Chow, S. H., C. D. O’Loughlin, Z. Zhou, D. J. White, and M. F. Randolph. 2019. “Penetrometer testing in a calcareous silt to explore changes in soil strength.” Géotechnique 70 (12): 1160–1173. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.19.P.069.
Colliat, J. L., H. Dendani, and K. Schroeder. 2007. “Installation of suction piles at deepwater sites in Angola.” In Proc., 6th Int. Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics Conf.: Confronting New Challenges and Sharing Knowledge, 413–420. London: Society for Underwater Technology.
Colliat, J. L., S. Safinus, N. Boylan, and K. Schroeder. 2018. “Formation and development of seabed trenching from subsea inspection data of deepwater Gulf of Guinea moorings.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Einav, I., and M. F. Randolph. 2006. “Effect of strain rate on mobilised strength and thickness of curved shear bands.” Géotechnique 56 (7): 501–504. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2006.56.7.501.
Erbrich, C. T. 2005. “Australian frontiers–spudcans on the edge.” In Proc., 1st Int. Symp. on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, 49–74. Leiden, Netherlands: A.A. Balkema.
Erbrich, C. T., and P. Hefer. 2002. “Installation of the Laminaria suction piles—A case history.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Fagundes, D. F., K. I. Rammah, J. Pequeno, J. R. M. S. Oliveira, A. S. S. Almeida, and R. G. Borges. 2012. “Strength behvaiour analysis of an offshore Brazilian marine clay.” In Proc., 31st Int. Conf. on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. New York: ASME.
Finnie, I., and M. F. Randolph. 1994. “Bearing response of shallow foundations on uncemented calcareous soil.” In Proc., Int. Conf. Centrifuge, 535–540. London: CRC Press.
Frankenmolen, S. F., C. T. Erbrich, and R. E. Fearon. 2017. “Successful installation of large suction caissons and driven piles in carbonate soils.” In Proc., 8th Int. Conf. Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics Committee, 956–962. London: Society for Underwater Technology.
Frankenmolen, S. F., D. J. White, and C. D. O’Loughlin. 2016. “Chain-soil interaction in carbonate sand.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Han, C., and J. Liu. 2017. “A modified method to estimate chain inverse catenary profile in clay based on chain equation and chain yield envelope.” Appl. Ocean Res. 68 (6): 142–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2017.08.016.
Han, C., D. Wang, C. Gaudin, C. D. O’Loughlin, and M. J. Cassidy. 2016. “Behaviour of vertically loaded plate anchors under sustained uplift.” Géotechnique 66 (8): 681–693. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.15.P.232.
Hodder, M. S., D. J. White, and M. J. Cassidy. 2013. “An effective stress framework for the variation in penetration resistance due to episodes of remoulding and reconsolidation.” Géotechnique 63 (1): 30–43. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.9.P.145.
Hossain, M. S., B. Lehane, Y. Hu, and Y. Gao. 2012. “Soil flow mechanisms around and between stiffeners of caissons during installation in clay.” Can. Geotech. J. 49 (3): 442–459. https://doi.org/10.1139/t2012-008.
Hossain, M. S., C. D. O’Loughlin, and Y. H. Kim. 2015. “Dynamic installation and monotonic pullout of a torpedo anchor in calcareous silt.” Géotechnique 65 (2): 77–90. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.13.P.153.
ISO (International Standards Organisation). 2016. Petroleum and natural gas industries—Specific requirements for offshore structures—Part 4: Geotechnical and foundation design considerations. Geneva: ISO.
Kim, Y. H., M. S. Hossain, and D. Wang. 2015. “Dynamically installed anchors: Performance of embedded mooring chain profile in clay.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Symp. on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, 881–886. Leiden, Netherlands: A.A. Balkema.
Koh, K. X., M. S. Hossain, and Y. H. Kim. 2017. “Installation and monotonic pullout of a suction caisson anchor in calcareous silt.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 143 (2): 04016098. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001604.
Koh, K. X., Y. H. Kim, and M. S. Hossain. 2020. “Cyclic response of a stiffened suction caisson anchor in calcareous silt.” Ocean Eng. 201 (2): 107097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.107097.
Lehane, B. M., N. Boukpeti, J. A. H. Carraro, and S. Elkhatib. 2014. “Mechanical response of two carbonate sediments from Australia’s North West Shelf.” In Proc., 33rd Int. Conf. on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. New York: ASME.
Lehane, B. M., S. Elkhatib, and P. Brunning. 2015. “Skirt penetration resistance in carbonate soils from the CPT.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Symp. on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, 301–306. Leiden, Netherlands: A.A. Balkema.
Martin, C. M., and M. F. Randolph. 2006. “Upper-bound analysis of lateral pile capacity in cohesive soil.” Géotechnique 56 (2): 141–145. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2006.56.2.141.
Mazzei, D. P. C. 2008. “Normalised mechanical properties of resedimented Gulf of Mexico clay from integrated ocean drilling program expedition leg 308.” Master of engineering thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Menzies, D., and R. Roper. 2008. “Comparison of jackup rig spudcan penetration methods in clay.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Neubecker, S. R., and M. F. Randolph. 1995a. “Performance of embedded anchor chains and consequences of anchor design.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Neubecker, S. R., and M. F. Randolph. 1995b. “Profile and frictional capacity of embedded anchor chains.” J. Geotech. Eng. 121 (3): 797–803. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1995)121:11(797).
Neubecker, S. R., and M. F. Randolph. 1996. “The performance of drag anchor and chain systems in cohesive soil.” Mar. Georesour. Geotechnol. 14 (2): 77–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641199609388305.
O’Loughlin, C. D., D. J. White, and S. A. Stanier. 2015. “Novel anchoring solutions for FLNG-opportunities driven by scale.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
O’Neill, M., C. T. Erbrich, and A. McNamara. 2018. “Prediction of seabed trench formation induced by anchor chain motions.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Ouyang, Z., and P. W. Mayne. 2018. “Calibrating NTH method for f′ in clayey soils using centrifuge CPTu.” In Proc., 4th Int. Symp. on Cone Penetration Testing (CPT’18). London: Taylor & Franchis.
Randolph, M. F. 2012. “Offshore design approaches and model tests for sub-failure cyclic loading of foundations.” In Mechanical behaviour of soils under environmentally induced cyclic loads, 441–480. New York: Springer.
Randolph, M. F., C. Gaudin, S. M. Gourvenec, D. J. White, N. Boylan, and M. J. Cassidy. 2011. “Recent advances in offshore geotechnics for deep water oil and gas developments.” Ocean Eng. 38 (7): 818–834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2010.10.021.
Randolph, M. F., and S. M. Gourvenec. 2011. Offshore geotechnical engineering. Abingdon, UK: Spon Press.
Randolph, M. F., and A. R. House. 2002. “Analysis of suction caisson capacity in clay.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. (OTC). Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Randolph, M. F., R. J. Jewell, K. J. L. Stone, and T. A. Brown. 1991. “Establishing a new centrifuge facility.” In Proc., Int. Conf. Centrifuge, 3–9. Rotterdam, Netherlands: A.A. Balkema.
Randolph, M. F., M. P. O’Neill, D. P. Stewart, and C. T. Erbrich. 1998. “Performance of suction anchors in fine-grained calcareous soils.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Richardson, M. D. 2008. “Dynamically installed anchors for floating offshore structures.” Ph.D. thesis, School of Civil & Resource Engineering, Univ. of Western Australia.
Sahdi, F., J. G. Tom, P. G. Watson, C. Gaudin, and M. F. Bransby. 2020. “Effect of water entrainment on seabed soils during cyclic pipe-soil interaction.” In Proc., 4th Int. Symp. on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics. Leiden, Netherlands: A.A. Balkema.
Sahdi, F., D. J. White, C. Gaudin, M. F. Randolph, and N. Boylan. 2016. “Laboratory development of a vertically oriented penetrometer for shallow seabed characterization.” Can. Geotech. J. 53 (1): 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2015-0165.
Sassi, K., S. Zehzouh, M. Blanc, L. Thorel, D. Cathie, A. Puech, and J. L. Colliat. 2018. “Effect of seabed trenching on the holding capacity of suction anchors in soft deepwater Gulf of Guinea clays.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Houston: Offshore Technology Conference.
Seed, H. B., and C. K. Chan. 1957. “Thixotropic characteristics of compacted clays.” In Proc., American Society of Civil Engineers. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Sorta, A. R., D. C. Sego, and W. Wilson. 2012. “Effect of thixotropy and segregation on centrifuge modelling.” Int. J. Phys. Modell. Geotech. 12 (4): 143–161. https://doi.org/10.1680/ijpmg.12.00003.
Stewart, D. P. 1992. “Lateral loading of pile bridge abutments due to embankment construction.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Western Australia.
Sun, C., X. Feng, M. F. Bransby, S. R. Neubecker, M. F. Randolph, and S. M. Gourvenec. 2019a. “Numerical investigations of the effect of strain softening on the behaviour of embedded mooring chains.” Appl. Ocean Res. 92 (10): 101944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2019.101944.
Sun, C., X. Feng, S. R. Neubecker, M. F. Randolph, M. F. Bransby, and S. M. Gourvenec. 2019b. “Numerical study of mobilized friction along embedded catenary mooring chains.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 145 (10): 04019081. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002154.
Tjelta, T. I. 2015. “The suction foundation technology.” In Frontiers in offshore geotechnics III-Meyer. London: Taylors & Francis Group.
Watson, P. G., et al. 2019. “Foundation design in offshore carbonate sediments-building on knowledge to address future challenges.” In Advances in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering—Volume 7: From research to applied geotechnics, 240–274. Amsterdam, Netherlands: IOS Press.
White, D. J., and M. S. Hodder. 2010. “A simple model for the effect on soil strength of episodes of remoulding and reconsolidation.” Can. Geotech. J. 47 (7): 821–826. https://doi.org/10.1139/T09-137.
Zhao, Y., and H. Liu. 2016. “Numerical implementation of the installation/mooring line and application to analyzing comprehensive anchor behaviors.” Appl. Ocean Res. 54 (1): 101–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2015.10.007.
Zhou, M., M. S. Hossain, Y. Hu, and H. Liu. 2016. “Installation of stiffened caissons in non-homogeneous clays.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 142 (2): 04015079. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001381.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 7 • July 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 1, 2020
Accepted: Feb 23, 2022
Published online: Apr 18, 2022
Published in print: Jul 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Sep 18, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Mi Zhou, Ningxin Yang, Yinghui Tian, Xihong Zhang, Inclined Pullout Capacity of Suction Anchors in Clay over Silty Sand, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 10.1061/JGGEFK.GTENG-11074, 149, 6, (2023).
- L. Cheng, S.N. Ullah, Y. Hu, M. Zhou, W. Jiang, Numerical analysis of lateral – Moment capacity of bucket foundations for offshore wind turbine in sand, Marine Structures, 10.1016/j.marstruc.2022.103337, 87, (103337), (2023).