Bearing Performance of Finned Suction Caissons under Combined VHMT Loading in Clay
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 5
Abstract
This paper reports numerical investigations on the bearing performance of a novel finned suction caisson foundation under combined vertical, horizontal, moment, and torsional loading in clay. From comprehensive comparison analyses between finned and nonfinned suction foundations, improvements in uniaxial and combined loading capacities due to the assembled fins are examined and interpreted by insights into the failure mechanisms. Effects of non-coplanar torsional loading on the combined loading capacity surfaces are investigated and evaluated with the aid of the failure envelope method. A set of closed-form expressions accommodated to three different loading scenarios (zero-, low- and high-torsion conditions) are proposed based on a detailed design chart to estimate the bearing performance under combined vertical (), horizontal (), moment (), and torsional () loading (denoted as VHMT loading) in clay. The critical considerations in design including effects of loading direction and foundation–soil interface are also discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the support received from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 42177122; No. 52271290), and the Young Experts of Taishan Scholars (No. tsqn202211071). The third author would like to acknowledge the support from the DNV internal research funding. The corresponding author acknowledges the support from the NGI research funding.
References
Andersen, K. H., and H. P. Jostad. 2002. “Shear strength along outside wall of suction anchors in clay after installation.” In Proc., 12th Int. Offshore and Polar Engineering Conf. Cupertino, CA: International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference.
API (American Petroleum Institute). 2011. Recommended practice 2GEO geotechnical and foundation design considerations. 1st ed. Washington, DC: API.
Bienen, B., B. W. Byrne, G. T. Houlsby, and M. J. Cassidy. 2006. “Investigating six-degree-of-freedom loading of shallow foundations on sand.” Géotechnique 56 (6): 367–379. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2006.56.6.367.
Bienen, B., C. Gaudin, and M. J. Cassidy. 2007. “Centrifuge tests of shallow footing behaviour on sand under combined vertical torisonal loading.” Int. J. Phys. Modell. Geotech. 7 (2): 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1680/ijpmg.2007.070201.
Bransby, M. F., and M. F. Randolph. 1998. “Combined loading of skirted foundations.” Géotechnique 48 (5): 637–655. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1998.48.5.637.
Bransby, M. F., and M. F. Randolph. 1999. “The effects of embedment on the undrained response of caisson foundations to combined loadings.” Soils Found. 39 (4): 19–33. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.39.4_19.
Bransby, M. F., and G. J. Yun. 2009. “The undrained capacity of skirted strip foundations under combined loading.” Géotechnique 59 (2): 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2007.00098.
Butterfield, R., G. T. Houlsby, and G. Gottardi. 1997. “Standardised sign conventions and notation for generally loaded foundations.” Géotechnique 47 (5): 1051–1054. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1997.47.5.1051.
Byrne, B. W., and G. T. Houlsby. 2005. “Investigating 6 degree of freedom loading on shallow foundations.” In Proc., Int. Symp. on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG), 477–482. London: CRC Press.
Cassidy, M. J., and J. Cheong. 2005. “The behaviour of circular footings on sand subjected to combined vertical-torsion loading.” Int. J. Phys. Modelling Geotech. 5 (4): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1680/ijpmg.2005.050401.
Dassault Systèmes. 2010. ABAQUS analysis users’ manual. Providence, RI: Simula Corp.
Davis, E. H., and J. R. Booker. 1973. “The effect of increasing strength with depth on the bearing capacity of clays.” Géotechnique 23 (4): 551–563. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1973.23.4.551.
DNV GL (Det Norske Veritas). 2017. Geotechnical design and installation of suction anchors in clay. RP E303. Oslo, Norway: DNV GL.
Feng, X., M. F. Randolph, and S. Gourvenec. 2014. “An analytical solution for the undrained horizontal–torsional resistance of mudmats.” Géotechnique 67 (4): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.16.P.026.
Finnie, I. M. S., and N. Morgan. 2004. “Torsional loading of subsea structures.” In Proc., 4th Int. Offshore and Polar Engineering Conf., 326–333. Richardson, TX: OnePetro.
Fu, D., C. Gaudin, B. Bienen, Y. Tian, and M. J. Cassidy. 2018. “Combined load capacity of a preloaded skirted circular foundation in clay.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 144 (11): 04018084. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001960.
Fu, D., C. Gaudin, Y. Tian, M. J. Cassidy, and B. Bienen. 2017. “Uniaxial capacities of skirted circular foundations in clay.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 143 (7): 04017022. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001685.
Fu, D., Y. Zhang, Y. Yan, and H. P. Jostad. 2020. “Effects of tension gap on the holding capacity of suction anchors.” Mar. Struct. 69 (Jan): 102679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marstruc.2019.102679.
Fu, D., Z. Zhou, Y. Yan, D. L. Pradhan, and J. Hennig. 2021. “A method to predict the torsional resistance of suction caisson with anti-rotation fins in clay.” Mar. Struct. 75 (Jan): 102866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marstruc.2020.102866.
Gourvenec, S. 2007. “Failure envelopes for offshore shallow foundations under general loading.” Géotechnique 57 (9): 715–728. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2007.57.9.715.
Gourvenec, S. 2008. “Effect of embedment on the undrained capacity of shallow foundations under general loading.” Géotechnique 58 (3): 177–185. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2008.58.3.177.
Gourvenec, S., and M. F. Randolph. 2003. “Effect of strength non-homogeneity on the shape and failure envelopes for combined loading of strip and circular foundations on clay.” Géotechnique 53 (6): 575–586. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2003.53.6.575.
Herduin, M., C. Gaudin, and L. Johanning. 2018. “Anchor sharing in sands: Centrifuge modelling and soil element testing to characterise multi-directional loadings.” In Proc., 37th Int. Conf. on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering (OMAE2018). New York: ASME. https://doi.org/110.1115/OMAE2018-77419.
Houlsby, G. T., and A. M. Puzrin. 1999. “The bearing capacity of a strip footing on clay under combined loading.” Proc. R. Soc. London, Series A: Math. Phys. Eng. Sci. 455 (1983): 893–916. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1999.0340.
ISO. 2016. Petroleum and natural gas industries specific requirements for offshore structures—Part 4: Geotechnical and foundation design considerations. ISO 19901-4: 2016 (en). Geneva: ISO.
Lee, J., and C. P. Aubeny. 2021. “Lateral undrained capacity of a multiline ring anchor in clay.” Int. J. Geomech. 21 (5): 04021047. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001995.
Murff, J. D., C. P. Aubeny, and M. Yang. 2010. “The effect of torsion on the sliding resistance of rectangular foundations.” In Proc., 2nd Int. Symp. on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG 2010), edited by S. Gourvenec and D. White, 439–443. London: CRC Press.
Nouri, H., G. Biscontin, and C. Aubeny. 2014. “Undrained sliding resistance of shallow foundations subject to torsion.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 140 (8): 04014042. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001138.
Prandtl, L. 1921. “Eindringungsfestigkeit und Festigkeit von Schneiden.” Zeit Angew. Math Mech. 1: 15. https://doi.org/10.1002/zamm.19210010102.
Randolph, M. F., M. P. O’Neill, D. P. Stewart, and C. Erbrich. 1998. “Performance of suction anchors in fine-grained calcareous soils.” In Proc., Offshore Technology Conf. Richardson, TX: OnePetro.
Randolph, M. F., and A. M. Puzrin. 2003. “Upper bound limit analysis of circular foundations on clay under general loading.” Géotechnique 53 (9): 785–796. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2003.53.9.785.
Salgado, R., A. V. Lyamin, S. W. Sloan, and H. S. Yu. 2004. “Two and three-dimensional bearing capacity of foundations in clay.” Géotechnique 54 (5): 297–306. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2004.54.5.297.
Taiebat, H. A., and J. P. Carter. 2000. “Numerical studies of the bearing capacity of shallow foundations on cohesive soil subjected to combined loading.” Géotechnique 50 (4): 409–418. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2000.50.4.409.
Taiebat, H. A., and J. P. Carter. 2002. “Bearing capacity of strip and circular foundations on undrained clay subjected to eccentric loads.” Géotechnique 52 (1): 61–64. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2002.52.1.61.
Taiebat, H. A., and J. P. Carter. 2010. “A failure surface for circular footings on cohesive soils.” Géotechnique 60 (4): 265–273. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.7.00062.
Terzaghi, K. 1943. Theoretical soil mechanics. New York: Wiley.
Vulpe, C., S. Gourvenec, B. Leman, and K. N. Fung. 2016. “Failure envelope approach for consolidated undrained capacity of shallow foundations.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 142 (8): 04016036. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001498.
Vulpe, C., S. Gourvenec, and M. Power. 2014. “A generalised failure envelop for undrained capacity of circular shallow foundations under general loading.” Géotech. Lett. 4 (3): 187–196. https://doi.org/10.1680/geolett.14.00010.
Xiao, Z., D. Fu, Z. Zhou, Y. Lu, and Y. Yan. 2019. “Effects of strain softening on the penetration resistance of offshore bucket foundation in nonhomogeneous clay.” Ocean Eng. 193 (Dec): 106594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2019.106594.
Yun, G., A. Maconochie, J. Oliphant, and M. F. Bransby. 2009. “Undrained capacity of surface footings subjected to combined V-H-T loading.” In Proc., 9th Int. Offshore and Polar Engineering Conf., 9–14. Cupertino, CA: International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference.
Yun, G. J., and F. Bransby. 2007. “The undrained vertical bearing capacity of skirted foundations.” Soils Found. 47 (3): 493–505. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.47.493.
Zhang, W., Z. Zhou, D. Pradhan, P. Wang, and H. Jin. 2022. “Design considerations of drag anchors in cohesive soil for floating facilities in the South China sea.” Mar. Struct. 81 (Jan): 103101. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.47.493.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 21, 2022
Accepted: Dec 11, 2023
Published online: Feb 29, 2024
Published in print: May 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jul 29, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Caissons
- Clays
- Continuum mechanics
- Dynamic loads
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Failure analysis
- Failure loads
- Flow (fluid dynamics)
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Foundation design
- Foundations
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Horizontal loads
- Hydrologic engineering
- Load bearing capacity
- Soil mechanics
- Soils (by type)
- Solid mechanics
- Static loads
- Statics (mechanics)
- Structural dynamics
- Suction
- Vertical loads
- Water and water resources
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.