Effect of embedment on the vertical capacity of bucket foundation in loose saturated sand: Physical modeling

ABSTRACT

Bucket foundations have been widely used for a variety of offshore applications. The effects of skirt length on ultimate bearing capacity of bucket foundation have been studied and reported in published scientific papers. However, few studies have addressed the behavior of bucket foundations in loose saturated sand. In this paper, a series of experimental investigations were performed to determine the bearing capacity of bucket foundation under uniaxial loading. The experiments were conducted on small-scale foundations under vertical loading in loose saturated sand. It was found that increasing the skirt length would enhance the bearing capacity of bucket foundation. As reflected in the present study, bearing strength might be enhanced more than 5 times in loose saturated sand in comparison to surface footing with equivalent diameter. Based on the experimental investigation, a depth factor was proposed to approximate bearing capacity of bucket foundations in terms of those for surface footing and embedment ratio. Moreover, the corresponding settlement of foundation at the failure load was found to increase with skirt length.     

Bearing capacity of shallow foundations in clay with linear increase in strength and adhesion factor

In this paper, the computational lower bound (LB) limit analysis using finite element with second-order cone programming was used to investigate the LB solutions of the undrained bearing capacity of continuous footing with a linear increase in the strength profile and an adhesion factor at the soil–footing interface. A full range of parametric studies of the dimensionless strength gradients and adhesion factors at the soil–footing interface were performed in the LB calculations. The results were verified by comparison with the available solution from the method of characteristics (slip-line analysis) for perfectly smooth and rough footings. The LB analyses were able to complete a prior solution of undrained bearing capacity with a linear increase in the strength profile by incorporating the influence of adhesion factor at the soil–footing interface. Based on the nonlinear regression to the computed LB solutions, an approximate expression of the LB solution regression was proposed, which is applicable to an accurate prediction of a safe load for offshore shallow foundations in clay with an arbitrary linear increase in strength and adhesion factor at soil–foundation interface in practice.     

Modelling the drained response of bucket foundations for offshore wind turbines under general monotonic and cyclic loading

The response of bucket foundations on sand subjected to planar monotonic and cyclic loading is investigated in the paper. Thirteen monotonic and cyclic laboratory tests on a skirted footing model having a 0.3 m diameter and embedment ratio equal to 1 are presented. The loading regime reproduces the typical conditions of offshore wind turbines: very large cyclic overturning moment, large cyclic horizontal load and comparatively little, self-weight induced, vertical load. The experimental soil-foundation response is interpreted within the macro-element approach, using an existing analytical model, suitably modified to accommodate the footing embedment and the application of cyclic load. Details of the proposed model are provided together with evidences of its ability to reproduce the essential features of the experimentally observed behaviour. The results of the study aim at increasing the confidence in the use of the macro-element approach to predict the response of bucket foundations for offshore wind turbines, notably as the long-term accumulated displacements are concerned.     

Numerical investigations of soil plugging effect inside large-diameter,open-ended wind turbine monopiles driven by vibratory hammers

Abstract

This study established a Couple Eulerian–Lagrange model to simulate monopile vibratory penetration for the investigation of soil plugging effect during high-frequency penetration of monopiles for wind turbine. Simulation analysis is focused particularly on soil plugging effect of a large diameter monopile during vibratory penetration into sand, clay, or layered soil. The results of the numerical simulation show that soil plugging effect is unlikely to occur during monopile penetration into the clay soil, while partial soil plugging may occur during the sand penetration. Penetration resistance at the pile toe is transferred to the radial stress around the pile wall. At a critical point penetration process, internal shaft friction becomes larger than external shaft friction. Moreover, radial pressure factors increase during partial soil plugging effect. For layered soil, the topsoil not only has great influence on the soil plugging effect, but also affects shaft friction in the subsoil during monopile penetration.     

Drainage conditions around monopiles in sand

Large diameter monopiles are typical foundation solutions for offshore wind turbines. In design of the monopile foundations in sand, it is necessary to understand the drainage conditions of the foundation soil under the design loading conditions as the soil performance (strength and stiffness) is highly dependent on the drainage conditions. This paper presents a numerical investigation into this issue, with a purpose to develop a simple design criterion for assessing the soil drainage conditions around a monopile in sand. It is found that for typical monopile foundations in sand, the drainage condition during a single load cycle is generally expected to be undrained. However, the current state-of-practice uses p-y springs derived for drained soil responses for monopile design. The impact of this discrepancy on monopile foundation design was evaluated and found to be insignificant due to the relatively low level of loading as compared to the capacity of the soil.     

自升式平台桩脚在含硬壳层地基中的插深分析

存在硬壳层的层状地基承载能力分析是自升式钻井平台桩脚插深分析的关键,但是目前对硬壳层承载能力的确定还没有成熟可行的理论计算方法。一般的针对非均质层状地基的承载力计算方法,因参数较多,计算步骤繁琐,很难广泛应用于实际的平台桩脚入泥深度分析中。文中主要介绍了存在硬壳层的层状地基承载力的分析方法与过程,根据应力扩散原理推导并做适当的简化得到硬壳层承载力修正方法。简化后的修正方法能满足一般硬壳层承载力分析的需要,并使平台插桩深度分析计算过程变得简便。通过在实际工程的应用,得到的实测结果与理论计算值也较为一致,说明了用此方法分析硬壳层地基的平台插桩是合理、实用的。     

Numerical analysis and centrifuge modeling of shallow foundations

The influence of non-coaxial constitutive model on predictions of dense sand behavior is investigated in this paper. The non-coaxial model with strain softening plasticity is applied into finite-element program ABAQUS, which is first used to predict the stress-strain behavior and the non-coaxial characteristic between the orientations of the principal stress and principal plastic strain rate in simple shear tests. The model is also used to predict load settlement responses and bearing capacity factors of shallow foundations. A series of centrifuge tests for shallow foundations on saturated dense sand are performed under drained conditions and the test results are compared with the corresponding numerical results. Various footing dimensions, depths of embedment, and footing shapes are considered in these tests. In view of the load settlement relationships, the stiffness of the load-displacement curves is significantly affected by the non-coaxial model compared with those predicted by the coaxial model, and a lower value of non-coaxial modulus gives a softer response. Considering the soil behavior at failure, the coaxial model predictions of bearing capacity factors are more advanced than those of centrifuge test results and the non-coaxial model results;besides, the non-coaxial model gives better predictions. The non-coaxial model predictions are closer to those of the centrifuge results when a proper non-coaxial plastic modulus is chosen.     

海洋桩靴基础穿刺破坏实时预测研究

海上自升式钻井平台以其造价低廉、便于移动和安装的优势被广泛应用于海洋地质勘察、风电安装和油气开采等领域,其基础类型多为桩靴基础。为了保证平台能在恶劣的海洋环境中安全作业,桩靴基础需要贯入海床以下一定深度以获得足够的承载力。然而,当桩靴基础在上硬下软土层中贯入时可能发生穿刺破坏导致平台损坏甚至倾覆。已有的桩靴穿刺破坏分析方法基于预设的地层参数预测穿刺荷载,由于无法考虑海床中地层及土性的不确定性,其准确性有待提高。将桩靴基础贯入过程中的监测数据与穿刺破坏机理相结合,通过66组离心机模型试验结果表征土体不确定性的影响,发展贝叶斯预测模型,实现了峰值阻力和穿刺深度的实时预测。基于规范推荐的荷载扩展分析法和冲剪系数分析法,建立了适用于规范法的概率模型,采用该模型对上砂下黏土层中桩靴基础的穿刺行为进行了预测,结果表明所提方法的预测精度随着监测数据的增加而提高,预测得到的峰值阻力误差在10%以内。     

筒型基础安装过程中筒内土塞生成的可视化模拟计算

筒型基础安装过程中,筒内的负压作用会导致土塞现象的出现。以试验模型为基础建立可变形离散元计算模型,通过VC＋＋编制的程序SPSAⅡ对筒型基础负压沉贯中土塞的生成过程进行可视化模拟计算。考虑渗流力、筒壁内外摩擦阻力和筒内负压吸力作为土塞产生的主要外荷载,分别模拟渤海地区3种典型土（黏土、粉土和砂土）的情况。其中,粉土情况下。程序的收敛速度最快,黏土情况下,土塞的计算高度最接近试验测量值,数值计算结果表明该计算方法作为筒型基础施工前筒内土塞高度的预测方法是可行的。     

Assessment of CPTU and static load test methods for predicting ultimate bearing capacity of pile

For the static pressure pile, the most important is to determine the standard value of ultimate bearing capacity of single pile. At present, the bearing capacity of pile foundation is usually determined by the cone penetration test (CPT) test. The empirical formula was used in practice, but the effect of excess pore water pressure generated in the penetration on the measured cone-tip resistance and side friction is neglected. In this study, based on the field test results at Fengyu playground at Yancheng Institute of Technology by CPT and CPTU methods, the bearing capacity of pile was predicted by the standardized methods, the LCPC (France method) and CPTU direct prediction methods. The prediction was also compared with the results by the static load test method. The prediction accuracy of the CPTU method was then discussed as well. The results reveal that the accuracy of the CPTU method was the highest, which was consistent with the results obtained by the static load test method. It is the best method and worthy of being applied for predicting bearing capacity of piles in engineering applications.     

海上风机吸力式桶形基础承载特性研究综述

风机基础作为海上风机整体结构的重要组成部分,承受着上部风机所受到的风浪流荷载,并且对风机的安全性及可靠性至关重要。吸力式桶形基础由于其安装简单和可重复利用等优点,在海洋平台基础中得到了广泛应用,并逐步应用于海上风机基础中。但由于海上风机与海洋平台在海洋环境中的荷载工况有一定的差别,仍需要通过对其承载特性研究现状进行全面认识,以实现吸力式桶形基础在海上风机基础中的可靠应用。文中通过总结和评价现有研究对桶形基础在不同土体条件以及荷载条件下进行试验及数值模拟分析得到的研究结果,综述了静荷载和循环荷载作用下砂土和黏土中的吸力式桶形基础的承载特性研究现状,以及海上风机吸力式桶形基础的相关研究。文章展望了目前应用于海上风机基础的桶形基础仍缺乏的研究,为海上风机吸力式桶形基础的可靠应用及后续研究提供重要参考。     

复合加载模式作用下地基承载性能数值分析

确定竖向荷载(V)、水平荷载(H)和力矩(M)共同作用下建筑物地基的破坏模式及在荷载空间(H,V,M)中的破坏包络面是地基设计中的关键问题。为提高Swipe试验方法计算精度,提出了改进方案,进而利用有限元方法分析了复合加载模式作用下均质粘性土地基上条形基础的破坏包络面。计算表明,基于改进Swipe试验方法的数值模拟结果明显好于常规Swipe试验方法。针对海洋工程中实际复合加载模式的特点,探讨了竖向荷载分量V对地基破坏模式和H-M荷载平面上的破坏包络线的影响,结果表明竖向荷载分量显著地改变了地基的破坏模式及包络线的形状。     

Self-Weight Penetration Characteristics of the Suction Foundation with Different Diameters in Sand

During the self-weight penetration process of the suction foundation on the dense sand seabed, due to the shallow penetration depth, the excess seepage seawater from the outside to the inside of the foundation may cause the negative pressure penetration process failure. Increasing the self-weight penetration depth has become an important problem for the safe construction of the suction foundation. The new suction anchor foundation has been proposed, and the self-weight penetration characteristics of the traditional suction foundation and the new suction anchor foundation are studied and compared through laboratory experiments and analysis. For the above two foundation types, by considering five foundation diameters and two bottom shapes, 20 models are tested with the same penetration energy. The effects of different foundation diameters on the penetration depth, the soil plug characteristics, and the surrounding sand layer are studied. The results show that the penetration depth of the new suction foundation is smaller than that of the traditional suction foundation. With the same penetration energy, the penetration depth of the suction foundation becomes shallower as the diameter increases. The smaller the diameter of the suction foundation, the more likely it is to be fully plugged, and the smaller the height of the soil plug will be. In the stage of self-weight penetration, the impact cavity appears around the foundation, which may affect the stability of the suction foundation.

     

Bearing Behavior of Cast-in-Place Expansive Concrete Pile in Coral Sand Under Vertical Loading

The low side friction of piles in coral sand results in the low bearing capacity of foundations. In this paper, expansive concrete pile is utilized to improve the bearing capacity of pile foundations in coral sand. Both model tests and numerical simulation are performed to reveal the bearing mechanism of expansive concrete pile in coral sand.Results showed that the lateral earth pressure near pile increases obviously and the side friction of piles is improved,after adding expansion agent to the concrete. The horizontal linear expansion is 1.11% and the bearing capacity increased 41% for the pile, when 25% expansion agent is added. Results in finite element numerical simulation also show that ultimate bearing capacity increases with the increase of the linear expansion ratio. Besides, the area for obvious increase in side friction is below the surface of soil about three times the pile diameter, and the expansion leads to a high side friction sharing of the pile. Therefore, the cast-in-place expansive concrete pile is effective in improving the bearing capacity of piles in coral sand.     

Numerical investigation on evolving failure of caisson foundation in sand using the combined Lagrangian-SPH method

Caisson foundations are often used in offshore engineering. However, for an optimum design understanding the failure process of a caisson during its installation and the subsequent external loadings is crucial. This paper focuses on the evolving failure of a caisson foundation in sand by advanced numerical modeling. A combined Lagrangian-smoothed particle hydrodynamics method is adopted to deal with the large deformation analysis. The method with parameters are first calibrated and validated by a simulation of cone penetration test in sand. The results of an experimental campaign of a caisson in the same sand are selected and validated for the numerical model. Then, more representative loading combinations are designated for numerical modeling of failure process and mode. Furthermore, three additional caisson dimensions D/d?=?0.5, 1.5, and 2.0 (changing the ratio of caisson diameter D to skirt length d while keeping the same soil-structure surface contact area) are simulated under six representative combined loading paths. Based on that, the influence of caisson dimension to the failure process and mode is investigated. All results are helpful to estimate all possible sliding surfaces under different monotonic combined loading paths for further limit analysis.     

Three dimensional limit analysis of suction bucket foundations

This paper presents a three dimensional limit method based on the upper bound theory for the stability of suction bucket foundations of offshore platforms. The bucket embedded in soil is subjected to a lateral load applied above the mud line. In order to simulate the lateral load, a fictitious soil layer is assumed, having a thickness equals to the vertical distance from the load point to the surface of the foundation. The unit weight and shear strength of the fictitious soil are set to be zero. The soil–bucket failure mechanism is approximated by a series of prisms. The three dimensional limit method starts from establishing a compatible velocity field and obtains the factor of safety by the energy and work balance equation. Optimization is followed to approach the critical failure mechanism that offers the minimum factor of safety. Two different basal surfaces are incorporated, i.e. an arbitrarily defined failure surface and a partly elliptical failure surface. Results of centrifuge modeling of bucket foundations are used to verify the method. The arbitrary failure surface provides more reasonable prediction than the partly elliptical failure surface. Being a multi-variable dependent problem, further investigation is needed to search for the critical failure mechanism.     

复合加载下考虑接触作用的地基承载特性数值分析

港口、海洋工程结构物基础一般处于复合加载状态,其极限承载力通常采用近来引入的极限荷载图进行评价.对位于地基表面的重力式海洋基础,需要考虑基础与地基间的接触特性对极限承载力的影响.以大型通用有限元软件ABAQUS为计算平台,建立了复合加载模式的地基极限承载力数值分析方法;针对饱和黏土地基上的表面基础,利用在ABAQUS平台上开发的接触计算模块,模拟基础与地基间竖向可分离、切向完全粘结的接触作用;进而基于建立的分析方法,进行系统的有限元计算,分析地基的破坏模式随荷载条件的变化,给出地基的极限荷载包络图,并与经典承载力计算公式结果进行对比.研究结果表明,经典承载力计算公式低估了三维荷载条件下的地基极限承载力,有限元计算模型及数值分析方法,可以较好地分析研究地基的失稳机理及承载力特性,并可考虑基础与地基不同的接触条件对破坏模式及组合极限承载力的影响.     

Centrifuge modelling of an on-bottom pipeline under equivalent wave and current loading

Pipelines are the main element in transporting hydrocarbons from their extraction sites to on-shore or floating facilities, with preference now given to pipelines laid directly on the seabed due to their fast and economic installation. However, these pipelines are exposed and must be stable under all environmental conditions, and therefore, their design for on-bottom stability is of critical importance. Although accurate prediction of the pipe–soil interaction behaviour under hydrodynamic loads from waves and currents is of major concern, limited physical testing of pipes subjected to these cyclic loading conditions has occurred. Tests have concentrated on simpler load combinations in order to develop pipe–soil friction factors or the key parameters in plasticity models that described pipe–soil behaviour. In this paper, results from geotechnical centrifuge experiments of a model pipe on calcareous sand soil collected from offshore on the North West Shelf of Australia are presented. A sophisticated load control scheme allowed complex paths characteristic of hydrodynamic loads to be applied during the testing. Furthermore, pipe testing could be extended to relatively large horizontal movements of up to 5 pipe diameter. The results of the centrifuge testing programme provide improved understanding of the pipe–soil interaction under complex hydrodynamic load paths. They have also been used to assess a state-of-the-art plasticity model describing pipe–soil interaction on calcareous sands.     

Influence of Kinematic Analysis Parameters of Drag Anchor Trajectory Prediction Using Yield Envelope Method

Drag anchor is widely applied in offshore engineering for offshore mooring systems. The prediction of the invisible trajectory during its drag-in installation is challenging for anchor design in determining the anchor final position for ensuring sufficient holding capacity. The yield envelope method based on deep anchor failure for kinematic analysis was proposed as a promising trajectory prediction method for drag anchor. However, there is a lack of analysis on the effects of the parameters applied in the kinematic analysis. The current work studies the effects of the yield envelope parameters, anchor line bearing capacity factor and the anchor/soil interface friction. It is found that the accuracy of the yield envelope parameters has large impact on the prediction results based on deep yield envelopes.Analyses of cases with smooth fluke predict deeper embedment depth than that from analyses of cases with rough fluke. The decrease of the capacity factor results in the increase of the anchor embedment depth, the anchor line load,the anchor chain angle and the stable value of the normalized horizontal load component for the same drag length,while the stable value of the normalized vertical load component decreases when the capacity factor decreases. This illustrates the importance in applying reasonable parameters and improving the method for more reliable prediction of the anchor trajectory.     

Physical and finite element modeling of lateral stability of offshore skirted gravity structures subjected to iceberg impact load

Static stability mainly against sliding of a typical, relatively large skirted gravity structure was investigated using three-dimensional finite element modeling. The numerical model was validated against centrifuge test results. A specific set of dimensions was chosen to model a typical skirted gravity structure in a centrifuge with two types of foundation soils: uniform saturated sand and a clay zone sandwiched between two sand layers. Soil shear strength parameters used in the finite element models were estimated from in-flight cone penetration resistance measurements obtained in the centrifuge. Numerical parametric studies were conducted using the validated finite element model. The parameters included were the depth and strength of the clay zone and the inclination of external load. It is shown that a relatively simple three-dimensional finite element model was effective in providing information that would be needed to design such a critical and expensive offshore structure. Basic Mohr-Coulomb strength parameters and moduli based on cone penetration resistance measurements and published empirical correlations were appropriate in modeling the soils in the finite element simulations.