Evaluation of undrained failure envelopes of caisson foundations under combined loading

In this paper, results of a three-dimensional finite element study addressing the effect of embedment ratio (L/D) of caisson foundations on the undrained bearing capacity under uniaxial and combined loadings are discussed. The undrained response of caisson foundations under uniaxial vertical (V), horizontal (H) and moment (M) loading are investigated. A series of equations are proposed to predict the ultimate vertical, moment and maximum horizontal bearing capacity factors. The undrained response of caisson foundations under combined V-H and V-M load space is studied and presented using failure envelopes generated with side-swipe method. The kinematic mechanism accompanying failure under uniaxial loading is addressed and presented for different embedment ratios. Predictions of the uniaxial bearing capacities are compared with other models and it is confirmed that the proposed equations appropriately describe the capacity of caisson foundations under uniaxial vertical, horizontal and moment loading in homogenous undrained soils. The results of this paper can be used as a basis for standard design codes of off-shore skirted shallow foundations which will be the first of its kind.     

Earth Pressure on Caissons in Marine Clay Under Cyclic Loading

Coastal protection is proposed to be made out of a contiguous caisson type of wall. These caissons can be designed to resist both lateral static and cyclic loading. With adequate depth of embedment, the walls can be designed to offer significant lateral passive resistance to counteract the lateral static and cyclic loading arising out of wave action. This article describes a set of laboratory tests on model caissons embedded into soft marine clay with different embedment depths. Specially designed earth pressure cells are embedded into the caisson at different depths. A pneumatic system was used to apply lateral static and cyclic loading. Test beds were prepared conforming to soft clay conditions in a test tank of appropriate size. The test results reveal that with this type of arrangement the variation in earth pressure with depth can be conveniently established. The earth pressure developed is related to the lateral load applied. The depth at which the maximum earth pressure occurs is same for both static and cyclic loading. Further, under cyclic loading there is no failure encountered even under cyclic loading level corresponding to 0.9 times the ultimate static lateral capacity.     

Bearing capacity of semi-deep skirted foundations on clay using stress characteristics and finite element analyses

Semi-deep skirted foundations are now considered to be a viable foundation option for a variety of onshore and offshore applications. The capacity under combined vertical, horizontal, and moment loadings must be found to ensure their capability and stability. In this study, undrained bearing capacity subjected to vertical loading, as part of combined loading is determined through stress characteristics and finite element analyses. Circular skirted foundations with different soil strength and geometries considering embedment depth effects have been studied. Stress field, kinematic mechanism accompanying failure, and bearing capacity factors for various embedment ratios are investigated. Acquired vertical failure mechanism has demonstrated the transition from a general shear to a punch shear failure. Comparisons with different research works including conventional methods, upper and lower bound, finite element analyses, physical modeling, experimental, and centrifuge tests have indicated the underestimation of conventional approaches and accuracy of proposed methods in determining bearing capacity. Furthermore, differences between predicted bearing capacities and the results of this study increased with D/B ratio due to ignoring the significant role of skin friction in larger embedment circumference.     

软黏土中桶形基础竖向循环加载超重力离心模型试验研究

桶形基础越来越广泛应用于海洋油气平台、海上风机、输电塔、防波堤等构筑物,研究其循环承载特性对以上构筑物服役安全性具有重要意义。通过在软黏土中开展单桶循环上拔以及小间距群桶循环上拔和循环下压超重力离心模型试验,发现循环上拔地基破坏模式为整体破坏,裂隙均呈现圆弧形,循环下压呈现渐进式整体破坏模式,下压过程的挤压作用可明显减小桶周泥面高度,导致其承载力降低。模拟双向受荷工况的循环上拔试验在5次加载后荷载弱化系数开始趋于稳定,远早于单向受荷工况;单向和双向受荷工况循环上拔荷载弱化系数残余稳定值分别为0.31和0.32,循环下压荷载弱化系数最小值为0.35,表明不同加载方式竖向循环荷载作用下,此三者大小均可用软黏土地基灵敏度倒数预估。     

Behavior of drag anchor in clay with linearly increasing shear strength under unidirectional and combined loading

Drag anchor is a widely used economical anchor option for offshore floating structures. The anchor behavior under unidirectional loading and combined loading is important for anchor selection. The anchor behavior under combined loading, characterized by the yield envelope, can also be used for the prediction of anchor installation, which is still an issue in anchor design. However, most existing studies on anchor capacity are for plate anchors which focused only on the anchor pullout capacity in soil with uniform shear strength. The behavior of drag anchor under unidirectional and combined loading in soil with linearly increasing shear strength profile is seldom investigated. The current 2D finite element studies investigate the anchor behavior for a horizontal anchor fluke in clay with linearly increasing shear strength under unidirectional vertical, horizontal and rotational loadings first. Then based on the results of anchor unidirectional loading behavior, the yield envelopes for anchor under combined loading for both shallow and deep embedded flukes are studied. The effect of anchor embedment depth, soil non- homogeneity, soil overburden pressure and the soil/anchor interface breakaway conditions are studied to provide insight for drag anchor design.     

Undrained Bearing Capacity of Suction Caissons for Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations by Numerical Limit Analysis

Determining the ultimate capacity of suction caissons in response to combined vertical, horizontal, and moment loading is essential for their design as foundations for offshore wind turbines. However, the method implemented for stability analysis is quite limited. Numerical limit analysis has an advantage over traditional limit equilibrium methods and nonlinear finite element methods in this case because upper and lower bounds can be achieved to ensure that the exact ultimate capacity of the caisson falls within the appropriate range. This article presents theories related to numerical limit analysis. Simulations are conducted for centrifuge model tests, the findings of which reveal the ability of numerical limit analysis to deal with the inclined pullout capacity of suction caissons. Finally, this article proposes an estimation of the ultimate capacity of a 3.5 MW offshore wind turbine foundation on normally consolidated clay based on the typical environmental parameters of Bothkennar, Scotland. Undrained failure envelopes and safety factors are obtained for suction caissons with different embedment ratios. Failure mechanisms, plastic zones, clay stress distributions, and the influence of the skin friction coefficients of caissons are discussed in detail.     

离岸裙式吸力基础在砂土地基中沉贯性研究

吸力基础是海洋工程中新型的一种基础型式,广泛应用于海洋平台、海洋浮动式结构等,近年来,也被作为浅海离岸风力发电工程的基础。吸力基础易遭受较大的水平动力荷载和弯矩,从而可能产生较大水平位移和转角;同时,由于海床冲刷,会降低其承载能力。为克服这些不足,提出了一种新型吸力基础———裙式吸力基础,把分析传统吸力基础砂土中的沉贯方法,拓广到裙式吸力基础中,研究该基础型式在砂土中的可沉贯性以及所需的吸力;并与同情况下的传统吸力基础进行了比较,证明了所提出的裙式吸力基础具有较好的沉贯性能,具有工程实践推广价值。     

Numerical study of effect of fluke inclination on behavior of drag anchor in clay with linearly increasing shear strength under unidirectional and combined loading

Drag anchor is a widely used anchor type in offshore engineering for the mooring system. The prediction of the anchor trajectory installation and the final position is important for anchor selection in design. The existing method using yield envelope method for trajectory prediction ignored the shallow anchor behavior but applied the deep yield envelope from a deeply embedded horizontal fluke in uniform clay for the whole drag-in installation process. However, the anchor fluke embedment depth and inclination angle change continually during installation in clay with linearly increasing shear strength soil profile in practice. Studies on the effect of fluke inclination angle on the anchor behavior in clay with such non-uniform soil profile under unidirectional and combined loading are important and necessary for the improvement of the yield envelope method to ensure a reasonable prediction. The current 2D finite element studies investigate the anchor behavior for inclined fluke in clay with linearly increasing shear strength under unidirectional vertical, horizontal and rotational loadings first. Then the effects of the fluke inclination angle, soil non-homogeneity and embedment depth ratio on the shallow yield envelopes are investigated. It is found that the effect of fluke inclination angle on the vertical capacity factors for anchor in clay with non-uniform and uniform soil profile is largely different. The resultant large impact on the yield envelopes shown here illustrates the importance of considering the fluke inclination angle and soil non-homogeneity in the prediction of anchor trajectory using yield envelope method.     

Undrained bearing capacity of spudcan under combined loading

The bearing capacities of spudcan foundation under pure vertical (V),horizontal (H),moment (M) loading and the combined loading are studied based on a series of three-dimensional finite element analysis.The effects of embedment ratio and soil non-homogeneity on the bearing capacity are investigated in detail.The capacities of spudcan under different pure loading are expressed in non-dimensional bearing capacity factors,which are compared with published results.Ultimate limit states under combined loading are presented by failure envelopes,which are expressed in terms of dimensionless and normalized form in three-dimensional load space.The comparison between the presented failure envelopes and available published numerical results reveals that the size and shape of failure envelopes are dependent on the embedment ratio and the non-homogeneity of the soil.     

海底管道沉箱基础的复合承载力包络面研究

当负压沉箱被用作深水管汇或管道终端基础时,其长径比常介于1～2之间,而目前的沉箱复合承载力包络面表达式大都针对长径比不超过1的情况,少数覆盖长径比大于1的研究又不适用于土体表层强度非零的情况。采用有限元方法,模拟竖向力、水平力和弯矩共同作用下沉箱基础的响应,采用Probe加载模式获得沉箱的复合承载力包络面。进行大量变动参数分析,针对长径比为1～2的沉箱,讨论了长径比和土体强度分布对单向承载力和包络面的影响,并给出了预测沉箱复合承载力的归一化表达式。     

Assessment of cyclic response to suction caisson in clay using a three-dimensional displacement approach

An investigation was made to present analytical solutions of cyclic response to suction caisson subjected to inclined cyclic loadings in clay using a three-dimensional displacement approach. A model representing the relationship between vertical load and vertical displacement and that between lateral load and lateral displacement along the skirt of suction caisson subjected to cyclic loadings is proposed for overconsolidated clay. For the effect of vertical load on cyclic load capacity of suction caisson, using the Mindlin solution in the case of a vertical point load, the vertical stress of soil under the base of suction caisson is presented. For the stress state of soil beneath the base of suction caisson subjected to cyclic loading, the Mohr–Coulomb failure line and critical state line are presented and the relationship between total stress, effective mean principal stress, stress difference, and pore-pressure is elucidated. The comparison of results predicted by the present method for a suction caisson subjected to cyclic loadings in clay has shown good agreement with those obtained from field tests. Cyclic behavior of clay up to failure is made clear from the relationship between cyclic tensile load, vertical and lateral displacements, and rotation and that between depth, vertical, and lateral pressures.     

V⁃H荷载作用下海洋平台吸力式桩桶桩土承载特性研究

用于海洋平台的吸力式桩桶基础作为一种新型平台基础正逐渐成为人们研究的重点。为研究吸力式桩桶单桩基础的受力特性,对V-H（竖向—水平）联合荷载作用下的吸力式单桩基础桩土的承载特性进行了数值模拟,并将数值模拟的有限元解通过与API规范中对p-y曲线的计算方法进行对比来验证有限元模型的可行性,最后采用分级作用力的加载方式对其破坏包络曲线进行绘制,并推导出相应的函数表达式。研究表明,采用ABAQUS有限元分析软件对吸力式桩桶进行数值模拟是可行的,随着对吸力式桩桶所施加V-H联合荷载的不断增大,吸力式桩桶所能体现的应力和弯矩极限值也在随之增大,其位移变化主要在施加荷载的区域附近,最后在联合荷载作用下所体现的极限承载状态,即包络曲线大致呈四分之一的椭圆形状。     

Model tests on installation and extraction of suction caissons in dense sand

A series of model tests were performed on steel- and Perspex-made suction caissons in saturated dense marine sand to explore installation and extraction behaviors. The extractions of the caisson were conducted by applying monotonic loading or by pumping water into the caisson. Responses of suction caissons to pullout rates, aspect ratios, and extraction manners were examined. Test results show that a cone-shaped subsidence region occurs around the suction caisson during the suction-assisted installation. The pullout bearing capacity of the suction caisson in sand is dominated by the loading rate and the loading manner. For the suction caisson subjected to monotonic loading, the maximum bearing capacity is reached at the pullout rate of about 20.0?mm/s. The mobilized vertical displacement corresponding to the pullout capacity increases with increasing the pullout rate. The passive suction beneath the suction caisson lid reaches the maximum value when the pullout bearing capacity is mobilized. In addition, during the suction caisson extracted by pumping water into the caisson, the maximum pore water pressure in the caisson is obtained under the displacement of approximately 0.04 times the caisson diameter. The absolute values of the maximum pore water pressures for the suction caissons approximately equal those of the maximum vertical resistances at the monotonic pullout rate of 5 mm/s. When the vertical displacements of the suction caissons with the aspect ratio of 1.0 and 2.0 reach 0.92 and 1.77 times the caisson diameter, respectively, the seepage failure occurs around the caissons. Using a scaling method, the test results can be used to predict the time length required for the prototype suction caisson to be extracted from the seabed.     

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.     

H-M Bearing Capacity of A Modified Suction Caisson Determined by Using Load-/Displacement-Controlled Methods

This paper presents a series of monotonically combined lateral loading tests to investigate the bearing capacity of the MSCs(modified suction caissons) in the saturated marine fine sand. The lateral loads were applied under load- and displacement-controlled methods at the loading eccentricity ratios of 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5. Results show that, in the displacement-controlled test, the deflection-softening behavior of load-deflection curves for MSCs was observed, and the softening degree of the load-deflection response increased with the increasing external skirt length or the decreasing loading eccentricity. It was also found that the rotation center of the MSC at failure determined by the load-controlled method is slightly lower than that by the displacement-controlled method. The calculated MSC capacity based on the rotation center position in serviceability limit state is relatively conservative, compared with the calculated capacity based on the rotation center position in the ultimate limit state. In the limit state, the passive earth pressures opposite the loading direction under load- and displacement-controlled methods decrease by 46% and 74% corresponding to peak values, respectively; however, the passive earth pressures in the loading direction at failure only decrease by approximately 3% and 7%, compared with their peak values.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">H-M</Emphasis> bearing capacity of a modified suction caisson determined by using load-/displacement-controlled methods

This paper presents a series of monotonically combined lateral loading tests to investigate the bearing capacity of the MSCs (modified suction caissons) in the saturated marine fine sand. The lateral loads were applied under load- and displacement-controlled methods at the loading eccentricity ratios of 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5. Results show that, in the displacement-controlled test, the deflection-softening behavior of load-deflection curves for MSCs was observed, and the softening degree of the load-deflection response increased with the increasing external skirt length or the decreasing loading eccentricity. It was also found that the rotation center of the MSC at failure determined by the load-controlled method is slightly lower than that by the displacement-controlled method. The calculated MSC capacity based on the rotation center position in serviceability limit state is relatively conservative, compared with the calculated capacity based on the rotation center position in the ultimate limit state. In the limit state, the passive earth pressures opposite the loading direction under load- and displacement-controlled methods decrease by 46% and 74% corresponding to peak values, respectively; however, the passive earth pressures in the loading direction at failure only decrease by approximately 3% and 7%, compared with their peak values.     

Stability of the Guiding Dike in Yangtze Estuary Under the Wave Load

1 .IntroductionIt has beenrealizedthat constructing gravitystructures onsoft soil foundations is a difficult task,especiallyinthe marine area where boththe geological and environmental conditions are severe .Thisisnot only because the bearing capacity of the soft foundation is relatively low, but also because thestrength of the soft soil will befurther weakened bythe waveloading (Andersenet al .,1988 ;Ander-sen and Lauritzsen,1988 ; Yasuhara ,1988) .The strength weakening may cause serious d…     

Study on Failure Mechanism and Bearing Capacity of Three-Dimensional Rectangular Footing Subjected to Combined Loading

This paper presents two kinematic failure mechanisms of threc-dimensional rectangular footing resting on homogeneous undrained clay foundation under uniaxial vertical loading and uniaxial moment loading. The failure mechanism under vertical loading comprises a plane strain Prandti-type mechanism over the central part of the longer side, and the size of the mechanism gradually reduces at the ends of the longer side and over the shorter side as the corner of rectangular footing is being approached where the direction of soil motion remains normal to each corresponding side respectively. The failure mechanism under moment loading comprises a plane strain scoop sliding mechanism over the central part of the longer side, and the radius of scoop sliding mechanism increases linearly at the ends of the longer side. On the basis of the kinematic failure mechanisms mentioned above, the vertical ultimate bearing capacity and the ultimate bearing capacity against moment or moment ultimate bearing capacity are obtained by use of upper bound limit analysis theory. At the same time, numerical analysis results, Skempton＇ s results and Salgado et al. ＇s results are compared with this upper bound solution. It shows that the presented failure mechanisms and plastic limit analysis predictions are validated. In order to investigate the behaviors of undrained clay foundation beneath the rectangular footing subjected to the combined loadings, numerical analysis is adopted by virtue of the general-purpose FEM software ABAQUS, where the clay is assumed to obey the Mohr-Coulomb yielding criterion. The failure envelope and the ultimate bearing capacity are achieved by the numerical analysis results with the varying aspect ratios from length L to breadth B of the rectangular footing. The failure mechanisms of rectangular footing which are subjected to the combined vertical loading V and horizontal loading H （Vertical loading V and moment loading M, and horizontal loading H and moment loading M respectively are observed in the finite e     

V-M荷载作用下双层黏土地基破坏包络线研究

地基破坏包络线的研究是复合加载模式下地基承载力设计的关键。根据建立的数值计算模型,用Abaqus商业软件分析了V-M荷载作用下,位于双层黏土地基上条形基础的破坏包络线随上层土厚度比、土层强度比的变化规律,以及地基破坏模式随荷载偏心率的变化趋势。用有效面积概念将传统竖向极限承载力换算为V-M荷载平面的破坏包络线,与数值计算结果进行对比。结果表明,公式换算方法适用于均质黏土地基,而对双层黏土地基偏于保守。     

Cyclic Bearing Mechanism of Suction Caissons Supporting Offshore Wind Turbines in Clay

The bearing behavior of suction caissons supporting offshore wind turbines under two-way cyclic lateral loading and dead load in clay was investigated with consideration of soil strength degradation and adhesive interface friction between caisson walls and heterogeneous clay using the finite-element package ABAQUS.An ABAQUS built-in user subroutine was programmed to calculate the adhesive interface friction between clay and caisson walls.The results of parametric studies showed that the degradation of bearing capacity could be aggravated by the decrease of the aspect ratio.The offset between the rotation point of the soil inside the caisson and the central axis of the caisson increased with the increasing vertical load and number of cycles.The linearly increasing strength profile and adhesive interface led to the formation of an inverted spoon failure zone inside the caisson.The settlement-rotation curves in each cycle moved downwards with increasing number of cycles due to the soil strength degradation.