Suction caisson response under tensile and compressional vertical cyclic loading in layered soils

Marc Stapelfeldt, Britta Bienen, Jürgen Grabe

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paperConference paperpeer-review

Abstract

Offshore wind turbines supported by suction caisson jackets transfer the loading to the foundation primarily through a vertical push-pull mechanism. This leads to the foundation performance under vertical cyclic loading to be a critical design aspect, with recommended design practice usually limiting the tensile capacity in sandy soil to the drained frictional resistance. Recent research of suction caissons under cyclic vertical loading into tension in sand has revealed the complexity of the load transfer mechanisms and the importance of understanding the soil permeability governing the in-service foundation performance. Soil stratification, with sand and clay layers, adds further complexity. Numerical methods only provide rough estimates in the in-situ caisson performance. The current paucity of data of suction caisson in-service performance in layered soil under loading conditions relevant to offshore wind turbines calls for physical evidence to be gathered. This is addressed here through centrifuge tests on vertical cyclic loading, which unravel the actual impact of tensile loads below and above the drained frictional capacity. The vertical cyclic loading test results indicate that not just the development of suction pressure inside the caisson foundation, but also the interplay between tension and compression have a significant effect on the overall response of suction caisson under cyclic vertical loading in layered soils.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG)
Place of PublicationUSA
PublisherDeep Foundations Institute
Publication statusPublished - 2020
Event4th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics - Austin, United States
Duration: 8 Nov 202011 Nov 2020
Conference number: 4
https://www.isfog2020.org/proceedings

Conference

Conference4th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics
Abbreviated titleISFOG 2020
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAustin
Period8/11/2011/11/20
Internet address

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