Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.12989/ose.2015.5.4.279

Analytical study of the failure mode and pullout capacity of suction anchors in sand  

Liu, Haixiao (State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University)
Peng, Jinsong (State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University)
Zhao, Yanbing (State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University)
Publication Information
Ocean Systems Engineering / v.5, no.4, 2015 , pp. 279-299 More about this Journal
Abstract
Suction anchors are widely adopted and play an important role in mooring systems. However, how to reliably predict the failure mode and ultimate pullout capacity of the anchor in sand, especially by an easy-to-use theoretical method, is still a great challenge. Existing methods for predicting the inclined pullout capacity of suction anchors in sand are mainly based on experiments or finite element analysis. In the present work, based on a rational mechanical model for suction anchors and the failure mechanism of the anchor in the seabed, an analytical model is developed which can predict the failure mode and ultimate pullout capacity of suction anchors in sand under inclined loading. Detailed parametric analysis is performed to explore the effects of different parameters on the failure mode and ultimate pullout capacity of the anchor. To examine the present model, the results from experiments and finite element analysis are employed to compare with the theoretical predictions, and a general agreement is obtained. An analytical method that can evaluate the optimal position of the attachment point is also proposed in the present study. The present work demonstrates that the failure mode and pullout capacity of suction anchors in sand can be easily and reasonably predicted by the theoretical model, which might be a useful supplement to the experimental and numerical methods in analyzing the behavior of suction anchors.
Keywords
suction anchor; failure mode; pullout capacity; inclined loading; analytical model; sand;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Achmus, M., Akdag, C.T. and Thieken, K. (2013), "Load-bearing behavior of suction bucket foundations in sand", Appl. Ocean Res., 43, 157-165.   DOI
2 Allersma, H.G.B., Brinkgreve, R.B.J., Simon, T. and Kirstein, A.A. (2000), "Centrifuge and numerical modelling of horizontally loaded suction piles", Int. J. Offshore Polar., 10(3), 222-228.
3 Ahmed, S.S. and Hawlader, B.C. (2014), "Finite element modeling of inclined load capacity of suction caisson in sand with Abaqus/Explicit", Proceedings of the 24th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, Busan, Korea, June.
4 Aubeny, C.P., Han, S.W. and Murff, J.D. (2003), "Inclined load capacity of suction caissons", Int. J. Numer. Anal. Method. Geomech., 27(14), 1235-1254.   DOI
5 Bang, S. and Cho, Y. (2001), "Ultimate horizontal loading capacity of suction piles", Proceedings of the 11th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, Stavanger, Norway, June.
6 Bang, S., Jones, K., Kim, Y.S., Kim, K.O. and Cho, Y. (2006b), "Horizontal pullout capacity of embedded suction anchors in sand", Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Hamburg, Germany, June.
7 Bang, S., Jones, K., Kim, Y.S., Kim, K.O. and Cho, Y. (2006c), "Vertical pullout capacity of embedded suction anchors in sand", Proceedings of the 16th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, San Francisco, California, USA, May.
8 Bang, S., Jones, K.D., Kim, K.O., Kim, Y.S. and Cho, Y. (2011), "Inclined loading capacity of suction piles in sand", Ocean Eng., 38(7), 915-924.   DOI
9 Bang, S., Leahy, J.C., Cho, Y. and Kwon, O. (2006a), "Horizontal bearing capacity of suction piles in sand", J. T. Res. Board, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, No. 1975, 21-27.
10 Brinch Hansen, J. (1961), "The ultimate resistance of rigid piles against transversal forces", Danish Geotechnical Institute, 12, 5-9.
11 Broms, B.B. (1964), "Lateral resistance of piles in cohesive soils", J. Soil Mech. Foundations Div., 90(2), 27-64.
12 Clukey, E.C., Aubeny, C.P. and Murff, J.D. (2003), "Comparison of analytical and centrifuge model tests for suction caissons subjected to combined loads", Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Cancun, Mexico, June.
13 Deng, W. and Carter, J.P. (2000), "Inclined uplift capacity of suction caissons in sand", Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, USA, May.
14 EI-sherbiny, R.M. (2005), Performance of suction caisson anchors in normally consolidated Clay, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas.
15 Fleming, W.G.K., Weltman, A.J., Randolph, M.F. and Elson, W.K. (1992), Piling engineering. Surrey University Press, London.
16 Gao, Y.F., Qiu, Y., Li, B., Li, D.Y., Sha, C.M. and Zheng, X. (2013), "Experimental studies on the anti-uplift behavior of the suction caissons in sand", Appl. Ocean Res., 43, 37-45.   DOI
17 Jones, K.D., Bang, S. and Cho, Y. (2007), "Pullout capacity of embedded suction anchors in sand", Ocean Eng., 34(16), 2107-2114.   DOI
18 Jang, Y.S. and Kim, Y.S. (2013), "Centrifugal model behavior of laterally loaded suction pile in sand", KSCE J. Civil Eng., 17(5), 980-988.   DOI
19 Jiao, B.T., Lu, X.B., Zhao, J., Wang, A.L., Shi, Z.M. and Zeng, X.H. (2009), "Experimental study on the bearing capacity of suction caissons in saturated sand", Proceedings of the 19th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, Osaka, Japan, June.
20 Keaveny, J.M., Hansen, S.B., Madshus, C. and Dyvik, R. (1994), "Horizontal capacity of large-scale model anchors", Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, New Delhi, India, January.
21 Kim, K.O., Kim, Y.S., Cho, Y., Bang, S. and Jones, K. (2009), "Centrifuge model tests on suction piles in sand under inclined loading", Proceedings of the 19th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, Osaka, Japan, June.
22 Kulhawy, F.H., Trautmann, C.H., Beech, J.F., O'Rourke, T.D., Mcguire, W., Wood, W.A. and Capano, C. (1983), Transmission line structure foundations for uplift-compression loading, Report, Electric Power Research Institute, USA.
23 Lehane, B.M., Elkhatib, S. and Terzaghi, S. (2014), "Extraction of suction caissons in sand", Geotechnique, 64(9), 735-739.   DOI
24 Liu, H.X., Wang, C. and Zhao, Y.B. (2013), "Analytical study of the failure mode and pullout capacity of suction anchors in clay", Ocean Syst. Eng., 3(2), 79-95.   DOI
25 Liu, H.X., Zhang, W., Liu, C.L. and Hu, C. (2012), "Movement direction of drag anchors in seabed soils", Appl. Ocean Res., 34, 78-95.   DOI
26 Reese, L.C., Cox, W. R. and Koop, F.D. (1974), "Analysis of laterally loaded piles in sand", Proceedings of the 6th Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, May.
27 Randolph, M.F. and House, A. (2002), "Analysis of suction caisson capacity in clay", Proceedings of the 34th Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, USA, May.
28 Thieken, K., Achmus, M. and Schroder, C. (2014), "On the behavior of suction buckets in sand under tensile loads", Comput. Geotech., 60, 88-100.   DOI
29 Verruijt, A. (2006), Soil Mechanics, Merwehoofd, Papendrecht, Netherlands.
30 Tjelta, T.I. (2001), "Suction piles: their position and applications today", Proceedings of the 11th International Offshore Conference, Stavanger, Norway, June.
31 Zeinoddini, M., Mousavi, A. and Hobbi, D. (2010), "Inclined load bearing capacity of suction caissons embedded in sands", Int. J. Earth Sci. Eng., 3(4), 563-571.
32 Zhang, L.Y., Silva, F. and Grismala, R. (2005), "Ultimate lateral resistance to piles in cohesionless soils", J. Geotech. Geoenviron., 131(1), 78-83.   DOI
33 Zhang, W. (2011), Penetration mechanism and kinematic behavior of drag anchors, Ph.D. Dissertation, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.