Sustained Tensile Loading Analysis of Suction Buckets Considering the Load Characteristics and Drainage Condition

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4. Sustained Tensile Loading Analysis of Suction Buckets Considering the Load Characteristics and Drainage Condition

Suction bucket jackets are a foundation type for specific applications where driven piles are technically unfeasible or uneconomical. Certain load cases evoke sustained tensile loading of the suction bucket facilitating drainage. Consequently, the induced suction pressure dissipates and finally, the suction bucket can only mobilise its drained resistance. However, the suction pressure contributes to the resistance under undrained and partially drained conditions providing spare capacities to withstand temporarily higher loads. The aim is to optimise the design in terms of sustained tensile loading in order to achieve a robust and at the same time efficient result under consideration of the suction bucket's drainage condition and relevant load characteristics. This paper demonstrates a methodology adopting finite element modelling to calculate the drainage period, which is analysed against the load characteristics obtained from simulated load-time series. The key parameters influencing the drainage period are systematically analysed. Moreover, this paper outlines a method to extract loads and their associated durations from simulated load-time series and to transfer these to a design load curve. The results reveal that the hydraulic conductivity has a greater impact on the drainage period than the suction buckets geometry, such as skirt length and diameter, while layered soil profile implicitly influence drainage. The conjunction between the drainage period and the design load curve highlights the importance of accounting the partial drained behaviour for an efficient design. Overall, this paper outlines refined analyses to avoid overly conservative designs in cases where sustained tensile loading is critical.

5th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG2025)

11 - Suction installed foundations and anchors