Studies on Suction-Assisted Installation Behavior of Suction Caissons in Clay Under Various Undrained Shear Strengths.

Suction caissons are widely used for anchoring floating platform and offshore wind turbines. Penetration of the suction caisson into the desired position under the combination of its self-weight and applied suction resulted from pumping out the encased water is integral to practical engineering. Model tests were carried out to investigate the suction-assisted installation of suction caissons in clay under various undrained shear strengths. It was found that there exists a critical penetration depth value. When the penetration depth is smaller than the critical value, the soil plug undrained shear strength is higher than intact clay (i.e., clay prior to installation). However, when the penetration depth is greater than the critical penetration depth, the undrained shear strength of soil plug is lower than intact clay. The critical value decreases with the increasing consolidation time and undrained shear strength of clay. During suction-assisted installation, cracks occur around suction caissons. The installation way has little effect on the crack formation. The influence range (i.e., the maximum distance between the crack and the suction caisson edge) was found to increase with the increasing friction coefficient of interface between the suction caisson wall and soil and decreases with the increasing soil undrained shear strength. In addition, the drained condition of the clay during installation is dominated by the caisson aspect ratio, the undrained shear strength and the friction coefficient between the caisson wall and clay. Equations to estimate the penetration resistance and the required suction to install the suction caisson are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]