Journal article
A plasticity model for spudcan foundations in soft clay
Y Zhang, MJ Cassidy, B Bienen
Canadian Geotechnical Journal | CANADIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING | Published : 2014
Abstract
A plasticity model for predicting the load displacement behaviour of a typical spudcan foundation for offshore jack-up platforms under combined vertical, horizontal, and moment loading in soft clay is presented. Results from geotechnical centrifuge experiments of a spudcan embedded vertically to 0.7, 1.0, and 1.45 footing diameters are described. Augmented with finite element results, these centrifuge experiments are used to evaluate the plasticity model components. As a result of soil backflow on top of the spudcan, enhanced combined bearing capacity was measured and this is reflected in increased yield surface size. A tensile vertical load capacity is also incorporated. The excellent predi..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The first author received a University of Western Australia SIRF scholarship and an Australia-China Natural Gas Technology Partnership Fund PhD top-up scholarship during which time the work described in this paper was performed. The second author is the recipient of an ARC Laureate Fellowship (FL130100059) and holds the Chair of Offshore Foundations from the Lloyd's Register Foundation (LRF). He gratefully acknowledges this support. The third author acknowledges the funding support from an Australian Research Council (ARC) Postdoctoral Fellowship (DP11010163).