Assessment of Feasibility of Suction Pile/Anchor Installation and Pullout Testing through Field Tests

Abstract

Suction pile anchors are large cylindrical (inverted bucket type structure) open at the bottom and closed at the top and largely used for mooring of offshore platforms, exploratory vessels etc. Prediction of the mooring capacity of suction piles is a critical issue faced by the design engineers and rational methods are required to produce reliable designs. Tests have been conducted in an existing natural pond within NIOT campus with the objective of developing methodology of deployment, design and logistics for suction pile installation and testing of mooring capacity under static pullout. Small size suction piles with varying diameters and lengths have been used in the tests. The tests have been carried out in the natural pond with constant water depth of 1.5 m with the top 1.5 m layer of bed comprising soft marine clay. It is found that pile geometry, aspect ratio and angle of pullout have a significant influence on the response to pullout. As angle of mooring load application changes from vertical to horizontal the reaction offered by the suction pile changes from skin friction to passive soil resistance. Resistance offered by the internal plug of soil is found to vary according to dimension of the anchor piles.