Verification and calibration studies for the new CAN/CSA-S472 foundations of offshore structures

Abstract

In June 1992, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) published a code for the design, construction, and installation of fixed offshore structures. This code is relatively advanced in its application of limit states design to offshore structures. The part dealing with foundations is written as a performance standard. It does not specify resistance factors (or safety factors) to achieve the target reliability of the structure. Although limit states design is common practice among geotechnical engineers, the application of resistance factors is a problem. This paper describes some of the studies and conclusions reached by the Technical Committee in the development of the CSA foundations standard. As a first step, resistance factors were developed by calibration to conventional total factors of safety for the failure mechanisms considered. This approach has severe limitations. In particular, the applicability of safety factors developed for onshore practice or other offshore areas to the ice-dominated environment of Canadian offshore regions is questionable. In addition, many offshore structure designs include consideration of dynamic loading and scour or erosion problems that cannot be satisfactorily dealt with using factors of safety. An example of the problem of applying separate load and resistance factors for a bearing-capacity problem is given to show that load and resistance are not independent of each other. Because of the problems with development of resistance factors, the CSA foundations standard dictates that offshore structure designs include a risk analysis of the foundation system. A simple form of such an analysis for a caisson-retained sand structure is included in the paper. Key words : offshore structures, foundations, standard, safety, limit states design.