Horizontal Capacity of Embedded Suction Anchors in Clay

Abstract

The embedded suction anchor (ESA) is a type of permanent offshore foundation that is installed by a suction pile. The primary factors influencing the horizontal pullout capacity of an ESA include the loading point, the soil type, the embedment depth, and the addition of flanges. The main purpose of this study is to develop an analytical solution that is capable of estimating the horizontal pullout capacity of ESAs with the loading point being anywhere along its length with or without flanges. An analytical solution has been developed to estimate the horizontal pullout capacity of embedded suction anchors in clay seafloor. Validation has been made through comparisons with the centrifuge model test results. Results indicate that the horizontal pullout capacity of the embedded suction anchor in clay increases, reaches its peak, and then starts to decrease as the point of the load application moves downward. The effect of flanges on the horizontal pullout capacity is also found to be significant. The horizontal pullout capacity is a direct function of the loading point. The horizontal pullout capacity increases as the loading point moves downward and the maximum pullout capacity is obtained when the loading point is approximately at the mid-depth. The increase in horizontal pullout capacity can be significant, i.e., more than twice in magnitude when the maximum pullout capacity is compared with that associated with the loading point near the top or tip.