Study of the Force and Deformation Characteristics of Subsea Mudmat-Pile Hybrid Foundations

Abstract

To study the force and deformation characteristics of subsea mudmat-pile hybrid foundations under different combined loads, a project at a water depth of 200 m in the South China Sea was studied. A numerical model of a subsea mudmatpile hybrid foundation is developed using the numerical simulation software FLAC3D. The settlement of the seabed soil, the bending moments of the mudmat, and the displacements and bending moments along the pile shaft under different load combinations, including vertical load and horizontal load, vertical load and bending moment, and horizontal load and bending moment load, are analyzed. The results indicate that settlement of the seabed soil is reduced by the presence of piles. The settlement of the mudmat is reduced by the presence of piles. Different degrees of inclination occur along the pile shaft. The angle of inclination of pile No. 1 is greater than that of pile No. 2. The dip directions of piles No. 1 and No. 2 are identical under the vertical load and bending moment and are opposite to those under the other combined loads. The piles that are located at the junctions between the mudmat and the tops of the piles are easily destroyed.

Keywords

• subsea mudmat-pile hybrid foundations
• force characteristics
• deformation characteristics
• combined loads