Numerical investigation of prediction method for spudcan settlement in normally consolidated kaolin clay

Abstract

The post-installation consolidation settlement of spudcan foundations is an issue of concern for the offshore jack-up industry, especially when jack-up rigs operate for a long period such as those serving as production units. Although many centrifuge tests or numerical calculations have been conducted for spudcan behaviour after consolidation, there are no guidelines available to predict the consolidation settlement development. This paper reports a study dedicated to this subject. The spudcan installation and consolidation under operational load was continually simulated through the dual-stage Eulerian-Lagrangian analyses incorporating the modified Cam-clay model. Its feasibility and reliability were verified by comparison with other experimental results in literature. Parametric studies were carried out for spudcans under various soil parameters and geometrical conditions. A suitable method, Hyperbolic method, is proposed to predict spudcan settlement during consolidation with observed data.