ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3575-8810
Current Organisations
Norwegian Geotechnical Institute
,
University of Western Australia
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Civil engineering | Civil geotechnical engineering
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 08-2020
Abstract: Plate anchor technology is an efficient solution for mooring offshore floating facilities for oil and gas or renewable energy projects. When used with a taut mooring, the anchor is typically subjected to a maintained load component and intermittent episodes of cyclic loading throughout the design life. These loads, and the associated shearing, remoulding and consolidation processes, cause changes in the anchor capacity, particularly in soft, fine-grained soils. The changing anchor capacity affects the mooring performance by changing the safety margin and also the overall system reliability. In this paper the changing anchor capacity in reconstituted, normally consolidated natural carbonate silt was assessed through a series of beam centrifuge tests on horizontally loaded circular plate anchors. The results demonstrate that full consolidation under a typical maintained load leads to a 50% gain in the anchor capacity, and subsequent cyclic loading and reconsolidation can triple this increase. An effective stress framework based on critical state concepts is employed to explain and support the experimental observations. This study shows that, when viewed from a whole-life reliability perspective, maintained and cyclic loading provide a long-term enhancement of anchor capacity in soft, fine-grained soils. This beneficial effect is currently overlooked in design practice, but can be predicted using the framework shown here, which can form the basis for a digital twin that monitors the through-life integrity of a plate anchor.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Date: 06-2021
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 03-2020
Abstract: Full-flow T-bar and ball penetrometer tests are often used to measure intact and remoulded soil strengths, with the latter determined after several large- litude displacement cycles. In offshore design, the remoulded soil strength is often the governing design parameter during installation of subsea infrastructure, while a ‘cyclic strength’ applies for the less severe operational cyclic loading. This paper utilises T-bar penetrometer tests to measure both remoulded and cyclic strengths, where the latter is determined by way of a new test protocol involving cycles between load rather than displacement limits. The tests use kaolin clay and a reconstituted carbonate silt and involve three cyclic phases with intervening consolidation periods. The results demonstrate the important and beneficial role of consolidation, with the loss in strength due to remoulding sometimes surpassed by the strength recovery from consolidation. The most significant gains in strength, to 2·5 times the initial value, were measured in the load-controlled cyclic tests. These data demonstrate a novel way to characterise undrained cyclic strength, taking advantage of consolidation to reduce conservatism.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 24-10-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Date: 2024
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 05-2020
Abstract: Steel catenary risers (SCRs) are an efficient solution to transfer hydrocarbons from deep-water seabeds to floating facilities. SCR design requires an assessment of the fatigue life in the touchdown zone, where the riser interacts with the seabed, which relies on reliable estimates of the SCR–seabed stiffness over the design life. Current models for SCR–seabed stiffness consider only undrained conditions, neglecting the development and dissipation of excess pore pressures that occur over the life of the SCR. This consolidation process alters the seabed strength and consequently the SCR–seabed stiffness. This paper summarises experimental data that show that long-term cyclic vertical motion of an SCR at the touchdown zone leads to a reduction in seabed strength due to remoulding and water entrainment, but that this degradation is eclipsed by the regain in soil strength during consolidation. The main focus of this paper is on prediction of the temporal changes in seabed strength and stiffness due to long-term cyclic shearing and consolidation, to support calculations of SCR–seabed interaction. The predictions are obtained using a framework that considers the change in effective stress and hence soil strength using critical state concepts, and that considers the soil domain as a one-dimensional column of elements. The merit of the model is assessed by way of simulations of SCR centrifuge model tests with over 3000 cycles of repeated undrained vertical cycles in normally consolidated kaolin clay. Comparisons of the simulated and measured profiles of SCR penetration resistance reveal that the model can capture accurately the observed changes in SCR–seabed stiffness. Ex le simulations show the merit of the model as a tool to assess the timescale in field conditions over which this order of magnitude change in seabed stiffness occurs. It is concluded that current design practice may underestimate the seabed stiffness significantly, but the new approach allows rapid checking of this for particular combinations of SCR and soil conditions.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-07-2021
DOI: 10.3390/JMSE9080797
Abstract: Vacuum preloading combined with prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) has the potential to improve the soft sediments under water, however, its development is partly limited by the unclear understanding of the mechanism. This paper aims to extend the comprehension of the influential mechanism of overlapping water in the scenario of underwater vacuum preloading with PVDs. The systematic investigations were conducted by small strain finite element drained analyses, with the separated analysis schemes considering suction-induced consolidation, seepage and their combination. The development of settlement in the improved soil region and the evolution of seepage flow from the overlapping water through the non-improved soil region into improved zone are examined in terms of the build-up of excess pore pressure. Based on the results of numerical analyses, a theoretical approach was set out. It was capable to estimate the time-dependent non-uniform settlement along the improved soil surface in response to the combined effects of suction-induced consolidation and seepage. The difference of underwater and onshore vacuum preloading with PVDs is discussed with some practical implication and suggestion provided.
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 2019
Abstract: Some offshore foundations are subjected to intermittent episodes of remoulding and reconsolidation during installation and operational processes. The maintained and cyclic loads, and subsequent reconsolidation processes, cause changes in the geotechnical capacity, particularly in soft clays. This changing capacity affects the in-service behaviour, including changes to the safety margin, the extraction resistance, the stiffness and structural fatigue rates and also the overall system reliability. This paper provides a new analysis framework to capture these effects, based on estimation of the changing soil strength. The framework is developed using critical state concepts in the effective stress domain, and by discretising the soil domain as a one-dimensional column of soil elements. This framework is designed as the simplest basis on which to capture spatially varying changes in strength due to maintained and cyclic loads, and the associated remoulding and reconsolidation processes. The framework can be used to interpret cyclic penetrometer tests, as well as foundation behaviour. This provides a basis for the approach to be used in design, by scaling directly from penetrometer tests to foundation behaviour. Centrifuge tests are used to illustrate the performance of this approach. The penetration resistance during cyclic T-bar penetrometer tests and spudcan footing installation with periods of maintained loading and consolidation is accurately captured. The framework therefore provides a basis to predict the significant changes in penetration resistance caused by changing soil strength, and can bridge between in situ penetrometer tests and design assessments of soil–structure interaction.
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 08-2023
Abstract: Plate anchors are an attractive technology for mooring floating facilities as relative to piles, suction caissons, and drag anchors, they provide a much higher capacity relative to their mass. Plate anchors may experience an extreme loading event that will cause geotechnical failure, although they will still retain a residual capacity. The displacement associated with bringing the anchor to failure will induce excess pore pressures that initially reduce soil strength but will dissipate over time, leading to regains in soil strength and hence anchor capacity. This paper considers the time scales and magnitude of this anchor capacity regain through a series of model scale experiments conducted in a geotechnical centrifuge. The experiments involved vertical loading of pre-embedded horizontally orientated circular anchors in normally consolidated kaolin clay. The results show that anchor capacity regain is a function of consolidation time and the level of resistance maintained on the anchor, with the longest consolidation time and highest maintained resistance leading to a capacity regain of approximately 60%. These capacity increases are described here using a simple hyperbolic function, which provides a basis for estimating the time needed for the residual anchor capacity to regain sufficient capacity following a movement event.
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 11-2020
Abstract: This paper describes a centrifuge study using novel penetrometer tests (T-bar and piezoball) and model foundation tests to explore through-life changes in the strength of a reconstituted natural carbonate silt. The test procedures include episodic cyclic loading, which involves intervals of pore pressure dissipation between cyclic packets. These loads and the associated remoulding and reconsolidation cause significant changes in the soil strength and foundation capacity. Soil strength changes from penetrometer tests differed by a factor of 15 from the fully remoulded strength to a limiting upper value after long-term cyclic loading and reconsolidation. For the model foundation tests, the foundation capacity of a surface foundation and a deep-embedded plate were studied. The soil strength interpreted from the measured foundation capacity varied by a factor of up to three due to episodes of loading and consolidation, with an associated order of magnitude increase in the coefficient of consolidation. The results show a remarkable rise in soil strength over the loading events and provide a potential link between changes in soil strength observed in penetrometer tests and the capacity of foundations, allowing the effects of cyclic loading and consolidation to be predicted.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-11-2019
DOI: 10.3390/JMSE7110401
Abstract: Subsea pipelines are commonly employed in the offshore oil and gas industry to transport high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) hydrocarbons. The phenomenon of pipeline walking is a topic that has drawn a great deal of attention, and is related to the on-bottom stability of the pipeline, such as directional accumulation with respect to axial movement, which can threaten the security of the entire pipeline system. An accurate assessment of pipeline walking is therefore necessary for offshore pipeline design. This paper reports a comprehensive suite of numerical analyses investigating the performance of pipeline walking, with a focus on the effect of increasing axial soil resistance on walking rates. Three walking-driven modes (steel catenary riser (SCR) tension, downslope, and thermal transient) are considered, covering a wide range of influential parameters. The variation in walking rate with respect to the effect of increased soil friction is well reflected in the development of the effective axial force (EAF) profile. A method based on the previous analytical solution is proposed for predicting the accumulated walking rates throughout the entire service life, where the concept of equivalent soil friction is adopted.
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 12-2020
Abstract: This paper describes a centrifuge study using a range of penetrometer tests (T-bar, piezocone and free-fall piezocone) to explore strength changes in a reconstituted, normally consolidated, natural calcareous silt. Various penetrometer test procedures were applied to measure the penetration resistances including monotonic, cyclic and twitch-type movements as well as pauses for pore pressure dissipation. These mobilised combinations of partial or full remoulding, strain softening, consolidation and viscous rate effects. The penetrometer resistance – representing a proxy for strength – reduced by a factor of 4·1 from drained to undrained conditions (at the lowest fully undrained penetration rate). In undrained conditions, viscous enhancement of the penetration resistance raised the tip and shaft resistance in free-fall piezocone tests by ∼2·8 and ∼3·6 times, respectively. The ‘restart’ resistance immediately after the dissipation tests was ∼2·5 times higher than the resistance prior to dissipation, giving an indication of consolidation-induced strength gain. The ‘twitch’ test (using sequential steps decreasing the velocity) captured drainage and viscous rate effects, and also gave a ‘restart’ resistance that showed even greater consolidation effects than from a dissipation test. Overall, the different penetrometer test types and procedures measured resistances in the same soil s le that varied by a factor exceeding 20 from highest to lowest, resulting from different penetration rates and history, due to strain rate, strain level (or remoulding) and consolidation. An expression for the monotonic penetration resistance combining drainage and viscous rate effects was fitted to the response of all tests, spanning orders of magnitude in strain rate.
Publisher: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Date: 25-06-2017
Abstract: Steel catenary risers (SCRs) are subjected to fatigue in the touchdown zone (TDZ) where the pipe interacts with the seabed. In this zone the seabed is subjected to intermittent episodes of cyclic loading and reconsolidation during long-term operation. Cyclic loading, reconsolidation and maintained load can cause variations in the soil strength and stiffness, which has a significant influence on the fatigue life of the riser in the TDZ. The weakening effect of cyclic loading on soil strength is well recognized throughout design practice, and methodologies for determining the cyclic ‘fatigue’ of clay during undrained cyclic loading are well established (e.g. Andersen et al. 1988 Andersen 2015). However, traditional undrained assessments neglect the effects of drainage and consolidation that inevitably occur in pipe-seabed interaction during long-term operational stages, and can lead to changes in stiffness by a factor of up to 5 or 10. This overlooked effect of consolidation on soil resistance and stiffness can be very important for SCR fatigue analysis. In this paper, a new analytical framework considering these effects has been used to analyze vertical pipe-seabed interaction. This framework is developed using a critical-state concept with effective stresses, and by discretizing the soil domain as a one-dimensional column of soil elements. The model can accurately capture the changing soil resistance and stiffness to account for the effects of remoulding, reconsolidation and maintained load. The framework is used to back-analysis the pipe-soil interaction response during small and large litude vertical cycles. The simulation prediction compares well with the measured results from the laboratory (Aubeny et al., 2008), and can accurately capture the observed changes in stiffness of up to a factor of 5.
Start Date: 2023
End Date: 12-2025
Amount: $594,700.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity