Bearing behavior and earth pressure distribution for modified suction caissons in sand under inclined loading

Abstract

Model tests accompanying numerical analyses on the modified suction caissons (MSCs) in saturated marine sand subjected to inclined loading were conducted to investigate the bearing behavior and earth pressure distribution along the embedded depth. Influences of external structure sizes, inclined loading angles and loading point position on the inclined bearing behavior were discussed. Results show that the inclined bearing capacity significantly decreases with increasing the loading angle when the loading point locates at the outer wall of the internal compartment. It can be also found that the passive earth pressure can resist a considerable portion of the inclined load when the loading point is located at the internal compartment wall. The maximum inclined bearing capacity of MSC is obtained when the loading position locates at the internal compartment outer wall of 2 L 1/3-3L 1/4 below the caisson lid under relatively small loading angle. An equation was proposed to determine the optimum loading point position under different loading angles to obtain the maximum inclined bearing capacity.