Transition of Soil Strength During Suction Pile Retrieval

Abstract

A field suction pile retrieval test was conducted inside the Okpo Harbor in southern Korea during the summer of 2003. A steel suction pile was used to install a permanent embedded anchor in the clay seafloor soil. After the embedded anchor was installed, the suction pile was retrieved using positive water pressure inside the pile. The field test provided detailed instrumentation on the relationship between the applied positive water pressure inside the pile and the resulting pile pullout. This paper describes the transition of the soil strength during the suction pile retrieval process.