Numerical Study of the Combined Loading Envelope of a Skirted Spudcan Foundation

Foundations for offshore structures, such as mobile jack-up units, are subjected to large horizontal (H) and moment (M) loads in addition to changing vertical (V) loads. The use of a combined vertical, horizontal and moment (V-H-M) loading envelope to define foundation capacities has become increasingly applied in recent years. However, there is no study on the skirted spudcan, a new alternative foundation type to the conventional spudcan footing for jack-ups. In this study, the combined V-H-M yield envelope of a skirted spudcan foundation in clay soil is investigated with small strain finite element analyses using 3D modeling. The footing’s uniaxial bearing capacities and failure mechanisms are described. The failure envelope for the combined V-H-M loadings is presented. A comparison of the bearing capacities between the spudcan and skirted spudcan of various dimensions is also presented.