Author(s)

S. Bang, Y. Cho & K. Jones

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. Keywords: suction pile, retrieval, mobilized soil strength. 1 Introduction Suction piles have been used with great success in offshore locations in recent years due to its significant advantages over conventional piles. Wider use of suction piles in near future is therefore expected. Almost all suction piles constructed to date are designed as permanent structure. However, it may be necessary to retrieve such piles due to many reasons, e.g., misalignment of the pile axis during installation, reuse of the pile at different locations, restoration of the seafloor for environmental concerns, etc. Therefore, an accurate analytical solution method needs to be established, providing incremental values of the correct positive water pressure inside the pile for safe retrieval of suction piles. This will further expand the utilization of suction piles in offshore and maritime applications.

Keywords

suction pile, retrieval, mobilized soil strength.