INVESTIGATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF SKIRTED FOUNDATIONS IN COHESIVE SOIL

Abstract

One predominant challenge faces the geotechnical engineers is to evaluate of the behavior of shallow foundations subjected to inclined and eccentric loads (i.e. horizontal loads, H, and moments, M, in addition to central vertical loads, V). This sort of shallow foundations practice is encountered in various applications, especially the offshore structures. The foundations of offshore structures are often subjected to substantial horizontal loads and moments resulting from the frequent environmental loads acting laterally on the superstructure, e.g. wind and wave forces consequent to a storm. In some cases, however, the subsoil below the sea bed can be of highly compressive cohesive soils, e.g. marine deposits. In such conditions, the soil load carrying capacity may be insufficient to resist the imposed inclined and eccentric loads, besides considerable foundation settlements may occur. In such a case, therefore, in last a few pervious decades a new technique was developed in offshore engineering, called skirted foundation.