Total and effective stress analysis of suction caissons for Gulf of Mexico conditions

This paper presents numerical analyses of suction caissons for Gulf of Mexico soil conditions. Deepwater Gulf of Mexico surface sediments are predominantly normally consolidated with shear strengths negligible at the mud line and increasing linearly with depth. Total and effective stress analyses are presented using commonly available material models. The effects of loading direction, load-point application, and caisson length to diameter ratio are investigated. The numerical analyses include plane strain and Fourier interpolation element simulations of three-dimensional response. Considerations are given to the effect of the strength model used to describe the soil mass. Practical observations on the importance of various modelling assumptions are given.