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A finite element approach for determining the full load–displacement relationship of axially loaded shallow screw anchors, incorporating installation effects

Abstract:
Screw anchors have been recognised as an innovative solution to support offshore jacket structures and floating systems, due to their low-noise installation and potential enhanced uplift capacity. Results published in the literature have shown that for both fixed and floating applications, the tension capacity is critical for design, but may be poorly predicted by current empirical design approaches. These methods also do not capture the load–displacement behaviour, which is critical for quantifying performance under working loads. In this paper, a finite element methodology is developed to predict the full tensile load–displacement response of shallow screw anchors installed in sand for practical use, incorporating the effects of a pitch-matched installation. The methodology is based on a two-step process. An initial simulation, based on wished-in-place conditions, enables the identification of the failure mechanism as well as the shear strain distribution at failure. A second simulation refines the anchor capacity using soil–soil interface finite elements along the failure surface identified previously and also models installation through successive loading–unloading of the screw anchor at different embedment depths. The methodology is validated against previously published centrifuge test results. This simplified numerical approach has been derived to approximate the results in a single step.
Publication status:
Published

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Publisher copy:
10.1139/cgj-2019-0548

Authors

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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Engineering Science
Oxford college:
Brasenose College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-1936-881X


Publisher:
Canadian Science Publishing
Journal:
Canadian Geotechnical Journal More from this journal
Volume:
58
Issue:
4
Pages:
565-582
Publication date:
2020-06-30
Acceptance date:
2020-06-02
DOI:
EISSN:
1208-6010
ISSN:
0008-3674


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
2360754
Local pid:
pubs:2360754
Deposit date:
2026-03-19
ARK identifier:

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