Pullout behavior of model suction anchors in soft marine clays

This paper reports the results of laboratory testing on the suction anchor under short-term monotonic and sustained loading. Model anchors of different L/D ratios were installed in a soft clay bed prepared in a test tank and the uplift load was applied through a wire rope and pulley arrangement. To measure the suction developed in the system, inductive pressure transducers of 100 kPa capacity were used. The sustained pullout load tests were conducted for a load level (F/Pu) of 30%, 50% and 75%. Test results reveals that in all the static tests, suction pressure is found to be a function of anchor displacement.