Numerical Modelling of Undrained Capacity of Hybrid Skirted Foundation Under Combined Loading

This paper establishes the undrained capacity of a circular skirted mat under uniaxial horizontal and moment loading, respectively, and presents the combined vertical, horizontal and moment (VHM) capacity envelopes for a novel concept for foundations that combines a skirted mat with a suction caisson. This foundation concept enables self-installation and preloading of the footing. Specifically, this research explores the effect of the central caisson on the failure mechanisms and the resulting VHM capacity through finite element analysis. The results demonstrate that the central caisson more than doubles the horizontal capacity while moderately increasing the capacity in the vertical and moment loading directions.