Medium-scale laboratory model of mono-bucket foundation for installation tests in sand

Design implications of suction installation of bucket foundations are still not well understood. During suction installation, applied suction under the bucket lid results in seepage flow through the surrounding sand. Seepage flow plays a pivotal role in reducing the penetration resistance, allowing for full penetration despite the initial large soil resistance. However, loosening of the inside soil plug might be problematic when the soil approaches its failure stage, due to soil piping or extensive soil heave inside the bucket foundation. To better understand the interaction between the soil and bucket skirt during suction installation, this paper describes the results of medium-scale tests of bucket foundation installations in sand, comparing jacking and suction installations. Experimental measurements of the pore pressure around the bucket skirt are compared with the numerical simulation results, to validate the finite-element model and to enable analysis of the soil behavior around the skirt.