Performance of a shallow skirted foundation for TLP mooring in carbonate silt

This paper presents centrifuge test results of the response of a shallow skirted foundation in a normally consolidated fine-grained carbonate silt. The foundation is subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading relevant to mooring of a deep water Tension Leg Platform (TLP). The loading sequences represented a range of mean and cyclic load regimes allowing for the systematic analysis of foundation response rather than a single design case.A theoretical framework to account for the loss of embedment during mobilization including dragdown of the adjacent soil is proposed, as well as consideration of gapping and cyclic strength.