Study of Spudcan Reinstallation Near Existing Footprint in Soft Clay

Spudcan extraction leaves a footprint and disturbed soil surrounding the footprint, which introduces uncertainty and complexity in the spudcan-footprint interaction during spudcan reinstallation. This paper reports large deformation from finite element results of spudcan reinstallation near the footprint considering the effect of soil disturbance. Three stages are proposed based on the failure mechanisms of a spudcan reinstalled in disturbed soil and undisturbed soil. Besides, the effects of soil disturbance on the position of the maximum horizontal force and moment are discussed. It could be found that the critical offset distance in the disturbed case is larger than that in the undisturbed case. In addition, the maximum horizontal force and moment occur at different depths in the disturbed case and undisturbed case. A critical area is proposed based on the analyses, which could be useful for determining the position of the maximum horizontal force and moment in practical design.