Load-Bearing Performance of SEPLAs in Spatially Variable Clay

Abstract

The increasing deployment of floating platforms has driven the widespread adoption of suction embedded plate anchors (SEPLAs), which have emerged as a promising deep-water anchoring solution due to their precise installation and high load-bearing efficiency. While existing research on SEPLA failure mechanisms and bearing capacity predominantly relies on deterministic soil models, these approaches often neglect the inherent spatial variability of seabed soils—a critical characteristic resulting from complex geological, environmental, and physicochemical processes. To address this gap, this study presents a comprehensive stochastic analysis of SEPLA performance in spatially variable clay. Through two-dimensional random finite-element analyses coupled with Monte Carlo simulations, the study systematically investigates the failure mechanisms and bearing capacities of SEPLAs. The results reveal significant differences in failure patterns and load-bearing behavior between spatially variable and deterministic homogeneous soils, demonstrating that conventional deterministic approaches often yield unconservative solutions. Statistical analyses are conducted to quantify failure probabilities and develop reliability-based safety factors for bearing capacity under various loading directions. The proposed reliability-based design framework offers substantial advantages over traditional deterministic methods by incorporating site-specific geological conditions and loading direction variability. This approach provides engineers with more rational and precise design tools, enabling improved risk mitigation and optimized SEPLA design in spatially variable seabed conditions.