Continuous pipe penetration in clay

Abstract

The load-penetration response of a pipe in clay is of fundamental importance to the on-bottom stability assessment of a pipeline and the interpretation of T-bar penetrometer data. This paper aims to summarize the findings of a series of large strain large deformation numerical analyses performed to simulate the continuous loadpenetration response of a smooth pipe section with particular emphasis on the transition from a shallow bearing capacity mechanism to a deep plastic flow mechanism and elucidates on the practical implications of the key findings. © 2012 by International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers.