Components of suction caisson capacity measured in axial pullout tests

Suction caissons are the foundation of choice for offshore structures in deep water. Systematic study of caisson behavior is relegated to the laboratory due to the high cost of full-scale testing. Our laboratory caisson was installed in normally consolidated clay using dead weight and suction. Tensile axial capacity was measured with the top cap vented or sealed, and with the soil undrained or drained. For the common case of rapid pullout with a sealed top, the test results indicate an external side resistance factor (α) of 0.5-0.8 and a reverse end bearing factor (Nc) of 13-21.