Soil-structure interface friction is an important design concern for the sliding behaviour of offshore pipeline end manifold and pipeline end termination structures. In areas where soft ground conditions prevail it is common to use rock dumping as a ground improvement strategy. However, there is limited information in the public domain regarding interface resistance properties between different materials and rock backfill. To address this shortcoming a series of experiments exploring soil-structure interface friction for steel plates on rock fill have been conducted at Oxford University. This paper describes the experimental set-up and the tests performed. The main parameters explored in the testing include plate type and weight. Measurements that were obtained include plate-rock frictional resistance, plate settlement, rock heave, and damage (induced by the rock on the plate). Salient test results are presented to illustrate the capabilities of the equipment and to demonstrate key plate-rock behaviour.
Brian Sheil, Thomas Andolfsson, Byron Byrne and Alasdair Maconochie
Keywords: soil-structure interaction, plate, rock, PLET, PLEM, laboratory testing
Publisher: DFI