An Efficient Solution to Mudmat Design for Jacket Structures in Soft Seabed Soil

Abstract

Conventional jacket structures are normally equipped with mat foundations for support during offshore installation when the jacket sits on the seabed before piling. An efficient mudmat design is required to support the jacket since the weight of the mudmat contributes about 20% to the overall structural weight. It is challenging to analyze and to find an exact solution when calculating the bearing capacity of the soil beneath the mudmat because the seabed conditions vary from hard to very soft soil: this is especially true for a relatively slender jacket on very soft soil. The paper presents an efficient method for conducting such design.