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A series of field suction pile installation tests have been conducted inside the Onsan harbor located in southeastern Korea during the summer of 2001. The suction piles were made of steel, having inside diameters ranging from 0.5 meters to 2.5 meters and the length of five meters. The seafloor soil condition at the site is predominantly silty sand. Instrumentation includes the detailed measurement of the applied pressure vs. pile penetration and retrieval length relationships; the pile alignment during installation through a tiltmeter; and the pore water pressures both inside and outside the pile.

A series of centrifuge model tests was conducted to measure the ultimate horizontal bearing capacity of suction piles. Three different pile lengths were tested in sand. Model piles were laterally loaded at different points along the pile length to evaluate the effect of the loading depth on the ultimate horizontal bearing capacity of suction piles. Two tests were conducted for each loading point. Results from centrifuge model tests were then compared with the analytical predictions to determine the validity of the analytical solution in predicting the ultimate horizontal bearing capacity of rigid suction piles loaded at various depths. Predicted values from the analytical solution compared well with the measured values from the centrifuge model tests.

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A floating breakwater is currently being built in southern Korea. Four separate floating breakwater units will be moored to ten deeply embedded suction anchors. The embedded suction anchor is permanent offshore foundation installed by a suction pile. The cross-section of the embedded suction anchor is circular with its diameter being the same as that of the suction pile that is used to drive it into the seafloor. Vertical flanges are added along the circumference to increase its resistance. The design, construction, installation, and proof testing of embedded suction anchors are briefly described.