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This paper considers the vertical bearing behaviour of shallow foundations and piles driven at clay, chalk and sand sites. It emphasises the strengths, when studying complex problems and natural geomaterials, of combining field experiments and full-scale monitoring with high quality site characterisation, element testing and representative numerical modelling. The main focus is on reporting and interpreting field observations that provide vital checks and benchmarks for modelling and identify key physical processes that might otherwise remain unrecognized. The latter include the time-dependent impacts on offshore foundation behaviour of consolidation, creep straining, geomaterial micro-to-macro fabric and in-situ chemical reactions. The case studies considered identify the key ageing mechanisms and the circumstances under which they may affect foundation design, service use or decommissioning procedures.
R.J. J. Jardine (Wed,) studied this question.