Question 4246 Deck General

The correct answer is C) the design storm. Preloading tests the soil to the vertical leg reaction that would be imposed by the design storm. This is because the purpose of preloading is to simulate the loads that the offshore structure will experience during its lifetime, including the maximum design storm conditions. By preloading the soil, engineers can evaluate the soil's response and ensure the structure's foundation can withstand the anticipated loads from the design storm. The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not directly relate to the purpose of preloading, which is to test the soil's capacity for the design storm loads. Environmental forces, static forced, and drilling loads are all factors that may be considered in the overall design, but the preloading specifically targets the design storm loading.