Vertical uplift resistance of an innovative plate anchor embedded in sand

Abstract

An innovative plate anchor, increasing its bearing section area during uplift is introduced in this paper. In this experimental study, the influence of the embedment ratio (depth of embedment/anchor width) of the plate anchor and anchor width (120, 150, 180, 250 mm) on the anchor pullout capacity and anchor displacement during an uplift test is investigated. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is used to study soil deformation around the anchor at the maximum pullout load’s instant. The pullout loads predicted by prevalent theoretical methods have been compared with obtained experimental values. According to PIV analysis, two failure surfaces are observed and two equations are presented to estimate the ultimate pullout load of the shallow and deep opening plate anchor. It was observed that the pullout capacity (${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{u}})$ was significantly influenced by anchor embedment ratio, but the anchor displacement corresponding to the maximum pullout load (${\mathrm{d}}_{\mathrm{u}})$ increased slightly as the embedment ratio increased. As the anchor width (B) increased, ${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{u}}$ and ${\mathrm{d}}_{\mathrm{u}}$ increased, but the breakout factor (dimensionless pullout load) decreased. For shallow anchors, the sand deformation zone lines formed a curve that extended to the soil surface. For deep anchors, the sand deformation zone formed a truncated cone in the soil.

Keywords:

• Opening anchor plate
• pullout load
• breakout factor
• sand deformation zone
• PIV
• failure surface

Acknowledgment

The authors are thankful to the Geotechnical Engineering research centre of Iran University of Science and Technology. Furthermore, the authors gratefully appreciate Mr. Alireaza Khorsand for preparing the experimental box and opening plate anchor.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).