Failure mechanism of geocell-reinforced vertical plate anchors subjected to lateral loading

Abstract

This paper reports the failure mechanism of geocell-reinforced vertical anchors in sand through a series of tests and numerical analyses. It is observed that the anchor load-carrying capacity significantly increases with the application of geocell reinforcement, which is primarily associated with the rupture behaviour of reinforced anchor beds. The rupture surfaces are found to have originated from the bottom edge of the geocell mattress and propagated to the soil surface in a curvilinear shape. The size of rupture surface tends to increase with an increase in length, width and height of the geocell mattress leading to an increased load-carrying capacity of the system. However, beyond a certain length, width and height of the geocell mattress, further increase in size of the rupture surfaces was marginal. Geocells of relatively smaller pocket size (i.e. close to anchor size) can effectively confine the soil leading to a coherent structure that inhibits potential rupture close to the anchors. However, geocells with wider pocket openings enable rupture to occur within the geocell mattress. Hence, it is concluded that the load-carrying capacity of reinforced anchors that is dependent on the size of the rupture surface is influenced by the geometry of the geocell mattress.