Abstract
This letter investigates the uplift capacity of plate anchors in granular soils. Simulations based on a discrete-element method are used to measure the uplift capacity of anchors of differing widths to embedment B/H and width to grain-size B/d ratios. Results confirm that the uplift capacity of anchors with a large B/d ratio is well described by existing models developed from continuum mechanics, with no grain-size effect. In contrast, results reveal a strong deviation from these models for anchors with relatively small B/d ratios. A semi-empirical model is introduced that captures this strong grain-size effect. This model is further supported by a micro-mechanical analysis, indicating that anchor uplift capacities are not only governed by a frustum mechanism predicted by continuum mechanics but also involve the mobilisation of grains surrounding this frustum. These results and model are particularly important to rationalise uplift capacities measured in small-scale experiments, typically involving small B/d ratios, and to safely upscale them to larger anchor size relevant to field applications.
Highlights
Plate anchors are commonly used to stabilise utility poles, transmission towers and offshore infrastructures (Merifield & Sloan, 2006; Kumar & Kouzer, 2008; Das & Shukla, 2013)
In frictional soils like dense sands, their vertical uplift capacity F0 is well predicted by models based on continuum mechanics
This section focuses on analysing micro-structural information available from discrete-element method (DEM) simulations to identify (a) whether such frustum can be observed and (b) what other micro-mechanisms could lead to a grain-size contribution
Summary
Plate anchors are commonly used to stabilise utility poles, transmission towers and offshore infrastructures (Merifield & Sloan, 2006; Kumar & Kouzer, 2008; Das & Shukla, 2013). Several expressions of the function f were established to capture the measured uplift capacity of anchors of different shapes, including strip, square, rectangular, circular and fractal geometries (Meyerhof & Adams, 1968; Murray & Geddes, 1987; Dyson & Rognon, 2014), embedded in soils of differing internal friction angle φ Most of these studies, consider large ratios of anchor-to-soil grain size, B/d, reflecting applications where large anchors are placed in fine sandy soils. The purpose of this letter is to identify and rationalise the grain-size effect on the uplift capacity of plate anchors In this aim, the uplift capacities of anchors of differing embedment ratios H/B and width ratios B/d are measured using a discrete-element method (DEM). These data will serve as a benchmark to identify how a model such as equation (1) could be extended to capture grain-size effects
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