Kinematic limit analysis of pullout capacity for plate anchors in sandy slopes

Abstract

The pullout capacity of plate anchors has been studied extensively over the past 40 years. However, very few studies have attempted to calculate the pullout capacity of anchors in sandy slopes. In this paper, three upper bound approaches are used to study the effect of a sloping ground surface and friction angle on pullout capacity and failure of plate anchors. This includes the use of; simple upper bound mechanisms; the block set mechanism approach; and finite element upper bound limit analysis. The aim of this research is to better understand the various failure mechanisms and to develop a simple methodology for estimating the pullout capacity of anchors in sandy slopes.