Model investigation of the performance of single anchors and groups of anchors

Abstract

Experimental investigations on the performance of single and groups of vertical screw anchors installed in dense, medium, and loose sands are presented. An experimental setup was instrumented to allow the measurement of the total pullout load, upward displacement, sand surface deflection, and stress development in the sand layer during all phases of testing. A sand placing technique was developed and utilized over all the testing program to ensure reproducibility of the predetermined unit weight. Stresses measured within sand deposits indicated that the tested sands were overconsolidated due to the application of mechanical compaction. Special tests were conducted on colored–layered sand to define the nature of the failure mechanism. The results of these tests, together with the measurements of the deflection of the sand surface, were employed to establish the shape of the rupture surface which could be represented by a segment of a logarithmic spiral. Groups of three, four, six, and nine anchors were tested in this investigation. The effect of installation depth, spacing between anchors, and sand characteristics on the ultimate pullout load of the group was examined. The experimental setup was instrumented to allow the measurement, of the total pullout load of the group as well as that of individual anchors in the group. Load distribution among the anchors of a group is discussed in terms of anchor location and the applied load level. At failure, all anchors contribute almost equally to the uplift capacity. Group efficiencies were calculated and compared. An installation procedure was proposed to avoid differential upward displacement during the uplifting process and to provide uniform load distribution on the different anchors of the group. Key words : anchors, failure mechanism, group action, model tests, sand, uplift capacity.