Uplift response of strip anchors in cohesionless soil

Abstract

Physical and computational studies investigating the uplift response of 1 m wide strip anchors in sand show that maximum resistances increase with anchor embedment ratio and sand packing. Agreement between uplift capacities from centrifuge and finite element modelling using PLAXIS, based on 0.2 m computed maximum displacements, is excellent for anchors up to embedment ratios of 6. Some divergence occurs for deeper anchors. Pre-peak response is reasonably well reproduced using the Hardening Soil Model available in PLAXIS, although the characteristic post-peak softening in some physical model tests requires a more sophisticated soil model. PLAXIS also produces breakout factors which compare reasonably well with established limit state and finite element based theories.