Vertical uplift resistance of horizontal plate anchors for eccentric and inclined loads

Abstract

The vertical uplift resistance of horizontal plate anchors embedded in sand has been computed for inclined and eccentric pullout loads. The analysis has been performed by using the lower-bound theorem of the limit analysis in combination with finite element and second-order cone programming (SOCP). The methodology is based on the Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion and the associated flow rule. Several combinations of the eccentricity (e) and vertical inclinations (α) of the resultant pullout loads have been considered. The computations have revealed that the magnitude of the vertical uplift resistance decreases with an increase in the values of both e and α. The reduction of vertical pullout resistance with eccentricity and inclination becomes more prominent for smaller values of embedment ratio. The anchor–soil roughness angle (δ) hardly affects the uplift capacity factor as long as the value of α remains smaller than δ.