Uplift response of symmetrical anchor plates in reinforced cohesionless soil

Abstract

The uplift response of symmetrical anchor plates with and without geogrid reinforcement layers has been evaluated in model tests and numerical simulations using PLAXIS. Many parameters of the reinforcement layers were used to reinforce the sandy soil over circular, square, and rectangular symmetrical anchor plates of various sizes. In the current research, different parameters, such as relative density of sand and embedment ratios, in conjunction with geogrid reinforcement layer parameters including size, number of layers, and the proximity of the layer to the circular anchor plate, were investigated in a scale model. The failure mechanism and the associated rupture surface were observed and evaluated. Test results showed that using geogrid reinforcement layers significantly improves the uplift capacity of symmetrical anchor plates. It was found that inclusion of one geogrid layer resting directly on top of the symmetrical anchor plate was more effective in enhancing the symmetrical anchor capacity than the layer itself. It was also found that the inclusion of one geogrid layer on the symmetrical anchor plate improved the uplift capacity more than the same symmetrical anchor plate embedded without a reinforcement layer. The single geogrid layer was also more effective in enhancing the uplift capacity compared to the multiple geogrid layer reinforcement approach. In general, the results show that the uplift capacity of symmetrical anchor plates in loose and dense sand can be significantly increased by the inclusion of geogrid layers. It was also observed that the inclusion of geogrid layers reduces the requirement for a higher L/D ratio to achieve the required uplift capacity. The results of the laboratory and numerical analysis are found to be in agreement in terms of the breakout factor and failure mechanism pattern.