Numerical analysis of uplift capacity behaviour of plate anchors embedded in soils

In this study, the effect of embedment ratio (H/B=1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8), the relative density of sand (=39°-44°) and different types of the plate anchors on the uplift capacity were investigated. PLAXIS computer program was used as finite element method and analyses were performed in both 2D and 3D under the "Hardening Soil", as a material model, and the results of numerical analysis for circular anchor plates were compared with the theoretical results of Meyerhof & Adams (1968), Vesic (1971) and Balla (1961). The square anchors, which can not be modeled as square anchors in the Plaxis 2D, were modeled as circle by conversion to equivalent circle, in order to determine uplift capacity. So that the effect of dimensional change on the uplift capacity was determined by comparison with the square anchors which modeled by Plaxis 3D. Also the uplift capacity of the square anchor plates in the reinforced soil was analyzed and the results were compared with the results of non-reinforced soil model. Here is a point that the geogrid element was modeled as a reinforcement in the analyses. In addition, the effects of using reinforcement, embedment depth and the density of a soil on the failure mechanism were investigated. As a result of the study, it was observed that the uplift capacity increased substantially with the increasing embedment depth, the uplift capacity at density soil has greater value and the geogrid usage increased the uplift capacity by 20% compared with the non-reinforced condition.