Calibration of Reliability-Based Resistance Factors for Flush Drilled Soil Anchors in Taipei Basin

Abstract

The goal of this research is to calibrate the reliability-based resistance factor of flush drilled soil anchors for their ultimate pullout capacities based on in situ anchor pullout test data in the alluvial soil underlying the Taipei Basin. Efforts are taken to quantify the uncertainties with a full probabilistic analysis approach. The resistance factor is calibrated based on the in situ test results of 46 anchors with a rigorous theoretical approach which constructs the relationship between the resistance factor and failure probability. With this relationship, the reliability corresponding to the code regulation can be verified. From the results of the analysis, it is found that the borehole enlargement due to the flush drilling is quite significant: the actual diameter of the fixed anchor end may be much larger than the nominal diameter of the drilling casing. Consequently, the safety factor of 3.0, recommended by most anchor codes, is found to be too conservative. The results should be valuable for reliability-based design of flush drilled soil anchors in the Taipei Basin.