Uplift of Anchor Plates in Sand

Abstract

An investigation into the vertical uplift of anchor plates in a cohesionless medium is described. Factors investigated in relation to the load‐displacement response were the size and shape of plate, depth of embedment, sand density, and plate surface roughness. The results of laboratory tests are presented, together with equilibrium and limit analysis methods of predicting the ultimate resistance. Comparisons are made between the laboratory test results, the developed analyses, and existing theories. It is shown that the different theoretical solutions examined predict a relatively wide range of ultimate uplift resistance with no one approach showing good agreement with the experimental evidence for all cases examined.