Investigating the Pull-out Capacity of a Horizontal Plate Anchor Embedded in Sandy Soil

Anchor systems have been widely used recently due to its importance in increasing the stability of structures subjected to uplift forces and overturning moments. Accordingly, it is vital to investigate the parameters that might affect anchor systems’ operational performance and structural behavior. The current study investigates the characteristics and parameters that might affect the uplift capacity of a horizontal anchor plate embedded in cohesionless soil. The sample of soil was brought from Al-Najaf province (Iraq). The parameters included are; plate embedding depth, the soil’s effective dimension above the plate, and soil improvement by compaction. The model setup includes forming a steel container with dimensions (70 x 70 x 70) cm and a circular steel plate of 10 cm diameter. Three embedding depth ratios were chosen; these are 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 of the total soil sample depth. Three effective soil diameters were chosen as percentages of the plate diameter; these are 1.0%, 1.5%, and 3%. According to the ASTM specification, several physical and chemical tests were carried out on the soil sample to determine its classification and needed engineering characteristics. The laboratory test results revealed that for both treated and untreated soil samples, the ultimate uplift capacity of the anchor plate increases with increasing the embedded depth of the anchor plate; for example, at improvement ratio (D/d=3.0), the ratio (P/Po = 1.05,1.28 and 1.6) for depth ratio (h/T=0.1,0.2, and 0.3) respectively. The values of the pull-out capacity of the anchor plate are increased with increasing the improvement area above the anchor plate; for example, at depth ratio (h/T=0.3), the values P/Po = 1.05,1.28 and 1.6 for D/d=1,1.5 and 3.0) respectively. Finally, the compaction technique can effectively improve the behavior of the anchor plate.