Three-dimensional numerical and analytical study of horizontal group of square anchor plates in sand

In this paper, numerical and analytical methods are used to evaluate the ultimate pullout capacity of a group of square anchor plates in row or square configurations, installed horizontally in dense sand. The elasto-plastic numerical study of square anchor plates is carried out using three-dimensional finite element analysis. The soil is modeled by an elasto-plastic model with a Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion. An analytical method based on a simplified three-dimensional failure mechanism is developed in this study. The interference effect is evaluated by group efficiency η, defined as the ratio of the ultimate pullout capacity of group of N anchor plates to that of a single isolated plate multiplied by number of plates. The variation of the group efficiency η was computed with respect to change in the spacing between plates. Results of the analyses show that the spacing between the plates, the internal friction angle of soil and the installation depth are the most important parameters influencing the group efficiency. New equations are developed in this study to evaluate the group efficiency of square anchor plates embedded horizontally in sand at shallow depth (H = 4B). The results obtained by numerical and analytical solutions are in excellent agreement.