PLATE ANCHOR GROUPS PULLED VERTICALLY IN SAND

Results are presented of model-scale vertical pulling tests carried ou t on groups of square anchor plates in row. and square configurations. The tests were carried out at a single depth of embedment, which ensu red shallow anchor behavior in the sand placed at a constant dry densi ty. It is shown that the load-displacement relationships for all group s may be reduced to a common curve. The load-carrying capacity of a gr oup of anchor plates increases with the spacing between the individual plates up to a limiting critical value, and it is demonstrated how th e results of pulling tests with different numbers of plates in a group may be described in a simple unifying manner. A possible means of pre dicting the effect of interaction on the uplift capacity of both model - and full-scale anchors in row configurations is suggested. For labor atory tests on a linear group of five anchors, it is shown that the en d anchors attain the highest loads but all loads converge to an equal value as the spacing increases to the critical value.