The load-displacement behavior of horizontally loaded vertical anchor
plates as reported in 128 published held and laboratory investigations
has been studied. Laboratory and held results documented in the liter
ature have been collected for shallow anchor plates with a variety of
configurations and embedded in different types of sands. A pullout cap
acity factor and a geometry factor were established. These factors are
dimensionless and incorporate all the parameters that significantly a
ffect the behavior of horizontally loaded vertical anchor plates. Seve
ral attempts have been made to plot the collected data in a form such
that a general trend can be observed. This data was incorporated in a
generalized form to predict the ultimate horizontal pullout resistance
of vertical anchor plates in terms of the influencing parameters; Ano
ther formula was proposed to calculate the displacement associated wit
h the applied load level. The proposed expressions are of good benefit
to the practice since they provide an easy approximate estimation for
parameters of relative complex nature, e.g., the ultimate pullout res
istance and the associated displacement. The accuracy of these express
ions are within reasonable limits especially since they are based on l
aboratory and field results obtained from tests in a wide variety of s
ands and conducted by several investigators under a diversity of setti
ngs and conditions.