Failure Mechanism of Geocell Reinforced Vertical Plate Anchor Subjected to Lateral Loading

Abstract

This paper has studied the failure mechanism of geocell reinforced vertical anchors in sand through a series of tests and numerical analyses. It is observed that the anchor load carrying capacity significantly increases with the application of geocell reinforcement, which is primary associated with the rupture behaviour of reinforced anchor beds. The rupture surfaces are found to have originated from bottom edge of the geocell mattress and propagated to the soil surface in a curvilinear shape. The size of rupture surface tends to increase with increase in length, width and height of geocell mattress leading to increased load carrying capacity of the system. However, beyond certain length, width, and height of geocell mattress, further increase in size of the rupture surfaces was marginal. Geocells of relatively smaller pocket size (i.e., close to anchor size) can effectively confine the soil leading to a coherent structure that inhibits potential rupture close to the anchors. But with geocells of wider pocket openings enable the formation of rupture within the geocell mattress. Hence, it is concluded that the load carrying capacity of reinforced anchors which is dependent on the size of the rupture surface is influenced by the geometry of the geocell mattress.