Uplift capacity of pile group anchors

Experimental investigations on model single pile anchor and pile group anchors of configuration 2 × 2 subjected to uplift loads were conducted on dry Ennore sand, obtained from Madras, India. The embedment length to shaft width ratios, L/d = 20 and L/d = 30, and enlarged base width to shaft width ratios, B/d = 1,2,3, center to center spacing of pile anchors in the groups, 3d, 4d, 6d and 8d were used. The load displacement response, ultimate resistance and variation of group efficiency with L/d, B/d and spacing have been studied quantitatively and qualitatively. For short pile group anchors (L/d = 20), the isolation spacing appears to be at a spacing of about 4d to 6d and 8d for B/d = 1 and B/d = 2 and 3, respectively. For long pile group anchors (L/d = 30), the isolation spacing appears to be at a spacing of about 4d, 6d and 8d for B/d = 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The analytical model of limit equilibrium method has been proposed to predict the net uplift capacity of pile group anchors. The predicted results compare reasonably well with the experimental results.