Graduation Semester and Year

Summer 2024

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering

Department

Civil Engineering

First Advisor

Xinbao Yu

Second Advisor

Laureano R Hoyos

Third Advisor

Md S Hossain

Fourth Advisor

Himan Hojat Jalali

Abstract

This dissertation provides a thorough investigation into the behavior and performance of Percussion-Driven Earth Anchors (PDEAs) during monotonic pullout tests. PDEAs are becoming more commonly utilized in geotechnical engineering because of their effectiveness in installation, ability to bear loads immediately, and minimal disruption to the environment. Despite their advantages, a detailed understanding of their pullout capacity and failure mechanisms remains limited.

The research encompasses both experimental and numerical analyses to bridge this knowledge gap. Experimental tests were conducted using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) techniques to obtain precise measurements of soil and anchor interaction and figure out the failure mechanism. Photogrammetry analyses were used in addition to DIC to monitor soil surface displacements for each test. These tests focused on various parameters such as anchor embedment depth, anchor size and orientation, deviatoric pullout, and soil properties. The pullout capacity of PDEAs were significantly affected by the depth at which the anchors were embedded and their geometric characteristics. Deeper embedment and optimized anchor shapes resulted in higher pullout capacities. Additionally, the type and density of the surrounding soil played a crucial role in anchor performance, with dense sand providing greater resistance compared to loose sand, influencing the ultimate pullout capacity.

Numerical simulations were also conducted on percussion-driven earth anchors (PDEAs) under monotonic pullout tests using the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) method in ABAQUS, aimed at accurately modeling large deformation finite element analysis of soil-anchor interactions under the pullout process. A 3D finite element model was developed, validated against experimental results, and used to conduct parametric studies on factors such as embedment depth, soil friction angle, anchor size and orientation, and soil-anchor interaction. The results indicated that the maximum pullout capacity of PDEAs is directly influenced by embedment depth, soil friction angle, and the anchor size. Additionally, the open orientation of the anchor optimized soil volume mobilization and load distribution.

This study highlights the effectiveness of the CEL method in simulating complex geotechnical problems, offering valuable insights for optimizing anchor design and deployment in practical applications. Moreover, the maximum breakout values of the PDEAs were calculated and formulated through regression analyses on the numerical analysis outcomes.

The findings from this study provide valuable insights into the design and optimization of PDEAs, offering practical guidelines for their implementation in engineering projects. The integration of advanced experimental techniques with robust numerical simulations establishes a solid foundation for future studies on soil-anchor systems. This dissertation can enhance the understanding of PDEA behavior, promoting their use as sustainable and efficient anchoring solutions in geotechnical engineering.

Keywords

Percussion Driven Earth Anchor (PDEA), Pullout tests, Numerical analysis, Digital Image Correlation (DIC), Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL)

Disciplines

Geotechnical Engineering

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Available for download on Wednesday, August 12, 2026

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