Uplift Capacity of Rectangular-Shaped and Cross-Shaped Multi-layer Horizontal Plate Anchor in Sand

This study utilized the displacement finite element method to analyze the load–displacement behavior and determine the ultimate uplift capacity of anchor plates. A comprehensive comparison was made between conventional and unconventional horizontal anchors, including single-layer and multi-layer plate configurations. The research focused on Rectangular-shaped and cross-shaped anchor designs, evaluating the effects of factors like anchor shape, insertion depth, plate thickness, soil relative density, and inter-plate spacing on uplift performance. The results showed that uplift strength increased with higher soil relative density, thicker plates, and deeper insertion. Rectangular-shaped anchors exhibited 15–40% higher uplift capacities than cross-shaped anchors, mainly due to their larger contact area. Multi-layer plate configurations significantly improved uplift resistance compared to single-layer designs, with optimal inter-plate spacing found to be 1.5 times the plate width for rectangular-shaped anchors and equal to the plate width for cross-shaped anchors. In dense sand, cross-shaped multi-layer plate anchors performed similarly to rectangular-shaped single-layer plate anchors despite having 25% less anchor area. At a 15-m insertion depth, rectangular-shaped triple-layer anchors achieved 360.6 MPa, while cross-shaped reached 256.8 MPa. Stress distribution analysis revealed localized failure above the anchors. These findings highlight the advantages of multi-layer plate designs and optimized geometries in improving anchor efficiency, offering promising solutions for geotechnical applications.