HIGH CAPACITY MULTIPLE

ANCHORS IN LONDON
CLAY
by A.D. Barley and D. Mothersille

a presentation
by

Dr Devon Mothersille
Geotechnical Monitoring Grp Europe Ltd
and Geoserve Global Ltd
AN OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION
Part I:
An introduction to the early use of multiple
anchors in London Clay highlighting
important research work

Part II:
An explanation of the design philosophy
supporting the use of multiple anchors in
soils and weak rocks

Part III:
An introduction to the actively stressed soil
nail system
Research programme on multiple anchor
capacity in London Clay by Keller Ground Engineering
Typical solutions for SBMA anchored wall
 Conventional anchor stress distribution derived from
piling design

ASSUMPTION

THIS IS NOT A TRUE STATEMENT

 The effect of the relative
elasticity of the tendon and
the grouted ground
 Load and Bond Stress
Load tg Distributions at failure

 Vertical anchor in soil or weak rock

 Variation in load distribution – non-
uniform

1400kN/m2
 Variation bond distribution showing
residual bond stress at proximal end
peak bond stress at >50% depth
 This has been demonstrated by
many other researchers

Research carried out by

Dr R Weerasinghe into behaviour
of anchorage in mudstone 1993
 Development of bond distribution during loading
 Cement grout has limited tensile capacity therefore the load
distribution is controlled by the elastic behaviour of the tendon
 When the ultimate bond stress is exceeded at the proximal
end due to elastic extension of the tendon, the bond stress
reduces to a residual value
 Bond stress concentration travels towards distal end with
increase loading and tendon extension
 THE EFFICIENCY FACTOR CONCEPT

Establishment of value of
efficiency factor
 Pull-out tests carried out in
homogeneous soil and with
different fixed lengths
 Empirical data established
 Data used to produced a
‘best fit’ curve of efficiency
against fixed length AFTER BARLEY 1995
 Use of data from pull-out tests

(feff) EFFICIENCY FACTOR 1

0.9
-0.57
0.8 f eff = 1.6L
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 5 10 15 20 25

FIXED LENGTH (m)

Distribution of anchor efficiency with fixed length

showing best fit curve (Barley 1995)
 The design formulae for
anchors in soils and weak
rocks should always
incorporate an efficiency factor
or similar mathematical
expression acknowledging non-
linearity
(from Barley, Mecsi and Casannovas)
 NORMAL ANCHOR – up to 10m fixed length

SINGLE BORE MULTIPLE ANCHOR – 4 unit anchors within

a 10m fixed length
 LOAD DISTRIBUTION DEVELOPED IN A
SINGLE BORE MULTIPLE ANCHOR (SBMA)

Where ground Strength improves with depth length of unit anchor reduces with depth

Each unit anchor is designed to carry the same ultimate capacity

Realistic consideration from circa 1992

  10m conventional anchor typically
utilises 50% of the ultimate bond
capacity
 Increase in length provides little
increase in capacity
 Multiple anchor provides increase
in capacity with increase in length

Comparison of the load distribution of

a normal anchor with that of a modern
single bore multiple anchor
 A Single Bore Multiple Anchor
efficiently mobilises ground
strength over a multiple of short
unit lengths - each unit length
designed individually

UK SBMA works by Keller Ground Engineering

Keller’s SBMA encapsulated unit anchors prior to
installation at Rochester, UK
Post -grouted Permanent SBMA’s in Firm to Stiff Clay
TEMPLATE
M11 Stanstead, UK by Keller Ground Engineering

Note the location post-grouting pipe – post-grouting can

be carried as a repeatable operation
Post-grouted fissures in stiff clay
The hydraulically
synchronised multiple
anchor stressing system

 Each unit anchor has its

own stressing jack
 Each unit anchor
extension is controlled by
its own free length
 Each unit anchor has its
own load-extension and
creep characteristics
 Test capacity achieved
in these trials was 4200kN
Wall failure on the Thames
 Permanent anchors must be provided with corrosion protection
 Anchors must be tested to demonstrate performance
 THE ACTIVELY STRESSED SOIL NAIL

Multiple anchors developed over a 15 year period

Latest advancement in technology is the actively
stressed soil nail

 Contains two tendons in one borehole

 The soil nail tendon retains the active zone by connection to the
resistant zone
 The anchor tendon is prestressed to retain the facing and is
bonded into the resistant zone only
 R E P R E S E N TS N A IL B O N D IN G
R E P R E S E N TS M E M B E R
U N B O N D E D LE N G TH

FA C E M O V E M E N T R E S IS TE D
B Y N A IL P R E S T R E S S A N D
TY IN G IN TO TH E R E S IS TA N T
ZONE

A C T IV E
TE N S IL E M E M B E R A C T IV E R E S IS T A N T

ZO N E ZONE
P A S S IV E
T E N S IL E M E M B E R

A C T IV E LY S T R E S S E D S O IL N A IL A N D F O R C E S M O B ILIS E D T O
R E S IS T F A C E M O V E M E N T
For the latest NEWS and
Technical Information on SBMA
Single Bore Multiple Anchors
Visit
www.SBMASYSTEMS.COM
www.THEANCHORMAN.COM
www.TECHINFO@KELLER-GE.CO.UK