TENSILE UPLIFT CAPACITY AND FAILURE MECHANISMS OF SCREW-PILE ANCHORS IN CLAY SOIL UNDER REPEATED LOADING
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62567/micjo.v2i4.2252Keywords:
screw pile, tensile uplift capacity, clay soil, repeated loading, field testing.Abstract
This study investigates the tensile uplift capacity of screw piles in clay soil as an alternative anchoring system for slope stabilization in cohesive ground conditions. The research aims to address the limited availability of empirical field data on screw-pile behavior under repeated loading and to evaluate the agreement between theoretical predictions and actual in situ responses. The methodology employs an experimental approach through in situ testing with screw-pile diameters of 10 cm, 15 cm, and 20 cm, and embedment depths ranging from 0.6 m to 1.0 m. The tests were conducted under both static and repeated tensile loading using a hydraulic jack system, accompanied by vertical deformation measurements to establish load–displacement curves. Theoretical capacity was calculated using a limit equilibrium approach for comparison with experimental results. The findings reveal a nonlinear load–displacement response, characterized by initial stiffness followed by progressive deformation into the post-yield stage. At a maximum load of 2.858 tons, deformation increased with diameter, from 5.10 cm (10 cm) to 8.49 cm (20 cm). Under repeated loading, failure occurred at a lower load of approximately 1.6 tons with a maximum deformation of 1.648 cm, indicating potential capacity degradation due to cyclic loading. The comparison between theoretical and field results shows significant deviations, with analytical predictions generally underestimating the in situ capacity. This highlights the limitations of simplified models that do not fully account for shaft adhesion, installation disturbance, soil heterogeneity, pore-water pressure effects, and cyclic degradation. Overall, this study contributes valuable field pull-out test data for screw piles in clay under repeated loading, emphasizing the need for design calibration based on full-scale testing for slope stabilization applications. The results also suggest opportunities for further research involving long-term monitoring and advanced modeling of cyclic degradation.
Downloads
References
Du, C., Chen, J., Chen, S., Peng, M., & Shi, Z. (2023). Numerical analysis of a slope stabilized with piles and anchor cable frame beams. Environmental Earth Sciences, 82(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-10784-8
Du, J., Du, S., & Zhi, W. (2014). A comparison of pull-out capacity of suction anchors in clay and sand. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 614, 613–617. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.614.613
Gao, X., Jia, J., Mei, G., Bao, X., Zhang, L., & Liao, X. (2022). A new prestress loss calculation model of anchor cable in pile–anchor structure. Mathematics, 10(8), 1260. https://doi.org/10.3390/math10081260
Golait, Y., Padade, A., & Cherian, T. (2017). Prediction of quantitative response of under-reamed anchor piles in soft clay using laboratory model study. Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 46(2), 507–522. https://doi.org/10.1520/JTE20160341
Guo, Z., Khidri, M., & Deng, L. (2018). Field loading tests of screw micropiles under axial cyclic and monotonic loads. Acta Geotechnica, 14(6), 1843–1856. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-018-0750-6
Hamasaki, T., Kasama, K., & Maeda, Y. (2016). Deterioration model of ground anchor for slope stability assessment. Japanese Geotechnical Society Special Publication, 2(72), 2461–2464. https://doi.org/10.3208/jgssp.jpn-011
Hambleton, J., & Stanier, S. (2019). Linking the installation response of screw piles to soil strength and ultimate capacity. https://doi.org/10.31224/osf.io/ywbvg
Hao, D., Che, J., Chen, R., Zhang, X., Yuan, C., & Chen, X. (2022). Experimental investigation on behavior of single-helix anchor in sand subjected to uplift cyclic loading. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(10), 1338. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10101338
Hu, C., & Gao, F. (2014). Numerical modelling of cyclic pull-out behaviors of embedded plate anchors in saturated soft clay. https://doi.org/10.1115/OMAE2014-24422
Lin, X., Zheng, J., Qi, H., Zhang, Z., Zhuang, X., Ding, W., & Cheng, H. (2022). Parametric study of uplifting capacity of pressure grouted helical anchor in marine clay. https://doi.org/10.3233/ATDE220886
Lutenegger, A. J. (2011). Behavior of grouted shaft helical anchors in clay. DFI Journal: The Journal of the Deep Foundations Institute, 5(1), 58–67. https://doi.org/10.1179/DFI.2011.005
Maming, M., Jamaluddin, A., Harianto, T., & Muhiddin, A. (2021). Influence depth of the tensile capacity of ground anchors folding type in cohesive soils. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 841(1), 012005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/841/1/012005
Nakazawa, F., Tsuchiya, T., Nagai, H., Shimada, M., & Oka, S. (2015). Model tests of pulling resistance of helical screw piles. Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering, 80(714), 1279–1286. https://doi.org/10.3130/aijs.80.1279
Phanikumar, B. R., Rao, A. S., & Suresh, K. (2008). Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils. Ground Improvement, 161(4), 199–206. https://doi.org/10.1680/grim.2008.161.4.199
Salem, T., & Hussein, M. (2017). Axial tensile capacity of helical piles from field tests and numerical study. Port-Said Engineering Research Journal, 21(2), 111–119. https://doi.org/10.21608/PSERJ.2017.33299
Stanier, S. A., Black, J. A., & Hird, C. C. (2014). Modelling helical screw piles in soft clay and design implications. Geotechnical Engineering, 167(5), 447–460. https://doi.org/10.1680/geng.13.00021
Wang, W., Brown, M., Ciantia, M., Sharif, Y., Davidson, C., & Cerfontaine, B. (2023). Effects of installation advancement ratio on cyclic uplift response of a single-helix screw pile: Experimental and numerical investigation in sand. https://doi.org/10.59490/seg.2023.615
Wu, Z., Wang, Z., Bi, J., Fu, X., & Yao, Y. (2021). Shaking table test on the seismic responses of a slope reinforced by prestressed anchor cables and double-row antisliding piles. Shock and Vibration, 2021, Article 9952380. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9952380
Xue, L., Li, L., Xu, C., Cui, Y., Ding, H., Huang, K., & Li, Z. (2024). A multi-objective optimization evaluation model for seismic performance of slopes reinforced by pile-anchor system. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55766-3
Yuan, C., Hao, D., Ding, S., & Ding, M. (2024). Field experimental study on the uplift and lateral capacity of deep helical anchors and grouped helical anchors in clays. Buildings, 14(3), 662. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030662
Zhang, S., Yang, Z., Liu, Q., Fan, W., Zhang, G., & Zhang, X. (2023). Analysis of influence factors of anti-slide pile with prestressed anchor cable based on bearing and deformation characteristics of pile body. Sustainability, 15(13), 10549. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310549
Zhao, X., Salgado, R., & Prezzi, M. (2014). Centrifuge modelling of combined anchors for slope stability. Geotechnical Engineering, 167(4), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.1680/geng.12.00076
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Munirwansyah

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




















