Experimental Study on Compressive Capacity Behavior of Helical Anchors in Aeolian Sand and Optimization of Design Methods

The compressive capacity of helical anchors constitutes a pivotal performance parameter in geotechnical design. To precisely predict the compressive bearing behavior of helical anchors in aeolian sand, this study integrates in situ testing with finite element numerical analysis to systematically elu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Buildings (Basel) Vol. 15; no. 14; p. 2480
Main Authors: Chen, Qingsheng, Liu, Wei, Li, Linhe, Wu, Yijin, Zhang, Yi, Qu, Songzhao, Zhang, Yue, Liu, Fei, Guo, Yonghua
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.07.2025
Subjects:
Analysis
Bearing capacity
Computer applications
Design optimization
Divergence
Earth pressure
Embedment
Eolian sands
Evolutionary biology
failure mechanisms
Failure modes
Field tests
finite element modeling
helical anchor
In situ tests
Internal friction
Lateral pressure
Load
Load bearing elements
Machine learning
Mathematical analysis
Mathematical models
Methods
Numerical analysis
numerical simulation
Parameters
Sand
Simulation
Simulation methods
XGBoost
United States
China
Gansu China
ISSN:2075-5309, 2075-5309
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The compressive capacity of helical anchors constitutes a pivotal performance parameter in geotechnical design. To precisely predict the compressive bearing behavior of helical anchors in aeolian sand, this study integrates in situ testing with finite element numerical analysis to systematically elucidate the non-linear evolution of its load-bearing mechanisms. The XGBoost algorithm enabled the rigorous quantification of the governing geometric features of compressive capacity, culminating in a computational framework for the bearing capacity factor (Nq) and lateral earth pressure coefficient (Ku). The research findings demonstrate the following: (1) Compressive capacity exhibits significant enhancement with increasing helix diameter yet displays limited sensitivity to helix number. (2) Load–displacement curves progress through three distinct phases—initial quasi-linear, intermediate non-linear, and terminal quasi-linear stages—under escalating pressure. (3) At embedment depths of H < 5D, tensile capacity diminishes by approximately 80% relative to compressive capacity, manifesting as characteristic shallow anchor failure patterns. (4) When H ≥ 5D, stress redistribution transitions from bowl-shaped to elliptical contours, with ≤10% divergence between uplift/compressive capacities, establishing 5D as the critical threshold defining shallow versus deep anchor behavior. (5) The helix spacing ratio (S/D) governs the failure mode transition, where cylindrical shear (CS) dominates at S/D ≤ 4, while individual bearing (IB) prevails at S/D > 4. (6) XGBoost feature importance analysis confirms internal friction angle, helix diameter, and embedment depth as the three parameters exerting the most pronounced influence on capacity. (7) The proposed computational models for Nq and Ku demonstrate exceptional concordance with numerical simulations (mean deviation = 1.03, variance = 0.012). These outcomes provide both theoretical foundations and practical methodologies for helical anchor engineering in aeolian sand environments.
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ISSN:2075-5309
2075-5309
DOI:10.3390/buildings15142480