ABSTRACT
This research examines the stability characteristics of plate anchors installed vertically in unsaturated sandy soil, assuming a fully bonded interface, through the application of the lower bound finite element limit analysis method. A comprehensive parametric analysis is conducted to evaluate how factors such as anchor plate height, internal friction angle, embedment depth, and groundwater table position influence the pullout resistance. The effects of additional parameters like saturated unit weight and different surface flow conditions are also explored. The influence of matric suction in the unsaturated zone is modeled using a modified Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. Furthermore, representative failure mechanisms are illustrated for selected cases.
