The anchor, seen as an element aimed at integrating the strength resources of the bulkhead, is only useful if the anchoring occurs in stable areas of the ground. It is thus necessary to estimate with certainty the most suitable area in which to fasten the anchor. The principle according to which to calculate the anchoring area is to identify that ground surface where the active zone does not intersect with the passive zone. The procedure used in the software is the following:
•Identify – along the bulkhead, near (or beneath) the dredge line – the position of the point where the bending moment is nullified.
•Start from the point of null moment, trace out two lines inclined by 45°-j/2 and 45°+j/2, respectively (Rankine zones).
•At this point, position the anchor so that its end is in the dashed zone and beneath the AD line in the following figure, in order to obtain the utmost performance. If the anchoring end (fixed point) is positioned in the BCD zone, the anchoring wedge is limited to the BC line, but it cannot be obtained the maximum performance of the anchor.
© GeoStru