Anchored Earth

Full Scale Test Wall

Anchored earth is an alternative technology to reinforced soil and involves stabilising a wall using tendons and anchors.

The system consists of a facing element and a connecting rod or tendon that connects the facing system to an anchor in the retained fill.

Lusmagh Test Wall

In 2022, TerraTech Consulting, together with Banagher Precast Concrete, carried out a full-scale test of an anchored earth system. This 6.75m high trial wall was constructed in Lusmagh, Co. Offaly. The study investigated  the pullout resistance and corresponding displacement of square mild steel anchor plates. The system tested three different size plate anchors, connected to the concrete facing units by high tensile steel tendons.

 

A paper was published on this test project:

• Pullout performance of anchored earth systems

Anchored earth systems differ from conventional steel and geosynthetic reinforced wall technologies in that the resistance to outward movement is mobilised, primarily as passive resistance against the anchor plate, rather than friction along the reinforcement element.