Civil Engineering Journal
Vol. 12 No. 5 (2026): May

Pullout Capacity of Small-Scale Jack-Like Ground Anchor in Sand with Various Relative Density

Dian Eksana Wibowo (1) Doctoral Study Program in Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia. 2) Department of Civil Engineering and Planning Education, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta)
Yusep Muslih Purwana (Doctoral Study Program in Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta)
Bambang Setiawan (Doctoral Study Program in Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta)
Galuh Chrismaningwang (Doctoral Study Program in Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 May 2026

Abstract

The pullout behavior of ground anchors in sand is governed by inter-particle friction and mechanical interlocking; however, conventional designs often fail to fully mobilize the surrounding failure zone, resulting in limited uplift capacity. To address this limitation, a jack-like ground anchor was developed, incorporating mechanically expandable wings to increase the soil–anchor contact area and enhance shear resistance. Laboratory pullout tests were conducted in a cylindrical steel tank to investigate the influence of relative density (Dr = 27%, 50%, 80%), embedment depth (H = 0.50–1.00 m), and wing opening angle (0°–75°) on the anchor’s performance. Test results interpreted using the Mazurkiewicz method revealed that increasing wing expansion and soil density substantially improved pullout resistance. In medium-dense sand, capacity increased by up to 250%, and in dense sand, up to 220%, depending on embedment depth. At the deepest embedment and densest condition, capacity increased from 6 kN (closed) to 16 kN (fully opened). These findings confirm that integrating geometric adaptability with soil density optimization significantly enhances uplift efficiency, providing a novel and practical solution for improving anchor performance in granular soils.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

cej

Publisher

Subject

Civil Engineering, Building, Construction & Architecture

Description

Civil Engineering Journal is a multidisciplinary, an open-access, internationally double-blind peer -reviewed journal concerned with all aspects of civil engineering, which include but are not necessarily restricted to: Building Materials and Structures, Coastal and Harbor Engineering, ...