Model testing to assess a novel technique for condition monitoring of soil anchorages

Ground anchorages are the typical support for geotechnical structures such as tunnels, mines and retaining walls. The application of a proven non-destructive condition monitoring method for rock anchorages is being expanded to develop a technique for detecting the integrity of the soil anchorages. It is crucially important to understand the responses of such structures subject to dynamic loading. Soil anchorages used in soil retaining systems are particularly investigated by theoretical and experimental means, i.e. fundamental mathematical modelling and geotechnical centrifuge modelling respectively, to understand the dynamic responses of such system. This paper mainly explains how a centrifuge testing system is developed to conduct such tests. A purpose-built testing robot applies an impulse loading to the head of any anchorage on the retaining wall, and then the strain gauges and accelerometer capture dynamic responses of the anchorage system, where the anchorage can be tightened to different pre-stress levels, as required, in-flight.