Platipus: Engineering Systems

PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
Platipus Anchors are market leaders in the design,
manufacture and marketing of earth anchoring systems for
a wide range of engineering applications such as retaining
walls, slope stabilisation, erosion control, guyed structures
and pipeline anchoring to mention a few.
Our latest range of earth anchoring systems outperform all

our previous products.
In our pursuit of excellence, the latest technology is the

result of years of experience and high quality Research and
Development into the behavioural characteristics of
mechanical earth anchors in varying soil conditions.
KEY BENEFITS
Drastically reduced driving times in a wider variety of soil
conditions.
Significantly increased potential holding capacities in
both the ‘Stealth’ and ‘Bat’ range of anchors.
The ‘Stealth’ range of anchors offers nearly twice or more
surface area than previously available anchors, meaning
greater holding capacity at the same or lower cost.
Reduced loadlock and compaction to load distances.
THE PLATIPUS CONCEPT
The Platipus Anchoring System is now well proven and
recognised in the field of Engineering as a lightweight, cost
effective alternative to traditional methods of anchoring.
Hundreds of thousands of Platipus Anchoring Systems have
been successfully installed worldwide in an increasing
range of applications.
THE ADVANTAGES
Significant savings can be achieved over traditional methods
in terms of time and money.
Quick and easy to install using simple tools and plant.
Ready to use immediately, no waiting time for concrete to
cure.
Light, high capacity anchoring systems available in a wide
range of materials and sizes to suit all applications.
High quality technical support available without charge.
Tailored designs to meet your unique applications and
projects.
In-house research and development and training facilities.
All products are designed to relevant British or Internationally
accepted standards.
We are an accredited ISO 9001 company for our quality
management and design systems.
Hundreds of thousands of projects worldwide have been
successfully completed over many years.
All anchor systems can be proof loaded and ready to use in
minutes using our powered and manual jacks.
PLATIPUS ANCHORS LIMITED, Kingsfield Business Centre, Philanthropic Road, REDHILL, Surrey, RH1 4DP, England.
Tel: +44 (0) 1737 762300 Fax: +44 (0) 1737 773395
Web: www.platipus-anchors.com E-Mail: info@platipus-anchors.com
Reg. No. 1680529 England - Quality Management and Design Systems to ISO 9001 - Reg. EAQA/75
PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
STEALTH BAT THE ANCHOR RANGE
Through years of experience and a comprehensive
understanding of how the anchors behave in a variety of soil
conditions, we are able to utilise our knowledge to further
enhance the products we design and manufacture.
Our latest range of ‘Stealth’ and ‘Bat’ anchors incorporate
some major improvements resulting in reduced driving times,
shorter loadlock distances and increased potential holding
capacities.
BELL SHAPE DELTA DRIVE POINT Design improvements include: Angled Winglets, Edge
The bell shaped working surface area of Where high capacity small profile Beads, Delta Drive Point and Bell Shape features.
the anchor offers significant increases in anchors are used in hard ground
potential load over previous designs. conditions it is essential to have a drive KEY BENEFITS TO THE INDUSTRY
It provides very high load possibilities for point which splits the material by way of The ‘Stealth’ anchor range offers nearly twice the working
a small surface area anchor by focusing separating the upper side and lower side, surface area of our previous anchor range.
the frustum of soil more clearly. thus compressing the material into a
predetermined area. This enhances the The ‘Bat’ anchor range offers enhanced load potential over
EDGE BEADS anchor’s ability to drive more quickly its predecessor.
The edges are carefully rounded to through dense soil types.
further enhance the frustum area and Both new anchors drive faster and straighter through all
reduce ‘spill off’ during high loadings ground conditions.
which reduces mechanical shear of the
soil. Improved performance of both anchors in a wide variety of
materials.
Mechanical shear failure of the soil is reduced.

ANCHOR KEEL
The use of a high keel which emanates The ‘Stealth’ and ‘Bat’ anchors are available in many
from the anchor eye to the delta drive different formats.
point reinforces the ability of the
anchor to drive straight through The same or lower cost for the new system.
difficult anchoring material.
T-Loc option benefits.
CURVED EXTENDED FRONT DELTA DRIVE POINT

WINGS AND TRAILING EDGES
The forward extension of these wings The combination of using the trailing edges in conjunction with a delta drive point
assists in the loadlocking process, enhances the anchor’s ability to cut through all variety of anchoring material.
reducing the ‘loadlock’ distance and
enhancing the speed at which the anchor
turns. ANCHOR KEEL
The use of a high keel which emanates from the
anchor eye to the delta drive point reinforces the
EDGE BEADS ability of the anchor to drive straight through
ANGLED WINGLETS The profile of the edge bead is designed difficult anchoring material and protects the tendon
The angled winglets assist in focusing to reduce the mechanical shear of the soil from damage.
the main frustum of soil onto the anchor at the wing edge in high load conditions.
surface itself. Additionally the shape and
angle reduces the ‘spill off’ effect of T-LOC SOCKET
previous designs, again increasing the The simple connection provides great
potential load. flexibility and a wide choice of tendon
options.
ANGLED WINGS
When the anchor is in the loadlocked position
the angle of the wings increases the overall
area of soil frustum by amplifying the angle
of interaction, creating increased potential
holding capacities.
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
STEALTH ANCHORS & MATERIALS A= ALUMINIUM ALLOY
Aluminium is an ideal material combining
E=EYE VERSION Typical Load Range Product Code Materials corrosion resistance and considerable
A= Aluminium Alloy strength for use in most soil conditions.
0 - 2.5 kN S02E
H= Hard Anodised
A= Aluminium Alloy
1 - 10 kN S04E
H= Hard Anodised H= HARD ANODISING
A= Aluminium Alloy Hard anodising is an extension of normal
5 - 25 kN S06E H= Hard Anodised anodising using special techniques to
B= Aluminium Bronze provide an even thicker anodic coating with
A= Aluminium Alloy an even greater abrasion and corrosion
H= Hard Anodised resistance.
10 - 40 kN S08E
C= Cast SG Iron
B= Aluminium Bronze
C= CAST SPHEROIDAL GRAPHITE IRON
T=T-LOC VERSION Typical Load Range Product Code Materials
Spheroidal graphite iron is a highly ductile
C= Cast SG Iron form of cast iron suitable for hot dip
20 - 100 kN S10T galvanising. The cast iron and zinc coating
B= Aluminium Bronze
offer a very durable solution for medium to
long term corrosion resistance.
B= ALUMINIUM BRONZE
BAT ANCHORS & MATERIALS Aluminium bronze is used where there is a
T=T-LOC VERSION Typical Load Range Product Code Materials requirement for long term applications
C= Cast SG Iron and/or highly corrosive environments. In
20 - 60 kN B04T some cases aluminium bronze is used in
B= Aluminium Bronze
short term applications where the ground is
C= Cast SG Iron extremely hard and high power installation
30 - 100+ kN B06T equipment is required.
B= Aluminium Bronze
C= Cast SG Iron
50 - 150+ kN B08T
B=Aluminium Bronze
C= Cast SG Iron
75 - 200+ kN B10T
B= Aluminium Bronze
The quality and consistency of the soil will affect the typical load range of an anchor considerably.
i) In a cohesive soil (poor soil) the full driven depth may be required to achieve the lowest typical load or less.
ii) In a non cohesive soil (good soil) the shortest driven depth may achieve the highest typical load or more.
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
LOWER TERMINATIONS
SOFT EYE
The soft eye is formed by feeding the wire tendon through a ferrule, the eye of the
anchor and then back through the ferrule again. It is then secured by placing the
ferrule into a press and swaging it to a set dimension.
T-LOC/ T-EYE
The main advantage of this type of termination is the flexibility it gives for onsite
anchor system assembly.
The ‘Stealth’ S10 and all sizes of the ‘Bat’ anchor have been designed to T-Loc
specification.
T-KNUCKLE
This fitting, used with a lock nut, enables standard rods to be connected to T-Loc
specification anchors.
WIRE TENDONS & MATERIALS

GALVANISED STEEL LIFE EXPECTANCY = 5 years +
All Galvanised Steel wire tendons are manufactured in high carbon steel to BS302 and are
hot dip galvanised. They are available in various sizes up to 12mm in diameter and are
suitable for temporary short term applications.
PLASTIC IMPREGNATED STEEL LIFE EXPECTANCY = 40 years +
The herringbone construction used in this type of wire tendon creates larger voids between
each strand allowing deep impregnation of polypropylene. They are available in various
sizes up to 10mm in diameter and are suitable for medium term applications.
STAINLESS STEEL LIFE EXPECTANCY = 100 years +
Grade 316 Stainless Steel has the best corrosion resistance of all the standard Stainless
Steels. They are available in various sizes up to 12mm in diameter and are suitable for long
term applications.
RODS & MATERIALS
STANDARD STEEL RODS LIFE EXPECTANCY = 5 years +

Standard steel rods are available in various sizes up to 25mm in diameter. They are compatible with the galvanised T-Knuckle
lower termination and are suitable for temporary short-term applications.
GALVANISED STEEL RODS LIFE EXPECTANCY = 40 years +
Available in the same sizes as a standard steel rod. By hot dip galvanising the rods the system becomes suitable for medium term
applications.
STAINLESS STEEL RODS LIFE EXPECTANCY = 100 years +
Available in the same sizes as a standard steel rod. They are compatible with the stainless steel T-Knuckle lower termination and are
suitable for long term applications.
The above figures are a guide only, the exact ‘Life Expectancy’ of a wire tendon and rod is greatly affected
by local soil conditions (e.g. extreme acidic or alkaline soils, chemical presence, stray electrical currents).
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
TOP ACCESSORIES
LOAD BEARING PLATE
The load bearing plate is most commonly used in applications
where the angle of installation is perpendicular to the structure.
INVERTED SELF ALIGNING PATRESS PLATE

This top accessory is used mostly for projects where the finished
appearance is of aesthetic importance, the angle of installation
is between 0° to 30° from horizontal and a low non intrusive
profile is required.
LOADPLATE SET
The Loadplate set is used with rod systems where the angle of
installation is perpendicular to the structure.
TURNBUCKLE
The turnbuckle is used in guyed applications and is connected to
the wire tendon using a hard eye top termination.
TOP TERMINATIONS
THE WEDGE GRIP
The wedge grip is the most common method of top termination.
Consisting of a conically bored steel barrel and three serrated
wedges, it transfers the load from the wire tendon to the top
accessory.
RATCHET TENSIONER
The ratchet tensioner is primarily used with pipeline anchor
systems where buoyancy control is a major problem. The rachet
tensioner allows the anchors to be loadlocked preventing any
pipe movement.
HARD EYE
Anchor systems secured using a hard eye termination can
generally be associated with guyed applications.
THREADED ROD EYE

The Threaded Rod Eye is a simple fitting used to create an eye at
the end of a rod system. It is generally associated with guyed
applications.
CONICAL WEDGE GRIP AND BAIL

The conical wedge grip grips the wire tendon in a similar way to
a standard wedge grip. Comprising of a collar, bail and conical
wedge grip, it is used to create an eye at any point along an open
tail wire tendon.
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
INSTALLATION
MAIN STAGES OF INSTALLATION The anchor system can be installed
There are three main stages to the installation of an anchor system. using a variety of light, medium or
1. DRIVING THE ANCHOR: 2. REMOVING THE RODS: 3. LOADLOCKING: heavy installation equipment. As the
Drive the anchor system into Remove the drive rod from Loadlock the anchor requirement for anchor size and
the ground to the required the body of the anchor, into its working position
installation depth. either by hand or by using by applying a load to placement depth increases it is
special rod removing the wire tendon. essential to utilise larger installation
equipment. equipment. All the relevant power
sources and plant are readily
stocked by most plant hire
LIGHT INSTALLATION companies.
1 2 3
MEDIUM INSTALLATION
1 2 3
160799
- D144 - X
R 45-X
R2
HEAVY INSTALLATION
1 2 - D144 - X
R 45-X
R2
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
DRIVE RODS
A wide range of drive rods are available to either purchase or hire in
various lengths ranging from 1 metre to 3 metres in 25, 32 and 38mm
diameters.
We manufacture shanks for most types of powered installation
equipment as well as a complete range of one piece drive rods for
simple tasks.
Should you require it, a complete list and specification of all our drive
rods is available upon request.
POWERED EQUIPMENT
Over the years, we have utilised Stanley hydraulic tools and can
highly recommend their systems.
Additionally, their light weight, flexibility and significant power
outperforms many conventional compressed air systems.
A wide range of suitable plant is available from most plant hire
companies.
LOADLOCKING/STRESSING
The main advantage to our anchor system is the ease
with which they can be loadlocked and proof loaded.
We design and manufacture a range of manual and
powered equipment to suit all applications.
Stanley hydraulic equipment is also used to power
most our own loadlocking and stressing equipment.
TOOLS
In many cases only the basic tools and equipment is
required to install and loadlock most anchor systems.
We also produce a complete range of tools and

special equipment to speed up and assist multiple
anchor installations.
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
KEY INFORMATION KEY INFORMATION

Before we can determine the most suitable The proposed application
anchor system, we must receive some ‘Key Time scales of the project
Information’ concerning the project and the Confirmation drawings and plans
application.
Ultimate and working loads
In some situations, it may be necessary to Factor of safety
carry out a Site Analysis and Load Test Report Soil type and its condition
to accurately determine the holding capacity
Placement of the slip plane, if applicable
of the proposed anchor system. Once this
has been completed, positive anchor system Life expectancy of the application
recommendations can be made. Location of buried services and obstructions
In addition, our team of Regional Sales Angle of installation
Managers are available to assist you in Quantity of anchors to be installed
incorporating Platipus anchor systems into Accessibility to the site
your own schemes and guide you from
project enquiry to completion.
PERFORMANCE
Capacities of the anchor system depend at all
times on the quality and consistency of the material
into which they are placed.
Soil conditions vary throughout the world and it is

necessary in all cases to asses the quality of the
anchorage through testing procedures.
The performance of the anchor system is based

upon the following factors:
The shear angle of the soil

The size of the anchor
The depth of installation
The load applied
LOADLOCKING Extension
Distance (mm) 1-3
Due to the shape of the anchor and the offset attachment point of
the wire tendon, when a load is applied the anchor will rotate in the
ground up to 90° and loadlock.
In a dry granular material the anchor will normally loadlock within

its own body length. In a saturated clay material you can expect this
loadlock distance to increase by three times.
Every anchor system must be fully loadlocked and is normally proof

loaded prior to being put into service.
As the load exerted on the soil by the anchor system increases, a

body of soil ahead of the anchor system is compressed and
provides resistance to any further anchor movement. The size and
spread of this body of soil can be visualised as being a truncated
cone or frustum. We refer to this soil as the Frustum Cone.
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
FRUSTUM CONES
The size and spread of a Frustum Cone will depend upon:
The shear angle of the soil

The size of the anchor
The depth of installation
The load applied
Cohesive Soil (Poor Soil)
In a typical cohesive soil, the clay mineral particles are of

‘Plate-like’ form. The space between each of the ‘Plates’
contains water which dissipates when subjected to load.
Gravelly or sandy silts and clays are generally of this
composition.
Non-Cohesive Soil (Good Soil)
A typical non-cohesive soil consists of different sized particles

which interlock, bond and compact when subjected to a load.
Course sands and gravels are generally of this composition.
Our anchor systems perform exceptionally well in free

draining non-cohesive soil, displaying shorter loadlock and
extension characteristics than in a cohesive saturated clay.
Potentially Potentially SLIP PLANES

Mobile Mobile
Frustum Soil
Cone
Frustum Soil With unsupported soil structures such as steep
Cone embankments, cuttings and deep trenches, there is a
potential risk of slip or collapse. The failure surface between
Stable Stable the slipped material and the undisturbed material is referred
Soil Slip Soil Slip
Plane
to as the Slip Plane.
Plane
When designing an earth retaining structure to prevent such

ANCHOR RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DEPTH failures the Design Engineer will determine the slip plane
SIZE BEYOND THE SLIP PLANE position based on analysis of site and soil investigations, and
S02 0.3 - 0.4m soil properties data. The Design Engineer can then specify
S04 0.6 - 0.75m the anchor system installation depth and required holding
capacity.
S06 0.8 - 1.2m
S08 1.1 - 1.5m For an anchor system to work effectively it must be driven far
S10 2.0 - 3.0m enough beyond the predicted slip plane, to allow the frustum
B04 1.5 - 2.5m cone to work independently in stable soil. Then if a slip in the
B06 2.0 - 3.0m soil were to develop there would be no reduction in the
B08 3.0 - 4.0m frustum cone size and the load achieved.
B10 4.0 - 5.0m
Some guidelines for the minimum installation depth required
The final installed depth is subject to site test and should be revised, if necessary, to allow the anchor system to generate its frustum cone and
once the site test has been completed and firm data on the load and extension work independent of the slip plane are provided in the
has been established. adjacent table.
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PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
LIFE EXPECTANCY
It is important to establish exactly how long the anchor
system is going to be in use. This, linked with information
about corrosive properties of the soil, will clearly indicate
the correct choice of materials to use.
A sign of life expectancy can also be measured by the

anchor system’s application. For example, a temporary
sheet pile retaining wall will normally only require
galvanised materials. The only exception to this would be if
the soil was very corrosive.
BURIED SERVICES
Information of buried services such as gas, electric, water and telecommunications over
the proposed site should be clearly identified so that anchor installations do not clash
with them.
If documented details are not available then an examination of the site will often reveal
the location of inspection hatches and valve covers. This will give an indication of the
depth of the services and the direction they run.
ABOUT THE COMPANY

Platipus have supplied mechanical anchors to the Civil Engineering,
Landscaping and Utility industries for over 20 years. Our headquarters in
Redhill, Surrey, England are home to our Sales & Marketing team, Research &
Development Department, in-house Training facility and our
Manufacturing operation.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Working closely with our own team of engineers and existing distributors,
product modifications, enhancements and new system designs are constantly
being evaluated and introduced into the market.
Many new and differing applications for our products are becoming
increasingly apparent throughout the world. By using Computer Aided Design
we can provide clients with unique solutions, quickly and efficiently.
TRAINING
In addition to high quality, effective products, we place great emphasis on
Customer Training and Product Support. To enable us to achieve this, we have
established our own Training Centre to provide comprehensive training for
distributors, licensees and clients.
To suit individual requirements, we can also offer tailor made training and
product demonstrations on site, normally at no extra charge.
We are pleased to operate the

necessary standards to maintain
ISO 9001 ISO 9001 for both our
QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN SYSTEMS
Worldwide patents are applicable on a variety of
PLATIPUS
products. Additional patents pending. The trademark
PATENTS & TRADEMARKS ‘PLATIPUS’ is registered worldwide. All patents and
trademarks are the sole property of the company.
Tel: +44 (0) 1737 762300 Fax: +44 (0) 1737 773395
Web: www.platipus-anchors.com E-Mail: info@platipus-anchors.com 091003
PLATIPUS
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
Tel: +44 (0) 1737 762300 Fax: +44 (0) 1737 773395

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PLATIPUS

Our latest range of earth anchoring systems outperform all

In our pursuit of excellence, the latest technology is the

Mechanical shear failure of the soil is reduced.

CURVED EXTENDED FRONT DELTA DRIVE POINT

WIRE TENDONS & MATERIALS

STANDARD STEEL RODS LIFE EXPECTANCY = 5 years +

INVERTED SELF ALIGNING PATRESS PLATE

THREADED ROD EYE

CONICAL WEDGE GRIP AND BAIL

We also produce a complete range of tools and

KEY INFORMATION KEY INFORMATION

Soil conditions vary throughout the world and it is

The performance of the anchor system is based

The shear angle of the soil

In a dry granular material the anchor will normally loadlock within

Every anchor system must be fully loadlocked and is normally proof

As the load exerted on the soil by the anchor system increases, a

The shear angle of the soil

Cohesive Soil (Poor Soil)

In a typical cohesive soil, the clay mineral particles are of

Non-Cohesive Soil (Good Soil)

A typical non-cohesive soil consists of different sized particles

Our anchor systems perform exceptionally well in free

Potentially Potentially SLIP PLANES

When designing an earth retaining structure to prevent such

A sign of life expectancy can also be measured by the

ABOUT THE COMPANY

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

We are pleased to operate the

Worldwide patents are applicable on a variety of

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