How to Size an Earth Anchor for Your Application

Your choice of anchor size will be determined by the amount of holding strength needed for your application, not necessarily the size or length of the anchor.

Here’s some important insight into anchor sizing to help guide your selection.

1.  Flights “biting into the soil” is what gives a Penetrator anchor its holding strength – that is why the PE14-Hex can hold the same as the PE18. The PE14-Hex has wider flights.

2.  The deeper you go into the soil, the more holding strength provided.

3.  The larger the arrowhead, the more holding strength you’ll have.

4.   If you are still unsure of the size of anchor, do an onsite pullout test, accomplished without any specialized equipment by pulling on the anchor by hand or with a car/truck. For expert holding capacity testing, use a proof tester.

Please visit our load capacity page to download holding strength charts by product type.