Abstract: The anchorage of suspension bridge is divided into tunnel-type anchorage and gravity anchorage. The tunnel-type anchorage can effectively use the geological conditions of the anchored area and requires less engineering in comparison with the gravity anchorage. It is also characterized with high cost performance and low disturbance to surrounding environment. However, the tunnel-type anchorage has yet to form a relatively complete, quantitative design method with its current design and construction mainly depend on engineering experience. Combined with the tunnel-type anchorage project of China’s first railway suspension bridge, four failure modes of tunnel-type anchorage are summarized and analyzed, that is, the interface failure of side wall of anchorage, the failure of inverted cone platform, the failure of slope sliding, and the compression failure of anchorage. The calculation model is established according to the typical failure mode, and the corresponding simplified calculation formula of bearing capacity is derived based on the limit equilibrium theory. The sensitivity analysis of the key design parameters is carried out by using the finite element method. The design and calculation method of tunnel-type anchorage are given, and a relatively complete design for the project is provided to set an example. The research results can help future design of tunnel-type anchorage of railway suspension bridge.

Key words: tunnel-type anchorage, failure mode, design method, finite element method, limit equilibrium