Due to the shape of the ground anchor and the offset attachment point of the wire tendon, when a load is applied, the anchor will rotate in the ground by up to 90° and loadlock.

As the load exerted on the soil by the ground anchor system increases, a body of soil above the anchor 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.