More　attention　has　been　focused　on　the　pull-out　behaviour　of　plate　anchors　under　monotonic　loads.　Relatively　less　attention　has　been　focused　on　the　cyclic　behaviours　of　vertically　loaded　anchors　(VLAs)　subjected　to　combined　average　and　cyclic　loads　in　soft　clays.　Therefore,　these　anchors　are　investigated　by　conducting　reduced-scale　model　tests　under　1　g　conditions,　and　the　cyclic　deformation　process　of　VLAs　in　soft　clays　are　simulated　through　a　3D　finite　element　method　using　an　advanced　elastoplastic　bounding　surface　constitutive　model　of　soft　clays　proposed　by　the　authors.　The　failure　displacement　of　VLAs　for　the　shallow-embedded　and　deep-embedded　conditions　was　determined　by　performing　monotonic　loading　tests.　The　change　rules　of　average　and　cyclic　displacement　and　the　cyclic　bearing　capacity　of　anchors　with　the　number　of　cycles　are　revealed　by　performing　cyclic　loading　tests.　The　influence　of　the　average　and　cyclic　load　levels　and　the　embedded　depth　on　the　cyclic　bearing　capacity　is　clarified.　The　displacement　time,　load-displacement　histories　and　cyclic　bearing　capacity　of　VLAs　can　be　predicted　relatively　well　through　3D　finite　element　analysis.　The　significant　plastic　strain　accumulation　and　nonlinear　cyclic　hysteresis　responses　of　VLAs　in　soft　clays　and　the　soil　flow　mechanisms　surrounding　the　plate　anchors　at　failure　can　be　captured.