CONCRETE ANCHOR GUIDE

HOW ANCHORS WORK

Adhesive Bond Wedging Friction Threaded Clamping

ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES

• High Strength. • Easy to use. • Fast installation • Imparts little expansion • Supports weak materials.
• Imparts no expansion • Fast installation. • Low cost stress on base material. • Positive consistent
stress on base material. • Versatility in design. DISADVANTAGES • Fast installation. process.
• Corrosion Resistant. DISADVANTAGES • Difficult to ascertain • High strength. DISADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES • Imparts expansion performance reliabilty. DISADVANTAGES • Large installation hole
• Variable setting time. stress on base • Limited removability. • Limited diameters. • Limited removability.
• Temperature sensitive material. • Difficult to remove. • Limited use in hard
at time of installation • Those utilizing angular aggregate concrete.
and while in service. expansion slip under
• Mixing sensitivity. load.

MECHANICALLY EXPANDED
ADVANTAGES: DISADVANTAGES
• Can be loaded immediately. • Shell types require hole
• Can be retightened. spotting.
• Setting action can be felt. • Studs and sleeves slip
• Installation torque can be under load.
• Types made entirely of
measured. steel should not be used in
• Stud and sleeve types are bolt high vibration.
size/hole size. • Bolt size/hole size are not
• Shell types accept threaded removable (except Taper-
rod. Bolt Size/ Hole Size Types
Bolt, Rawl Bolt & Hilti HSL).
• Sleeve types work in hollow • Limited fastening lengths with
block when proper length is bolt size/hole size.
used. • Zinc anchors are malleable
• Some are removable and and compress under high
reusable. loads.
• Available in wide range of
Shell Types

Set with a wrench. Uses the mechanical advantage of

screw threads to obtain high expansion pressure.

MANUALLY EXPANDED SELF-THREADING

This is a true fastener,
not an anchor

Set by turning fas-

tener into
pre-drilled hole
Set with a hammering action. Uses material displacement and
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
fixed expansion to obtain holding power. • High strength • Not recommended for hard
ADVANTAGES: DISADVANTAGES: • Works in hollow base materials.
• Designed for shallow holes. • Cannot be retightened. block • Requires special drill bit.
• Shell types accept threaded rod. • Difficult to tell if properly set. • Removable • Requires special setting
• Fast setting action. • Torque cannot be checked. • No hole spotting tool.
• Should not be used in crumbling or old • No hole cleaning • Only avail. in 3/16 & 1/4".
concrete.
 PLUGS & HOLLOW WALL FRICTION
Set by
hammering
action. Hold-
ing power
from friction
between
fastener and
base material
Plugs are set by material displacement. Toggles are set by mechanical
displacement.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES • Accepts all types • Critical hole diameter.
ADVANTAGES
• Never use plugs overhead. of thread forms. • Cannot be retightened.
• Accepts all types of thread
• Low holding power. • Works in a wide • Not removable.
forms.
• Toggles require oversize hole. variety of materials. • Dead loads only.
• Works in a wide variety of
• Light loads only.
materials.

ADHESIVE BONDED ANCHORS

Applied as liquid or gel. Holding power is obtained by an adhesive bond.

ADVANTAGES
• Exceptional strength.
• High Reliability.
• Can be used in hollow wall
(with screen).
• Excellent in old crumbling POLYESTER- Available in pourable liquid, capsule and thixotropic gel.
material.
• Excellent resistance to
vibration and corrosion.
• Imparts no expansion stress
on base material.

EPOXY ACRYLATE (also called Vinyl Ester and Acrylic Epoxy) Available as a thixotropic gel.
DISADVANTAGES
• Cure time 10 Min. to 24 Hours.
• Once mixed, it must be used
(certain types).
• Motionless mixers and
dispensers may be expensive.
• Not bolt size/Hole size. ACRYLIC - An ester type, solvent free resin. Available as a thixotropic gel.
• Setting time is dependent on
temperature.
• Shelf life is from 6 months to 3
years.

EPOXY- Amine based offers high strength & low odor, Mercaptan based is fast setting with strong odor.
Available in various vicosities from water like to putty.

ADHESIVE SPECIFICATIONS
Cure Time High Temp. Chemical
(68° F.) Cure Temp Service Shelf Life Mix Ratio Weathering Resistance Shrinkage
POLYESTER 10-30 Min. 15-100°F 176°F 6-12 Mths Important Fair Fair 4%
EPOXY ACRYLATE 15-45 Min. 15-100°F 250°F 6-12 Mths Important Good Good 2%
ACRLIC 45-60 Min. 23-104°F 180°F 6-9 Mths Important Good Fair 1/2-1%
EPOXY 6-72 Hrs 125-200°F 125-200°F 12-24Mths Critical Excellent Excellent >1/2%

DRILL TYPES VS ANCHOR PERFORMANCE

Presently there are three cutting tools available to drill anchor holes - Single cutter carbide bits, multi-cutter carbide bits and diamond core
bits. As of this writing, it is recommended that single cutter carbide bits be used to obtain the maximum performance of an anchor. Anchor
performance is a direct relationship of the friction between the anchor and the concrete. Multi-cutter carbide bits and diamond core bits produce
rounder and smoother holes thus decreasing friction and ultimate holding power.
 SAFETY, PERFORMANCE AND TECHNICAL FACTS

CODES , STANDARDS and SAFETY

A.N.S.I. B 212.15-1994 A.S.T.M. E 488
carbide tipped drill tolerances test standard for determining anchor performance
Developed to help insure maximum holding power by match- This test sets the standards by which anchors are tested. It
ing drill tolerances to anchor dimensions. was developed so users and specifiers could feel confident
NOMINAL NOMINAL that the performance data shown by different manufacturers
DRILL TOLERANCE DRILL TOLERANCE was obtained in the same manner. Basically it establishes
DIAMETER BAND DIAMETER BAND the following procedures:
3/16 .206 -.198 5/8 .660 - .650 1. Hole diameter standards
1/4 .268 - .260 11/16 .723 - .713 2. Loading procedures
5/16 .335 - .327 3/4 .787 - .775 3. Load rates
3/8 .398 - .390 7/8 .917 - .905
7/16 .468 - .458 1 1.042 - 1.030 4. Concrete Strength (no reinforcement) & Curing.
1/2 .530 - .520 1-1/8 1.175 - 1.160 5. Spacing requirements
9/16 .592 - .582 1-1/4 1.300 - 1.285 6. Averaging of results
7. Interpolation
8. Actual failure point (Load vs. .065" slippage)

CODES & APPROVALS

FM • FACTORY MUTUAL: This approval is almost identical to UL as ICBO • INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BUILDING OFFI-
it applies generally to safety applications which are more prevalent CIALS: This approval is needed when the anchor will be used in a
in the industrial roofing market. public building. Approval is difficult to obtain because of stringent
requirements. More predominant on the West coast.
GSA • SPECIFICATION FF-S-325: Approval by the General Services
Administration for use by various US government agencies. Approval UL • UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES: Necessary when anchor
is based upon style and dimensional specifications. is used in an electrical, safety or fire prevention system.

SAFETY FACTOR 4:1

To compensate for variations in base materials, drill diameters and workmanship, a minimum safety factor of 4:1 (25% of the
ultimate value) should be applied to all performance data. This is the minimum industry standard for static loads. Critical ap-
plications such as vibratory loads and overhead installations may require as much as 10:1 or more.

LOAD CONDITIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

LOAD CONDITIONS: With few exceptions most mechanical
TYPES OF LOADS: TENSILE (Pull out)
anchors do not give maximum performance under all loading
conditions. Some function well under dynamic but do poorly Combined

under vibratory loads. Plastic and lead stretch and compact Most loads are a combination
SHEAR
under heavy impact loads. Manually expanded cannot be of Tensile and Shear. Deeper
retightened so should not be used under shock loads.
embedment will increase
Tensile strength while high
strength steel and full diam-
eter bolts will increase Shear
strength.
STATIC: No outside force will be VIBRATORY: High-frequency
applied, as used with flush mounted impact of low intensity as used
signs, electrical boxes, etc. with compressors and motors.
MINIMUM EMBEDMENT: The minimum penetration of
the anchor into the base material at which it will perform
safely and consistently. Shell types are designed to function
when set flush with the surface. Stud types are available
in various lengths and care must be taken to select the
right length. Under predominately tensile (pullout) loads the
VARIABLE: Irregular loading as DYNAMIC: Intense or sharply greater the embedment the better the performance.
used with suspended signs and applied impact as used with
handrails. dock bumpers and guard rails.

EDGE AND SPACING DISTANCES

Anchoring too close to an edge or placing anchors too close to DEEPER
one another can decrease performance. For 100% use. IS
Anchor 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" 5/8" 3/4" 7/8" 1" BETTER
Spacing Distance 2-1/2 3-3/4 5 6-1/4 7-1/2 9 10
Edge & End Distance
Load toward edge 2 3 4 5 6 7 7
Load away from edge 1-1/2 2 3 4 5 6 6
 CONCRETE ANCHORS - COMMON SENSE, FACT & FAILURE

CONCRETE ANCHORING IS A CRAFT not a science. It can be considered a craft because of the tremendous
variables found in concrete, the tolerances of the carbide drills and anchors, the tools used to set them and most
importantly the skill of the installer. As a craft, it is imperative that the “craftsman” learn as much as possible about
the material, tools and conditions that he has to work with.

ALLOWABLE WORKING LOADS & MATERIAL STRENGTH. A quick look at the catalogs of various anchor
manufacturers will have many scratching their heads. Some refer to the "ultimate load" while others use the
term "maximum allowable load". Shown below are the performance charts on Drop-In anchors from three major
manufacturers, which at first glance could be confusing, and if not properly understood, the cause of a costly
anchor failure.

Before geginning it is imperative that the Allowable Work-

ing Load be determined with regard to the strength of the
concrete and the particular cutting or drilling operation.
If the ultimate load is published, the safe working load
is 25% of the ultimate load (4:1) and this value must
be matched with the strength of the concrete, which
can affect the performance of the anchor by another
factor of almost 3:1

ANCHOR FAILURE - With rare exception most anchor failures are caused by the operator, not the anchor.
Some of the most prevalent mistakes made are:
1. Not fully expanding a drop-in anchor because the wrong setting tool was
used or the operator simply "felt” that the anchor was set.

2. Setting a stud anchor at too shallow a depth because it was on top of a rebar.

3. Setting a capsule anchor by simply driving the threaded stud into the capsule
and not spinning it. As the adhesive has not been mixed with the catalyst it
will not set fully or not at all.

4. Leaving an inordinate amount of dust in the hole when using an adhesive

anchoring system.The adhesive bonds to the dust and the dust is bonded to
nothing.

5. Using an anchor which does not have the capacity for the job. A particular
anchor may be adequate on a horizontal surface but totally inadequate when
used on a vertical one with the exaggerated component loads on equipment
in this position.

6. Using the wrong size carbide bit to drill the hole. The best example of
this is using an old worn 5/8” bit for 1/2” anchors. The anchor is quick to
install and just as quick to fail.

TOOLS & ACCESSORIES CORP. * Annapolis Junction, MD * 800-796-4716 * www.tatoolsonline.com