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CFA Guidance Note

Anchor Selection

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Selection process
3. Fixing type
3.1. Concrete
3.2. Masonry
3.3. Practical considerations
4. Fixing size
4.1. Applied load
4.2. Fixture thickness
5. Environmental protection
6. Installation factors
7. Base metal suitability charts
8. Site testing
1. INTRODUCTION
correctly installed. All these subjects are referred to in
All anchors must be selected, designed and installed
the following sections.
correctly. When this does not happen, the
consequences can be serious in terms of damage to Fixing Type
structures and human injury or even death. Base material, Concrete, masonry (Brick, Block,
To achieve safe anchorages, best practice should be Stone)
followed at all times. Practical considerations
BS8539:2012 “Code of Practice for the selection and Anchorage configuration
installation of post-installed anchors in concrete and
Temperature
masonry” sets out to achieve this best practice
through identifying the roles and responsibilities for Fixing Size
all stakeholders in the process. Applied load
Complying fully with the Code and using only ETA Magnitude, direction & type, static or
approved anchors will provide a safe installation. dynamic
This guidance note is intended to provide an (shock, fatigue or seismic)
introduction to the factors which need to be taken Anchor spacings and edge distances
into account when selecting an anchor for any load
bearing or safety critical application. While selection Embedment depths and base material dimensions
criteria apply to all fixing types, only metal and Environmental Protection
bonded anchors are considered in detail. Light duty Corrosion
fixings are covered in another Guidance Note [1]
Oxidation, galvanic corrosion, stress corrosion,
2. SELECTION PROCESS chemical corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement
The selection process as defined by BS8539:2012, 3. FIXING TYPE
Clause 5 includes design of the anchor as part of the
selection process along with other parameters. The Suitability for all base materials
key such are as follows:- Key factors – suitability, strength, structural thickness.
Type, Size and Finish. They should initially be Fixings designed for concrete may not work in
considered in that order. Constraints within each weaker materials; normally the stronger the base
stage may require reconsideration of an earlier one. In material the stronger the fixing; structural
some instances, doubts over the strength of the base dimensions must be adequate to support the applied
material may require exploratory tests on site before load and expansion stresses from the fixing.
final selection can be confirmed. Realisation of the
specification is only achieved if the specified fixing is
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CFA Guidance Note

Anchor Selection

3.1. CONCRETE should be spaced the depth of the aborted hole away.
Concrete is the material into which most structural Additional holes designed into brackets will help
connections are made, for which most anchors are cater for this common eventuality.
designed and performance is most frequently 3.2. MASONRY – brick, block and stone.
quoted. Common factors - range of compressive strengths,
Performance is most commonly quoted for C20/25 unknown mortar strength, fixing location within
concrete which has a mean compressive cube unit and wall, voids.
strength of 25N/mm. Some manufacturers also quote Choose anchors which will not crack weak materials,
tensile performance in stronger grades or allow the avoid fixing into joints if possible, locate away from the
calculation of increased tensile load capacities within edges of walls or individual bricks and blocks, use
certain limits. resin systems for voids. Use site tests to determine
Exceptionally strong concrete, i.e. > 60N/mm2 , may allowable loads where on ETA exists for that
inhibit the expansion of some expanding anchors and material[2].
make the insertion of concrete screw anchors more Brickwork
difficult to achieve. Check with the manufacturer for
suitability. The same criteria apply to in-situ and pre- Probably the most awkward material to fix into.
cast concrete; the slimmer sections and higher Strengths vary from 5 - 70N/mm2, mortar may be
strengths of pre-cast units may mean a different weak or missing in parts of the joints, bricks may be
anchor choice. solid or have frogs or perforations which may not be
Cracked/non-cracked concrete filled with mortar.

Anchors of all attachment configurations and Bonded anchors are

types are available for use in cracked concrete. particularly suitable
as they exert no
It is acknowledged that concrete may be cracked for expansion stresses
a variety of reasons, primarily the loading of the and will fill small
structure, (cracked concrete in tension zones, non- voids, while injection
cracked in compression zones) and reinforcement resin systems have accessories available for
helps limit crack widths and restrict crack controlling resin in frogs, poorly filled joints and
propagation. Although there is no evidence to hand perforations. The most appropriate metal anchors are
in the UK of anchor failures being caused by cracked thin-walled sleeve anchors which exert low expansion
concrete, the "EAD" (European Assessment stresses and are less likely to crack weak bricks than
Document for Mechanical fasteners for use in anchors with thick expanders. They can also work well
Concrete)[1] allows for the approval of anchors for use in perforated bricks. Shield anchors up to medium
in both cracked or non-cracked concrete or for use sizes work well in reasonably strong brickwork with
only in non-cracked concrete. Anchors are now good mortar joints. Nylon fixings are also often
available, which function well in cracked concrete. As suitable for brickwork.
well as Undercut anchors both expansion and resin
bonded anchors are available approved for cracked Fixing Location – careful positioning avoids
concrete. Expansion anchors not specifically problems
designed for use in cracked concrete may, with care, Design fixing locations for expansion anchors on the
be considered for such applications by locating the horizontal brick centre line (to avoid frogs) away from
expansion point in the compression zone, seek ends of bricks, at least a brick length from the wall
manufacturer's advice. edge and well below the top of an unrestrained wall.
Reinforcement Do not locate in joints. These guidelines may be
slightly relaxed for resin bonded anchors. Choose
Rebar should be considered at the design stage. length to avoid expansion close to back of brick and
Reinforcement does not improve anchor to ensure drilling does not break through.
performance and while theoretically it may allow Blockwork
setting closer to edges this is difficult to assess and is
best ignored. Performance is usually quoted for Includes the lowest strength solid substrate!
unreinforced concrete, although the EAD does Few metal expansion anchors work satisfactorily in
consider reinforcement effects. If rebar is hit during "thermal" blocks. Thin walled sleeve anchors may be
drilling and may not be cut then the aborted hole considered for solid blocks when the compressive
should be filled with a high strength grout, and if not, strength of the blocks is known to be above 10N/mm.
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CFA Guidance Note

Anchor Selection

Metal and nylon anchors specially developed for Temperature

aerated concrete work well as do injection resin Service temperatures
systems for which accessories are available for hollow
blocks. Note comments on torques in Section 6. All metal and bonded anchors supplied by members
Similar guidelines for positioning apply as for bricks. of the Construction Fixings Association are suitable
for use in normal ambient temperatures. Under EAD
Stonework 330232-00-0601, for mechanical anchors, loads for 30,
Similar approach to brickwork. 60, 90 and 120 minutes in a fire are provided, with
Strengths as variable as bricks (weak sandstone to obvious reduced loading capacity. For good practice,
strong granite). An added complication is the where a fire rating is required, ALL anchors, including
variation in shapes and sizes within the same wall and all-metal anchors, should be provided with additional
the possibility of rubble infill within "solid" stone walls. fire protection to maintain full performance. This
Product suitability and location guidelines generally should be added in an area around the fixing which
as for brickwork. protects the surrounding base material to a radius at
least equal to the fixing's embedment depth. Most
3.3. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS metal anchors may be specified for in service
Practical aspects include the diameter of predrilled temperatures down to -40°C. Check with
holes in the fixture, which may limit anchor size; the manufacturer for plastic fixings.
need for immediacy of fixing and the attachment Installation temperatures
configuration of the fixture to the fixing. The latter can
be divided into 4 categories as illustrated below. Resin bonded anchors are limited to a range of,
typically, between -5° and +40°C while cementitious
Attachment Configuration anchors may not be installed below + 5°C.
Four attachment configurations are defined as these Metal anchors have no similar restrictions.
affect the practicality of using each anchor. These 4. FIXING SIZE
categories are used in the selection table on page 7.
4.1. APPLIED LOAD
Through Stud
RECOMMENDED LOADS
Hole in base material equals
nominal bolt diameter so fixing Members of the Construction Fixings Association set
may be installed through fixture. recommended loads as a result of exhaustive tests, to
a recognised test procedure or as part of the EAD
approval programme. Design loads and
Through Sleeve Recommended loads are derived from characteristic
Through fixing with increased loads and subject to partial safety factors.
shear strength. May have Direction
projecting thread or bolt head.

It is self-evident that applied loads must be less than

Projecting Stud the manufacturer's recommended load for the
The fixture is positioned over the direction concerned, tension or shear. However, for
installed fixing before tightening. oblique or combined loads a check must also be
Care is needed on attachment of carried out to ensure that the resolved components
the fixture to protect the thread. must be less than the recommended tensile and
shear loads without exceeding the capacity in the
Internal Thread
direction concerned.
Accepts a threaded rod, ideal for
suspension of services, or a bolt.
This enables the fixture to be
manoeuvred into place over the
fixing, e.g. fixing heavy objects to
floors.
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CFA Guidance Note

Anchor Selection

Manufacturers use different techniques to ensure

that this capacity is not exceeded, check with them.
Some anchors are noticeably stronger in shear than
in tension e.g. thick-walled sleeve anchors, while
resin bonded stud anchors are usually stronger in
tension than shear.
Effect of close edge and centre spacing
All fixings need structural material around them
to support the transmitted load.
The simplest approach is to consider the zone of
influence caused by compression stresses around
expansion anchors. Although more complex than
shown below, it can be understood that there are
limits to both edge distances and spacings between
anchor centres. The closest dimensions at which full
performance may be used are defined as "Critical"
edge distance (Ccr) and centre spacing (Scr)· While
"Minimum" dimensions (Cmin and Smin) are the An alternative design approach (as used in EN1992-
absolute minimum distances at which anchors may 4) called the concrete capacity (CC) method, relates
still be used but with reduced performance. to performance over the projected area of a pyramid
whose height is the effective embedment of the
Zones of influence anchor. Any reduction in this projected area due to
close edges or spacings, reduces the anchor
performance. Groups of fixings are considered to
have the performance derived from considering the
projected area of the group.

Most anchor types conform to this approach but

some displacement controlled anchors may not be
used at edges closer than the critical edge distance
because of the high stresses induced in the base
material during their setting. Effect of increased embedment depth

A common approach for anchor selection is to Recommended loads for most fixings are quoted at
use reduction factors for distances between critical the maximum fixture thickness which relates to the
and minimum distances as illustrated below for minimum embedment depth. In many cases
anchor spacing, an identical approach is used for performance will increase as embedment depth
edge distances. increases until the mode of failure changes e.g.
from concrete cone failure to steel.
This enables allowable loads to be calculated for
complex applications.
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CFA Guidance Note

Anchor Selection

Some manufacturers quote performance at considered. For long term external exposure
alternative embedment depths while others allow stainless steel should be specified, Grade A2 for
the upward adjustment of allowable loads for normal unpolluted areas, Grade A4 for polluted
deeper embedments by calculation as long as stress areas. The table below shows the relative durability
limits on the bolt material are not exceeded. of a variety of finishes and materials in a selection of
exposure conditions.
Nature - static and dynamic loads
Recommended and approved loads are generally
quoted only for static applications. Where loads are
dynamic in nature extra consideration must be
given.
In applications where the fixture is clamped down by
the tightening of the fixing to an installation torque
specified by the manufacturer then the induced
clamping force will usually exceed the
manufacturers recommended load by a significant
margin. This means the fixing will not move. For a
dynamic load where the peak load is known to be
less than the recommended load, and therefore less
than the clamping force, the fixing will effectively be
unaware of the variation in loading and the anchor
may be safely specified.
Bi-metallic (galvanic) corrosion
Contact between dissimilar metals in the presence
of an electrolyte, including rainwater, should be
avoided as the rate of corrosion may be accelerated
depending on the particular metals in contact and
their relative areas. For instance, when zinc plated
steel components are fixed with stainless steel
fixings the increased corrosion of the plated steel
part will be minor due to its relatively larger area.
Otherwise dissimilar metals should be isolated using
suitable washers or protected from the electrolyte.
Chemical or severe corrosion
In areas subject to high atmospheric pollution or
For Shock loads, check with the manufacturer.. marine environments even Grade A4 Stainless steel
may have a reduced life expectancy. Special alloys
4.2. FIXTURE THICKNESS
are now available with increased resistance. Refer to
Anchors which are supplied complete have a limited the manufacturer for advice in applications where
fixture thickness. Hole depths are often quoted for fixings are exposed to particular chemicals.
the maximum fixture so when thinner fixtures are
Stress corrosion
used the hole depth must be increased accordingly.
For anchors supplied without bolts take account of Stress corrosion occurs in conditions where elevated
the correct engagement within the anchor when temperatures coincide with moisture and the
specifying bolt length. presence of chlorides, as for instance in swimming
pool roofs. Normal materials, including A4 stainless,
5. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
are not suitable and special measures must be taken
CORROSION including the consideration of special alloys.
Oxidation
Depending on the conditions and required life,
normal rusting may be avoided by specifying
protective coatings or stainless steel. For dry internal
applications zinc plated carbon steel fixings are
suitable, for short and medium term external uses
hot dipped galvanised carbon steel may be
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CFA Guidance Note

Anchor Selection

6. INSTALLATION FACTORS
Ensure installers follow manufacturer's
Instructions
Awareness of installation requirements helps
specifiers ensure designed performance is met.
Some key points are highlighted below.
Drill hole to correct diameter and depth
Diameter is vital for all
anchors. A few types may be
set in holes deeper than the
minimum while others are
set against the bottom of the
hole. For some anchors adjust hole depth for
fixture thickness. (For through fixings, holes in
fixture should be +1mm on nominal drill
diameter.)
Clean hole thoroughly
Important for all anchors but
particularly resin bonded
(and especially injection)
types for which brushing
and blowing is required.
Use correct setting equipment and procedure
Applies particularly to
deformation controlled,
undercut and bonded
anchors.

Bonded anchors - allow curing time

Curing time is temperature
dependent.

Tighten to correct torque

Manufacturers’ specified
torques usually protect the
bolt material from being
overstressed while
inducing a tension in the
bolt, and corresponding clamping force through
the fixture, in excess of the recommended tensile
load. This means the fixture will not move.
Specified torques are therefore vital. In bonded
anchors they also protect the bond from being
overstressed in weak base materials, where the
bond will be weak, it may be necessary to reduce
the torque from that quoted for concrete in
proportion to the reduction in recommended
load.
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CFA Guidance Note

Anchor Selection

7. BASE MATERIAL SUITABILITY CHART

8. SITE TESTING
Most members of the Association will offer a free on-
site testing service to help determine anchor
suitability in materials of unknown strength. They
may make a charge for testing to check the quality
of installation.

References:

EAD330232-00-0601 Mechanical fasteners for use

[1]

in concrete. EOTA.
Downloadable from www.eota.be.

BS8539:2012 Clause Calculation of Allowable

[2]

loads
Go to www.the-cfa.co.uk.
Please note

This Guidance Note is one of a series published

by the Construction Fixings Association and
may be downloaded free of charge, along with
Sample Method Statements designed to assist
installation, from the CFA website, logon to
www.the-cfa.co.uk. For details of the association,
members and activities use the contact page on
the website, email us at [email protected] or
phone
0116 274 7358.