Related Design Centers
Post-Installed Anchor Design and Software
The American building code, IBC 2009, references the design provisions issued by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) in ACI 318-08, Appendix D, which provides methods to calculate the design capacities of anchorages under seismic conditions according to the strength design methodology (ultimate limit states). These provisions apply to structures located in medium to high seismic zones (Seismic Design Categories C, D, E, or F), where the concrete base material shall be assumed to be cracked unless otherwise demonstrated.
Post-installed anchors designed using the methods in ACI 318-08, Appendix D, must be pre-qualified by extensive testing under ACI 355.2. The International Code Council (ICC) Evaluation Service provides a path to prequalification through acceptance criteria AC 193 for mechanical anchors and AC 308 for chemical anchors. These criteria define the testing methods and assessment procedures to develop design parameters compliant with Appendix D. Specific product characteristics as well as material safety factors can be found in the Evaluation Service Report (ESR) issued by ICC, which enable the determination of the product resistances such as concrete breakout, pull-out, tensile and shear steel capacities. ICC-ES evaluation service reports and acceptance criteria can be found at www.icc-es.org
