SECOND IN A CONTINUING SERIES-AUGUST 2004

The New Design Method for Anchoring to

Concrete and Associated Anchor Data
What is this new design method and what data do you use?
by Richard E. Wollmershauser, P.E., FACI
allowable load information based on mean values
divided by a global safety factor. Both the older ACI
load factors and the factored load combinations found in
Chapter 16 of the IBC 2003 and Chapter 35 of the
NFPA 5000TM are accommodated with two sets of
strength reduction factors corresponding to a variety of
failure modes (steel failure, concrete cone failure, etc.).
Design strengths predicted by the method are generally
based on the 5 percent fractiles of test results. (Ill revisit
this subject later.) The design strength of anchors must
equal or exceed the largest required strength calculated
from the given load combinations, including seismic
loads for cast-in-place anchors and post-installed
anchors that have been qualified for seismic resistance.
The resistance provided by the anchors is determined
from the lowest of the calculated resistances in tension
and shear (determined separately) for performance in
cracked concrete, which include:
For tension;
the steel strength of the anchor in tension,
concrete breakout strength in tension,
pullout strength of the anchor in tension,
concrete side-face blow-out in tension (only for
cast-in-place anchors).
For shear;
steel strength in shear,
concrete breakout strength in shear (near an
edge),
concrete pryout strength in shear.
These resistances are further reduced for other
influences, including proximity to an edge, eccentric
loading, and spacing for groups of anchors (2 or more).
The resistance can be increased by use of a 3-factor if
the anchor is to be placed in a location that is not
expected to crack under service loading. Strength
reduction factors () are given to account for seismic
loading ( = 0.75), whether the anchor is governed by a
ductile (higher ) or brittle (lower ) failure, or whether
there is additional reinforcement present that will tie the
concrete failure prism back into the concrete (Condition
A, higher ), or not (Condition B, lower ).
Second, as introduced in the preceding paragraphs,
the anchors are designed for locations 1) where cracking
may be expected to occur (tension zones as well as
places that will experience reverse loading in

ACI 318-02 Appendix D introduced a new design

method into the world of anchoring to structural concrete.
Commonly known as the concrete capacity design (CCD)
method, it is actually much more; the concrete capacity
being just one aspect of this method. We shall take a brief
look into the overall concept including some important
details, and the data that is to be used with this new
method. Both the IBC 2003 and the NFPA 5000 codes
reference ACI 318-02, so whichever code is adopted, the
same anchor design method applies.
WHAT ANCHORS ARE COVERED?
ACI 318-02 Appendix D contains provisions for
cast-in-place headed bolts, L-bolts, and J-bolts, as well as
the common welded-stud anchors. But new in the 2002
version are provisions for post-installed (drilled-in)
mechanical anchors, specifically undercut anchors (like
the Hilti HDA), torque-controlled expansion anchors
(including the Hilti HSL-3 and Kwik Bolt II and Kwik
Bolt 3 anchor systems), and displacement-controlled
expansion anchors (drop-in anchors such as the Hilti HDI
anchor system). The design method does not apply to
adhesive anchors, nor does it cover screw anchors at this
time.
ACI Committees 318 and 355 will be addressing both
adhesive anchors (and grouted anchors) and some of the
newer post-installed anchor systems not yet addressed by
Appendix D. However, it could take as long as two years
(or longer) to develop design provisions and anchor
prequalification criteria for these other systems.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE DESIGN METHOD
The new anchor strength design provisions are found
in Appendix D of ACI 318-02. In that most recent edition
of that excellent companion document prepared by the
Portland Cement Association Notes on ACI 318-02
Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete,
eighty-one pages are devoted to Appendix D, including
reference materials and eight detailed design examples. I
highly recommend it (even though it wont make the N.Y.
Times best seller list).
There are several important changes in the approach
to anchor design as reflected in Appendix D.
First, the ACI approach is based on strength design
(LRFD) as opposed to the current practice of providing

hef = effective embedment depth of the anchor

The calculation for both single anchors and multiple
anchors (for concrete breakout strength) with
consideration for influencing factors is given by Eq. 3.

earthquakes), or 2) that are not expected to crack

(compression zones) during the expected life of the
anchor. The basic underlying assumption of Appendix D
is that the anchors will be located in a tension zone
(cracked concrete). If the concrete will not crack under
service loading, then anchors that are prequalified for noncracked concrete can be used and a higher capacity is
allowed. The design method allows designs for single as
well as multiple anchors, and combined tension and shear
loading.
A third important point is that the calculated or
reported capacities according to the methods of ACI 318
Appendix D are not mean ultimate capacities, but are
characteristic capacities (called 5% fractiles) that have a
90% probability of being exceeded by 95% of the
population. (Simply stated, if 100 anchors are tested, there
is a 90 percent confidence that 95 of the results will
exceed the 5 percent confidence value.) For systems
exhibiting normal scatter, the characteristic capacity is
approximately 75% of the mean anchor capacity. If the
test results are tightly grouped, yielding a low coefficient
of variation, the characteristic capacity is close to the
calculated mean capacity. Conversely, if the test results
indicate a wider scatter in the data, then the characteristic
capacity is further from the calculated mean capacity.
Thus, an anchor system which is consistent in its
performance is rewarded with a higher capacity, while a
less-consistent anchor system receives a lower capacity.

N cb =

Eq. 3

where:
1 = modification for eccentric loading
2 = modification for edge effects
3 = modification for non-tension zones
and AN/ANo is a relationship that takes into consideration
effects from the reduced breakout cone resulting from
nearby anchors and/or edges. See Figures 1 and 2.

1.5 h ef

1.5 h ef

1.5 h ef

1.5 h ef

35 h
ef
1.5 h ef 1.5 h ef

No

= 2(1.5 h ef) 2(1.5 h ef )

= 3 h ef 3 h ef
= 9 h ef 2

Figure 1Determination of ANo for a single anchor

ANCHOR CAPACITIES IN TENSION

For post-installed anchors, the prequalification testing
as reported in an ICC ES Evaluation Service Report or as
presented in a certified evaluation report in accordance
with ACI 355.2 establishes the data to be used with the
design method of ACI 318 Appendix D. The following
gives the minimum basics. The reader is referred to ACI
318-02 Appendix D for details and the corresponding
Commentary, which gives expanded explanations.
For steel failure in tension, the capacity can be
calculated for cast-in-place and post-installed anchors.
Alternatively it may be determined by testing for postinstalled anchors. The steel capacity is given by Eq. 1.
N s = nAse f ut
Eq. 1

1.5 h ef 1.5 hef

c1 1.5 hef

AN
A N= (c1+ 1.5hef ) (2 x 1.5hef )
if c1 < 1.5hef

1.5 h ef 1.5 h ef

c1 s1 1.5 hef

where:
n = number of anchors
Ase = tensile stress area, and
fut = specified tensile strength of anchor steel
For concrete breakout failure (breakout cone) under
tension loading, the concrete failure load for a single
anchor can be calculated according to Eq. 2, which relates
the capacity to embedment depth, concrete strength and a
k-factor determined from prequalification testing.

AN

A N = (c1+ s1+ 1.5hef ) (2 x 1.5hef )

if c1< 1.5hef and s1 < 3hef

c1 s1 1.5 hef

c 2 s 2 1.5 h ef

1.5
N b = k f c hef

AN
1 2 3 N b
ANo

Eq. 2

where:
k = concrete breakout factor from testing
fc = specified concrete strength

AN= (c1+ s1+ 1.5hef ) (c2+ s2+ 1.5hef )

AN

if c1 and c2 < 1.5h ef

and
s1 and s2 < 3hef

Figure 2Determination of AN for groups of anchors

c1

Another type of failure mode that occurs with many

post-installed expansion anchors is pullout or pullthrough, where the anchor is pulled out of the hole with or
without the expansion sleeves, respectively. While the
pullout capacity for cast-in-place anchors can be
calculated, this capacity for post-installed anchors cannot
be calculated because of the many differences among
post-installed anchors. This capacity must be determined
by testing. In some cases, this failure mode may have
some relationship to concrete strength; possibly linear, as
a function of the square root of the concrete compressive
strength, or somewhere between.
If the anchor is near an edge, a reduced capacity will
generally result. This is taken into consideration by the 2
factor and the area ratio term in Eq. 3. For two or more
influencing edges, Appendix D gives further guidance.

Vn
1.5c1

1.5c1

AV
6 7Vb
AVo

0. 2

= 4.5c 12
Front view

Figure 3Determination of AV for a single anchor

Av

do

Av

c1

Vn/2
c1

h
1.5c1 1.5c1

1.5c1 1.5c1

AV = (c2 + 1.5c1) x 1.5c1

if h 1.5c1 and c2 < 1.5c1

Av = 2 x 1.5c1 x h
if h < 1.5c1

Vn
Vn

Av

c1
Av

1.5c1

c1

h
1.5c1

1.5c1

Vn

Eq. 5
Av

f c (c1 )

Vn/2

AV = 2 x 1.5c1 x h
if h < 1.5c1

Vn

c2 1.5c1

1. 5

Side view

A Vo = 2(1.5c 1 ) (1.5c 1 )

c1

And the basic concrete breakout strength, Eq. 6

Vn
hef

Eq. 4

AV
5 6 7Vb
AVo

l
Vb = 7
do

Edge of concrete

1.5c1

For a group of anchors, Eq. 5.

Vcbg =

1.5c1

Plan view

ANCHOR CAPACITIES IN SHEAR

For shear loading, capacities away from edges can
most times be calculated. Post-installed anchors, however,
require shear testing to determine their capacity under two
conditions. Post-installed anchors must be prequalified by
testing if they have a reduced cross-sectional area within 5
anchor diameters of the shear plane, or for sleeved
anchors, if the sleeve is to be considered in the shear
resistance of the anchor. While ACI 318-02 Appendix D
gives an equation for calculating the shear capacity for
sleeved anchors, it was later found to be unconservative
for some sleeved anchors and is being changed in the -05
version to require testing.
For concrete breakout strength near an edge, the shear
capacity for a single anchor is calculated by Eq. 4.

Vcb =

35o

1.5c1

1.5c1

s1

AV = (2 x 1.5c1 + s1) x h
if h < 1.5c1 and s1 < 3c1

1.5c1

Figure 4Determination of AV for single and groups of

anchors

Eq.6

where:
5 = modification factor for eccentric loading
6 = modification factor for edge effects
7 = modification factor for non-tension zones
Vb = basic concrete breakout strength
do = anchor diameter
c1 = edge distance
and AV/AVo is a relationship that takes into consideration
effects from the reduced breakout cone resulting from
nearby anchors and/or edges. See Figures 3 and 4.

Special cases are presented in Appendix D for two

and three edges that influence the anchor capacity.
Pryout is another failure mode that can occur with
shallow single anchors or groups of anchors loaded in
shear away from proximate edges. It is characterized by
rotation of the anchors resulting in the formation of a
concrete spall behind the anchors in the direction
opposite to the direction of loading. It is checked using
Eq. 7 as an approximation for single anchors.

Vcp = k cp N cb

implementation and interpretation of the test procedures.

One such glitch concerning the provisions for
establishing the critical edge distance for use with
Appendix D was identified and has been addressed
through the addition of a simple modification term in the
calculation of Ncbg. This and other modifications
required to make Appendix D and ACI 355.2 fully
compatible are now working their way through ACI
Committees 318 and 355, and the resulting amendments
should appear in ACI 318-05 and ACI 355.2-04.
Because of these pending changes, manufacturers have
been reticent to embark on full-scale test programs, and
to date no anchor systems have been qualified for use
with Appendix D. As the processing of these
modifications in ACI nears completion, however, the
ICC Evaluation Service (ICC ES) has implemented
parallel modifications in their acceptance criteria
(AC193) that references the ACI testing and design
procedures. This has enabled testing of post-installed
anchors to meet the requirements of Appendix D to
proceed. But that is the focus of our next article.
Hilti expects to be able to offer anchor systems
qualified for use in both cracked and uncracked concrete
under the provisions of Appendix D in the September
time period.

Eq. 7

where:
kcp = 1.0 for hef < 2.5 in.
= 2.0 for hef 2.5 in.
and Ncb is the tension capacity as determined above.
ACI 318 is adding a pryout equation for groups of
anchors (Eq. 8).
Vcpg = k cp N cbg
Eq. 8
TENSION AND SHEAR INTERACTION
The interaction of tension and shear loading can be
determined by a tri-linear straight line approximation to
the elliptical curve that has been used in the past. See ACI
318 Appendix D for details and Figure 5 below.
Nu

Nu

Nn

Nn

V
+ u
Vn

=1

Tri-linear
interaction
method

Richard Wollmershauser is Director Technical Services

for Hilti, Inc. of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has been active in
the concrete anchor industry for the past 23 years. He is
a registered PE in Ohio and Oklahoma and a Fellow of
the American Concrete Institute. He currently serves as
Chairman of ASTM Subcommittee E06.13, Performance
of Connections in Building Construction, and completed
7 years as Chairman of the American Concrete Institute
Committee 355, Anchorage to Concrete, currently
serving as its Secretary. He was editor of the ACI Stateof-the-Art-Report on Anchorage to Concrete (ACI
355.1R-93).
He also serves on the Federation
International du Beton Special Activities Group 3 on
Fastening to Concrete and Masonry.

0.2 Nn
0.2 Vn

Vn

Vu

Figure 5Tri-linear and power methods

For small values of Vu ( 0.2Vn), Nn Nu. Eq. 9
For small values of Nu ( 0.2Nn), Vn Vu.

Eq. 10

For larger values of both Vu and Nu,

Nu
V
+ u 1 .2
N n Vn

Eq. 11

WHAT DATA DO YOU USE?

Post-installed anchors that are to be used with the
design method of ACI 318-02 Appendix D need to be
prequalified. Qualification is achieved through a testing
program that determines if the anchors are in fact suitable
for structural applications and whether their behavior can
be correctly predicted using the equations given in
Appendix D. Appendix D references ACI 355.2-01 as an
acceptable testing and prequalification standard. This
standard, which is a significant departure from previous
qualification standards for anchors, has raised the bar for
the post-installed anchor industry. As with any new
standard, it has experienced some birthing pains in the