Anchor bolts are normally used for connecting structural steel or other non-structural material to concrete such as attach steel columns to reinforced concrete foundations or attach facade systems to the concrete wall. Anchor bolts used to transfer the shear forces and tension forces, they rely on friction with concrete to provide a firm and strong holding. It has a unique design that allows it to be embedded inside the concrete. One end of the anchor bolt will be embedded in the concrete floor and another end will be threaded in the structural steel to support the connection. There are different types of anchor bolts and each has its own sizes, applications, purposes and advantages. Some anchor bolts are used to faster cabinet, pipes, or other objects to the concrete floor or wall. Anchor bolts are mainly classified into two categories which are the Cast-in-place anchor and Post-installed anchors.
Cast-in-place anchor is the strongest and simplest type of anchor that can be used in most anchor applications. As the name suggests, it is being cast inside the wet concrete. It is installed before pouring the concrete and before it dries. This way of installation allows the anchor to be fully secured after the concrete dried and harden. It is suitable to be used when the loads need high tensile strength and large embedment lengths as it is efficient in handling high magnitude force. Cast-in-place anchor is typically having a headed steel bolt/stud. The head is inserted upside down into an open cavity of the concrete. Concrete will then pour into the cavity that surrounds the anchors to form a firm connection. There are few varieties of cast-in-place anchors available such as J-Bolt with washer, L-Bolt with washer, Hex head bolt with wash, and Welded headed stud.
Post-Installed anchor has a similar design as the cast-in-place anchor as it has a hexagonal head and also installed in an upside-down way. The main difference is that a post-installed anchor is installed in a pre-drilled hole in the hardened concrete surface whereas the cast-in-place anchor is installed before pouring the concrete. Post-installed anchor bolts are commonly used in the construction industry or where the mounting arrangement needs to be changed after the concrete has been hardened. They are two main types of post-installed anchor: bonded/adhesive anchor and mechanical expansion anchor.
Here we will introduce few common types of anchor bolts that mostly in the industrial and construction sectors.
Sleeve Type anchors
Sleeve anchors are versatile as they can be used for light and heavy-duty fastening applications. It is suitable for installing in multiple base materials such as brick, concrete, and block. Sleeve type anchors are commonly applied for securing heavy objects of up to 200 pounds to the concrete surface. It is a great choice for installing door frames, railing, or other light fixtures as it can provide greater safety to us.
Undercut anchors
Undercut anchors are the strongest anchor we can use to avoid technical problems. It usually requires additional drilling and cost than other anchors. Due to these reasons, undercut anchors are common to be used in roller coasters, power plants, or other structures that required the highest level of safety. There are two types of undercut anchors available in the market, the standard type requires a special bit to drill the undercut, another type is the self-drilling anchor which does not require an additional bit.
Drop-in Type Anchors
A drop-in anchor is a female/internal threaded anchor. It is inserted in a pre-drilled hole and required the use of a special setting tool to expand the anchor inside the concrete to set the position. It should be only used in solid concrete. Drop-in anchors are commonly used for installing ceiling fans, light fixtures, ductwork, pipe hanging, etc.
Strike Anchor
Strike anchor is a male fastener which is suitable for lightweight fixtures and fittings such as fastening electrical boxes, shelf bracket to the concrete wall. The strike bolt is inserted in the drilled hole through the nut and washer. The strike anchor is then placed in the hole with the use of a hammer to strike it and expand the tube inside the hold for creating necessary holding.
Lag Shield Anchor
Lag shield anchor is designed to used with lag bolts. It is suitable for light to medium-duty fastening applications and not suggested to be used for life safety or overhead purposes. Lag shield anchors are available in a wide range of sizes/diameters and ranging from short to long length. Short type lag shield anchor is used for harden base material as it can reduce the drilling time, while long type lag shield anchor is used for softer base materials or weak masonry as it can provide a stronger holding.
Toggle Wing Anchors
Toggle wing anchor is commonly applied in drywall, wallboard, or other hollow base material applications. It is not advisable to use heavy-weight objects on these anchors applications. The toggle wing anchor consists of two parts which are the machine bolt and spring wing toggle that can bend at a 90-degree angle.
J Shaped Anchor Bolt
J bolt is a long bolt that has a ‘’J’’ shape at the end of one side. It is commonly used for securing the wall to the concrete foundation as the bent end side can hook around the rebar for creating strong support.
L Shaped Anchor Bolts
L bolts are similar to J bolt except that it is in “L’’ shape at the end of one side. It operates in the same principle as J-bolt and so they are often used in the same situation.
We should choose the anchor according to our purpose as different anchors are made for specific applications. Getting the right fastening to your project is very important as it ensures the effectiveness and life span of your project. In addition, inadequate installation can affect the bonding between the objects. We must always follow the safety standard when installing the anchors. A right diameter and depth must be followed when drilling the holes for inserting the anchors. If the drilled hole is too deep or wide, it may loosen easily in the future and affect the overall performance of the objects. MecHero Malaysia supplies different types of anchor bolts for meeting your requirements. You can always contact us at +6011-7000 7687 or email us at my.mechero@gmail.com for an inquiry about the anchor bolts for industrial or home use. As a steel and online hardware store Malaysia, we also supply a wide range of steel material, general hardware, or mechanical components. Tell us your requirements now and we can advise you accordingly.
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