Anchor bolts and embedded items

Scope of supply

Anchor bolts connect the steel building to its foundations and must be in the concrete before any frame arrives. World Steel supplies them as an early shipment, together with the anchor bolt plan and base reactions, so that the foundation contractor can work while frames are fabricated. The detailing principles are described in base plates and anchor bolts and foundations and the steel-to-concrete interface.

• Anchor rods: L-bolts, J-bolts or straight rods with plate washers or headed nuts.
• Nuts, washers and levelling nuts, galvanized where specified.
• Setting templates to hold bolt groups in position during the pour.
• Embedded plates with headed studs for wall connections, canopies and equipment.
• Shear keys (shear lugs) where horizontal reactions require them.

Options and variants

Typical diameters range from about M16 to M36 (5/8 to 1-1/2 in) for standard PEB columns, with larger rods for crane and moment-base columns. Bolts are supplied black, hot-dip galvanized or with galvanized threaded ends only.

Materials, documentation and packing

Rods are cut, threaded and bent in the plant or sourced from qualified bolt makers with mill certificates. Each bolt group is tagged with its grid reference. Documentation includes the anchor bolt plan with projections and thread lengths, base reactions for the foundation designer, template drawings and material certificates. Anchor bolts are packed in labelled crates and usually sent by the first available vessel or by air for urgent starts.

The anchorage of the bolts in concrete (embedment, edge distance, reinforcement) is the responsibility of the foundation engineer; World Steel provides the forces and the steel details.

Compliance by market

Design references, corrosion protection and tolerances

In corrosive or wet environments the exposed part of the rod and the nut are the weak point: hot-dip galvanized rods, sealed grout pockets and column bases raised above washdown floors all extend life. Projection above concrete is set to allow for levelling nuts, grout, base plate, washer and full nut engagement. See erection tolerances.

How to request a quotation

A quotation can be prepared quickly when the enquiry states the project location and the code to be used. Please send:

1. Column base reactions or the frame design, if by others.
2. Bolt grade, diameter and finish required by the foundation engineer.
3. Number of bolt groups, embed plates and shear keys.
4. Required delivery date ahead of the main steel.

Anchor bolts can be quoted alone or as the first item of a full PEB kit under the primary frame scope; enquiries are handled by the export supply team.