Static and cyclic pullout behavior of cast-in-place headed and bonded anchors with large embedment depths in cracked concrete

• Optimizing the design and identifying margin of the headed fasteners used in French nuclear power plants.
• Static and cyclic pullout tests on cast in place anchorage composed of an anchor plate welded to four headed or bonded rods.
• Experimental data base on tests on anchor plates.
• Anchor with large embedment depths in cracked concrete.
• Edge effects.

The equipment of French nuclear power plants is fixed on reinforced concrete structures with base plate with headed fasteners. EDF decided to carry out an experimental research program in partnership with LGCIE in order to optimize the design of the headed fasteners and identify margin. This article introduces the results of pullout tests on anchors with large embedment cast in place in a reinforced concrete block. The anchorage are composed of an anchor plate welded to four ribbed bars or headed smooth studs. The studied parameters are: the type of loading (static or cyclic), the edge distance, the state of cracking of the concrete block. The anchors with headed rods or ribbed bars have a steel rod failure mode in agreement with their initial design. However, an optimization of the size on the headed anchors seems to be expected in order to improve their installation. This experimental campaign will provide a data base enabling the development of numerical models in order to improve the design.