Repair Evaluation Maintenance And Rehabilitation Research Program Anchor Embedment In Hardened Concrete Under Submerged Conditions

Anchors embedded in hardened concrete under submerged conditions with prepackaged adhesive capsules exhibit significant reductions in tensile load capacity compared to anchors installed under dry conditions. This relatively poor performance of anchors with embedment lengths up to 24 in. is the result water in the drill hole mixing with adhesive. Although insertion of the adhesive capsule or cartridge into a submerged drill hole will displace the majority of the water in the hole, water will remain between the walls of the adhesive container and the drill hole. Insertion of the anchor traps this water in the drill hole and causes it to become mixed with the adhesive. An anchor installation procedure that eliminates the problem of resin and water mixing in the drill hole is described. This procedure uses resin in both bulk and capsule form to displace the water in a drill hole prior to anchor insertion and spinning. Pullout tests on vertical and horizontal anchors embedded in vinylester resin with this revised installation procedure resulted in tensile capacities near the yield load of the anchors for both dry and submerged installations.