What Are Anchor Bolts?
Anchor bolts are essentially bolts used to attach objects together. This type of bolt is strong enough to be attached to concrete and other hard surfaces. Such bolts come in different sizes and forms that are unique to their manufacturer. Generally though, the bolts are composed of a nut and washer that are attached to a threaded end.
An anchor bolt is used on a wide variety of construction or industrial projects from dams to buildings. They can also be used to embed plates to concrete to serve as a structural foundation.
What Are The Types Of Anchor Bolts?
The design of the bolts, as mentioned earlier, is generally composed of a thread, a nut and washer. The bolts come in different shapes, however. The most common bolt is what appears to be a cast-in-place anchor which has to be set in the wet concrete before the latter hardens. The bolt in this case is shaped liked a hexagon. The bolts may also come in a bent form with a hook attached on its end.
Another type of anchor bolt is a wedge anchor, which is a kind of expansion bolt. Wedge bolts are secured in place through a wedging effect where the nut is driven down the surface up to the expansion sleeve. Wedge anchors come in three styles namely the fully threaded, partial threaded and full-bodied.
Specialised types of anchors are also designed by manufacturer, although most of their designs are based on wedge anchors. Anchors for outdoor use such as seismic anchors and rock bolts are also available in the market.
Attaching Anchor Bolts To A Surface
Bolts are attached to a surface through the use of a composite plastic that holds the anchor bolts in place once it is being cast and the concrete is being set. Epoxy can also be used to strengthen the hold of bolts to foundations but its effectiveness is not proven and is still under testing.