DESIGN OF ANCHOR BOLT (ACI 318M-19, Chapter 17)

INTRODUCTION:
This Mathcad calculation has been developed using ACI318M-2019 Chapter 17 and ACI Handbook
SP-17. This gives ultimate tensile and shear capacities of an anchor bolt or anchor group considering
both capacities of steel and surrounding concrete. It is intended to help engineers to calculate
anchor bolt capacity for 1 and 4 bolts having diameter M16 to M72 placed in rectangular pattern.

REFERENCES:
 ACI318M-2019: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
 Steel Design Guide 1: Base Plate and Anchor Rod Design

ASSUMPTIONS:
 Concrete is considered cracked while calculating reinforcement to resist anchor tension and
shear.
 Normal Concrete grade shall be used. No light weight concrete shall be permitted.
 Reinforcement used as part of an embedment shall have development length. If the
reinforcement is used as anchorage, concrete breakout failure has been considered.
 Anchor bolts shall not be welded to baseplate or any surrounding reinforcement.
 Anchors shall satisfy the edge distance, spacing criteria and embeded length specified in the
standard drawing to attain tension & shear capacity mentioned in the standard.
 Required strength shall be calculated based on Factored Load Combinations in Chapter 5 of ACI
318M-19.
 This sheet considered the anchor bolt capacity when acting as four bolt group. Therefore, it is
always recommended to use anchor bolt capacity when at least four no. of bolts present in a
base plate / at one support location.
 Where the anchor bolts are placed in the top of columns or pedestals, the bolts shall be enclosed
by transverse reinforcement that also surrounds at least 4nos. vertical bars. Transverse
reinforcement i.e. lateral ties shall be atleast three No.10 bars distributed within 125mm from
the top of columns or pedestals.
 Provision of half sleeve is discretion of engineer to provide greater tolerance during
super-structure installation. Contribution of sleeve has not been considered for calculating
anchor bolt capacity.
 No eccentricity in Anhcor Group for Tensile forces considered.

INPUTS:
 User Input areas are highlighted in yellow colour.
 Abbreviation and notations used in calculation are in line with chapter 2 of ACI 318M-2019.

RESULTS:
 All results are highlighted with aqua colour.
 Anchor bolts shall be provided based on shear & tension interaction check as per Section 17.8 of ACI
318M-2019. Tension.cal / Tension.cap + Shear.cal / Shear.cap < 1.2. Strength modification factor
has already been taken for calculating Shear / Tension Capacity.

DISCLAIMER:
 This Mathcad sheet merely saves the user time in laborious calculations but is no substitute for the
engineer’s expertise and technical sense.
 Responsibility of correctness of any application using this MathCad sheet lies with the user, since all
equations used in calculation are clearly visible and can be verified by user.
Design Input
Factored Design Forces: Tensio n Nua  50kN Shear Vua  10kN

Anchor Bolt Diameter do  20  mm

Number of Anchor Bolts na  4

Distance between Anchors smin  6  do  120  mm s  120mm

(Table 17.9.2a)
N
fc  34   34  MPa
Concrete Grade 2
mm

Compressive strength of concrete (Cylindrical) f'c  0.8  fc  27.2  MPa

N
Specified Tensile Strength of Anchor Rod futa  400   400  MPa
2
(Conform to ASTM 1554, Grade A36 or Equivalent) mm

Specified yield strength of anchor steel fya  0.6  futa  240  MPa

dm.rf  12  mm
Maximum Diameter of Main Reinforcement
dt.rf  10  mm
Maximum Diameter of Transverse Reinforcement

Nos of leg effective to transfer shear in each set of Tie nleg  2

Nos of tie layer (closed spaced) nlayer  3

Clear Cover to Reinforcement ccc  75  mm

N
Specified Yield Strength of Reinforcement Steel fy  420   420  MPa
2
(Ref. Table 2 of ASTM A615M, Grade 60) mm

Edge Distance & Embeded Length

16 23.1 27.7 2 157 450  1st Column - Bolt Diameter
 
20 29.1 34.6 2.5 245 300 
2nd Column - Minimum Width of Hexagonal Nut across Flat
24 35 41.6 3 353 600 
  3rd Column - Maximum Width of Hexagonal Nut across
30 45 53.1 3.5 561 700 
Corner

table1  36 53.8 63.5 4 817

800  mm
  4th Column - Pitch of Thread
42 63.8 75.1 4.5 1120 900 
  5th Column - Effective Tensile Stress Area
48 73.8 86.6 5 1470 1000

56 83.6 98.1 5.5 2030 1100  6th Column - Anchor Bolt Embedment Length (provided)
 
64 93.6 109.7 6 2680 1200 

(For Dimension of Hexagonal Nuts & Effective Stress Area: Refer Table 4 of ASTM A563M)

Maximum Width across Corner  

dnut.c  vlookup do  table1  2 0  34.6  mm

Minimum Width across Flat dnut.f  vlookup do  table1  1 0  29.1  mm

Pitch of Thread pt  vlookup do  table1  3 0  2.5  mm

    dnut.c  
Minimum Edge Distance Eg.min  max 6do  Ceil ccc  dm.rf  dt.rf     5mm  120  mm
   2  
Adopted Edge Distance Eg.prov  120mm  
Eg  max Eg.min  Eg.prov  120  mm

ca1  Eg  120  mm ca3  Eg  120  mm

Edge Distance provided
ca2  Eg  120  mm ca4  Eg  120  mm

 
camax  max ca1  ca2  ca3  ca4  120  mm

 
camin  min ca1  ca2  ca3  ca4  120  mm

Embedment depth of anchor > (max of 2.5 times of minimum Edge distance and 12do):

   
hefcal  max 2.5  min ca1  ca2  ca3  ca4  12  do  300  mm

Anchor Bolt Embedment Length hef  vlookup  do  table1  5 0  300  mm

Check1  if hef  hefcal  "OK"  "Not OK"   "Not OK"

Thickness of member in which Anchor Bolt is embedded ha  hef  150mm  450  mm

Pedestal Provided
  na  
            
2 1 a3  360  mm L P  400mm
Minimum Pedestal L if n c s c c c
Pm a a1 a3 a1
Dimensions :   2  
  a
n  
BPm  if na  2  ca2    1  s  ca4  ca2  ca4  360  mm BP  400mm
 2  
Strength Reduction Factors
Strength Reduction Factor () for Cast-in Anchors as per 17.5.3 Tension Shear

ϕt.s  0.75 ϕv.s  0.65

Ductile Steel for Anchor Bar (Table 17.5.3a)

Concrete breakout or Side-face blowout (Table 17.5.3b) ϕt.c  0.70 ϕv.c  0.70

Strength Reduction Factor () for Anchor Reinforcement as per 17.5.3 ϕs  0.75

Modification Factor for Pullout Strength (Ref. 17.6.3.3.1b) ψc.P  1.4 for anchor bolts in
uncracked zone

Reduction Factor for Shear in Anchor on built-up grout pad (Ref. 17.7.1.2.1) ϕg  0.8

Factors for Calculation of Development Length ψt  1.0 ψg  1.0 for Reinforcement Grade 40
(Ref. Table 25.4.2.5 )
ψe  1.0 for Uncoated Reinf. 
ψs  if dm.rf  22mm  0.8  1.0  0.8
Design Calculation:
Determination of Tensile Capacity of Anchor Bolt

Tensile Strength of Anchor

1 1
Number of Threads per unit length (mm) nt   0.4 
(Ref. BS 4190 : 2001, Table - 12) pt mm

 π  0.9743  2 2
Effective Cross Sectional Area of Anchor Ase      do   242.298  mm
 4  nt 

Strength of Anchor in Tension (Ref. 17.6.1.2) Nsa  Ase futa  96.919  kN

Design Tensile Strength of Single Anchor in Tension NTS  ϕt.s  Nsa  72.689  kN

Concrete Breakout Strength of Anchor in Tension (without reinforcement)

 camax s 
Effective Embedment Depth (Ref. 17.6.2.1.2) as camax  1.5  hef hef.c  max     80  mm
 1.5 3 
Basic Concrete Break-out Strength of a Single Anchor (Ref. 17.6.2.2) λa  1.0 for normal concrete
5

f'c  hef.c  3
Nb  3.9  λa    N if 280mm  hef.c  635  mm  37.318  kN
MPa  mm 

f'c  hef.c  1.5

10  λa    N otherwise
MPa  mm 

Projected Concrete Failure Area of a Single Anchor (Ref. 17.6.2.1.4) 

ANco  9  hef.c 2  5.76  104 mm2
if  s  3  hef.c  "s<3.h.ef.c"  "s>3.h.ef.c"   "s<3.h.ef.c"

ANc   ca1  s  1.5  hef.c  ca2  s  1.5  hef.c  1.296  105  mm

Total Projected Concrete Failure Area for 2
anchor group (Ref. Fig. R17.6.2.1(b))

ψec.N  1.0 Assuming no eccentricity on anchor

Breakout Eccentricity Factor as per 17.6.2.3
group for Tensile force
 camin 
Breakout Edge Effect Factor as per 17.6.2.4 ψed.N  min  1.0  0.7  0.3    0.78
 1.5  hef 
 
Breakout Cracking Factor as per 17.6.2.5.1 ψc.N  1.25 For cast-in-anchor in uncracked zone

Breakout Spliting Factor as per 17.6.2.6.2 ψc.PN  1.0 For cast-in-anchor

ANc
Nominal Breakout Strength in Group of Anchors Ncbg  ψ ψ ψ ψ  N  81.867  kN
ANco ec.N ed.N c.N c.PN b

ϕt.c  Ncbg
Calculated Breakout Strength in a single Anchor
NCB   14.327  kN
(without considering Pedestal Reinforcement) na
Concrete Breakout Strength of Anchor in Tension (with reinforcement)
LP  s  dm.rf 
Actual distance of vertical bars from Anchor Bolt center Dm.rf    ccc  dt.rf    49  mm
2  2 
Remark1  "Vertical bar effective to transfer anchor tension" if Dm.rf  0.5hefcal
(Ref. Fig. R17.5.2.1a)
"Vertical bar not not effective to transfer anchor tension" otherwise

Remark1  "Vertical bar effective to transfer anchor tension"

Reinforcement % for pedestal provided as minimum pst  1.0

2
Area of Pedestal (provided) Aped  L P  BP  0.16 m
pst
2
Minimum Area of Reinforcement required Astr   Aped  1.6  103  mm
100

 Astr 
nv  Ceil
 
 2  16
Number of Reinforcement Bars required π 2

  dm.rf 
4 
π 2
nv   dm.rf
4 2
Reinforcement provided around each Anchor Bolt Astb   452.389  mm
na

Allowable Tension to each Anchor Bolt T rf  ϕs  fy  Astb  142.503  kN

(considering Pedestal Reinforcement)
dm.rf
Effective Cover for anchor reinforcement cb  ccc  dt.rf   91  mm K tr  0
2

db  dm.rf  12  mm
Diameter of anchor reinforcement

 fy 
  ψt  ψg  ψe  ψs 
Development length of
 MPa 
anchor reinforcement ld  max  db  300mm  300  mm
 
(Ref. 25.4.2.1 & 25.4.2.4)  f'c  cb  K tr  
  2.5
 1.1  λa  MPa  min  d  
  b  

Available Development Length for ld.av  hef  ccc  Dm.rf  tan ( 35deg)  190.69  mm
anchor reinforcement

Remark2  "Required Development Length is available. Hence OK" if ld.av  ld

"Required Development Length is NOT available. Modify Edge Distance" otherwise

Remark2  "Required Development Length is NOT available. Modify Edge Distance"

Design Breakout Strength in a single Anchor  

NBS  max NCB  T rf  142.503  kN
Pullout Strength of Single Anchor :

 2  419.2 mm2
3 2 π
Bearing Area due to heavy hex nut Abrg   dnut.f   do
2 4

Nominal Pullout Strength in a single Anchor (Ref. 17.6.3.2.2)  

Npn  ψ c.P  8  Abrg  f'c   127.705  kN
 
Design Pullout Strength in a Single Anchor NPS  ϕt.c  Npn  89.393  kN

Concrete Side-face Blowout Strength :

 ca1 ca2 
Edge distance Ratio 
cratio  if ca1  ca2    cratio  1
 ca2 ca1 
 
Nominal Side-face Blowout Strength for Single Anchor (Ref. 17.6.4.1)

Nsb 
 min c  c

Nsb  13 
a1 a2

  Abrg
 λa 
f'c
N


 "NA"
 mm 2 MPa 
 mm 

Nsb if hefcal  2.5 min ca1  ca2 
1  cratio
Nsb 
4
 
if hefcal  2.5 min ca1  ca2  1.0  cratio  3.0

"NA" otherwise

Nominal Side-face Blowout Strength for Group Anchor (Ref. 17.6.4.2)

Nsbg 
 min c  c

Nsb  13 
a1 a2

  Abrg
 λa 
f'c
N


 "NA"
 mm 2 MPa 
 mm 
 s 
Nsb   1 
 
6  min ca1  ca2 
  
if hefcal  2.5 min ca1  ca2  s  6  min ca1  ca2  
"NA" otherwise

ϕt.c  Nsbg  hefcal 

NSB  if    2.5  "NA"
Design Side-face Blowout Strength for Single Anchor na  ca1 
 
2
"NA" otherwise

Maximum Allowable Tension in a Single Anchor:

 hefcal 
Hence maximum allowable Tension T cap  
min NTS  NBS  NPS  NSB  if 
 ca1 
  2.5  72.689  kN
to a Single Anchor Bolt as per the  
Failure Criterion Investigated:

min NTS  NBS  NPS  otherwise
 Determination of Shear Capacity of Anchor Bolt
Steel Strength of Anchor in Shear:

Steel Strength of Anchor in Shear

(Ref. 17.7.1.2)
Vsa  Ase 0.6  futa if futa  min 860MPa  1.9  fya  58.151  kN

Ase 0.6  min futa  860MPa otherwise

Designed Steel Strength of Anchor in Shear VSS  ϕv.s  Vsa  ϕg  30.239  kN

Concerete Breakout Strength of Anchor in Shear

Edge Distance & Spacing for Shear capacity: ca1  120  mm s  120  mm

Projected Area of a Single Anchor

(Ref. Fig.R17.7.2.1a)
AVco  4.5  ca1  2  6.48  104 mm2
Projected Area of Anchor group
(Ref. Fig.R17.7.2.1b)
  
AVc  min 1.5  ca1  ha  2  1.5  ca1  s  8.64  104  mm
2

Anchor Rod Bearing Length  

le  min 8  do  hef  160  mm

Basic Single Anchor Concrete Break-out Strength (Ref. 17.7.2.2)

  le 
0.2
do f'c  ca1  1.5 f'c  ca1  1.5
  
Vb  min 0.6  λa      3.7  λa    N  25.366  kN
 d  mm MPa  mm  MPa  mm  
  o 
Breakout Eccentricity Factor as per 17.7.2.3 ψec.V  1.0 Assuming e'v is zero

 ca2 
Breakout Edge Effect Factor as per 17.7.2.4 ψed.V  if  ca2  1.5  ca1  1  0.7  0.3    0.9
 1.5  ca1 
 
Breakout Cracking Factor as per 17.7.2.5 ψc.V  1.4 Ref. Table 17.7.2.5.1

  ca1 
0.5 
   1  1
Breakout Thickness Factor as per 17.7.2.6 ψh.V  if ha  1.5  ca1   1.5 
  ha  
   
AVc
Concrete Breakout Shear for Anchor group Vcbg   ψec.V  ψed.V  ψ c.V  ψh.V  Vb  42.615  kN
AVco

ϕv.c  Vcbg
Designed Breakout Shear for Single Anchor VBS   14.915  kN
(without conisdering Tie reinforcement)  na 
 
2
Concerete Pryout Strength of Anchor in Shear
Pryout shear resistence co-efficient (Ref. 17.7.3.1)  
k cp  if hef  2.5in  1  2  2

For Cast-in-anchors (Ref. 17.7.3.1.2) Ncpg  Ncbg  81.867  kN

Vcpg  kcp  Ncbg  163.733  kN

Nominal Pryout Strength in Anchor Group (Ref. 17.7.3.1b)
ϕv.c  Vcpg
Designed Pryout Strength in Single Anchor VPS   28.653  kN
na

Maximum Allowable Shear in Single Anchor:

Hence maximum allowable Shear to a Single Anchor Bolt

as per the Failure Criterion Investigated:  
Vcap  min VSS  VBS  VPS  14.915  kN

Tension and Shear Interaction Check for Anchor Bolt:

(Considering effect of Vertical reinforcement for Tension but closed spaced Stirrrups not considered for Shear)

Anchor Bolt Capacity in Tension: ϕNn  T cap  72.689  kN in Shear: ϕVn  Vcap  14.915  kN

Nua Vua
Interaction Ratio in Tension:  0.688 Interaction Ratio in Shear:  0.67
ϕNn ϕVn

Nua Vua
Combined Interaction Ratio in Tension & Shear:   1.358
ϕNn ϕVn

 Nua Vua  Nua  Vua 

Chk0  "Safe" if    
 1.2  0.2   
 1  0.2   1
 ϕNn ϕVn  ϕNn  ϕVn 
   
 Nua   Vua   Nua Vua 
"Safe,Full shear permitted" if   0.2    1     1.2
 ϕNn   ϕVn   ϕNn ϕVn 
   
 Vua   Nua   Nua Vua 
"Safe,Full tension permitted" if   0.2    1     1.2
 ϕVn   ϕNn   ϕNn ϕVn 
   
V  N V 
"Fail in shear, transfer anchor load to rebar" if  ua  1   ua  ua  1.2
 ϕVn   ϕNn ϕVn 
  
 Nua   Nua Vua 
"Fail in tension, transfer anchor load to rebar" if   1     1.2
 ϕNn   ϕNn ϕVn 
  
"Fail both tension and shear" otherwise

Chk0  "Fail both tension and shear"