Engineers and designers who are considering switching to EM-BOLT boltable embed plates from standard field welded embeds are often concerned that their standard embed plate design practices won’t hold. In reality, embed plate design for EM-BOLT boltable embed plates is no different than designing for standard field welded embed plates. The same calculations and software are used to validate the embed plate design.
Below we walk through a typical model and calculation for the EM-BOLT boltable embed plate (Model BEP-2) using HILTI Profis Anchor Software, just like you would for a standard field welded embed plate design. The EM-BOLT BEP-2 Model embed plate has been analyzed using the HILTI Software, a commonly used anchor or embed plate design software used in the structural engineering field. The software used in this example is Profis Anchor version 2.8.1.
When using HILTI Software, the engineer inputs the properties of the design, anchor parameters, and base material and the software creates an image and analyzes the forces within the structure. The general design method used for the EM-BOLT BEP-2 Model concrete embed plate is ACI 318-14, Chapter 17 and the analysis was done using imperial units. The design dimensions can be found in Figure 1 on the software-generated diagram. The anchor, base material, base plate, and profile type/size can be found from the software output in Figure 2. The recommended anchor is the ¾” Dia. Hex Head ASTM F1554 GRADE 36.
(Figure 1: Input Data and Anchor Parameters)
Next, the load and geometry are added in to the design elements. The concrete, embed plate, and anchor design was analyzed with no seismic loading or tension to simulate a standard gravity connection of a steel beam to concrete wall. The image of the design with forces and moments can be found in Figure 2.
(Figure 2: 3D Geometry and Loading Model)
Figure 3 shows the loading on the 4 anchors.
(Figure 3: Loading on the 4 Anchors)
Next the four anchors and their forces are outputted by the system. In Figure 4, the four anchors can be seen on the embed plate with correct labels and placement. Each anchor showed no tension load or shear load in the y-axis and each anchor had the same shear load in x-axis. The shear load in x and shear combined load was 3,500 lbs for anchors 1, 2, 3, and 4. The sum of the shear loads in x-axis was 14,000 lbs, which matches the total shear load input. The output also calculated the concrete compression and tension forces, along with eccentricity of resultant forces. Figure 4 shows the output of these calculations including the equations and calculations used for steel strength of anchor in shear, concrete breakout strength, shear parallel to edge in x-direction, and the concrete pryout strength.
(Figure 4: Shear Force Results for Steel Strength, Pryout Strength, and Concrete Edge Failure)
The program used for the embed plate design provides the final results of the interaction of tensile and shear forces in the design. The highlighted areas indicate the governing interaction ratio. The governing ratio was calculated to be 0.98, which was less than the required 1.0 to be considered acceptable. Therefore, in this example the BEP-2 model embed plate design proved to be a valid design with a vertical shear load of 14,000 lbs based on the input values.
The HILTI ™ Software is a software system used daily by professional engineers to test different anchor and embed plate designs. Hilti continues to improve and update their software and now offers a cloud-based versions. To learn more about Hilti software, you can go here.
The BEP-2 model embed plate has been analyzed using this well-known software and has been validated by full scale load testing with observed failure loads exceeding 600 times higher than the allowable loads of ACI-318, Chapter 17. Although EM-BOLT boltable embed plates are a new innovative technology, one should not fear innovation, but embrace the benefits that new technology can provide, while using a software that is commonly used and accepted by practicing Structural Engineers.
Interested in learning more about how EM-BOLT boltable embed plates save construction costs and time? Take advantage of the Guide below!
Would you like help with your concrete embedded plate engineering calculations? Reach out to us below.
Embedded plate Revit drawings of our standard series of products are also available, for Revit drawings go here.
To learn more about the advantages of EM-BOLT Boltable Embedded Plates, go here.
To learn more about our Concrete Slab Thermal Break solutions, go here.
