Strength and Behavior of Anchor Bolts Embedded Near Edges of Concrete Piers

The primary objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of bolt diameter, embedment length, clear cover, and bearing area on the behavior of high-strength anchor bolts. Both model and full-scale tests were conducted. In addition, a series of exploratory full-scale tests were run to determine the influence of cyclic load, lateral load, bolt groups, and transverse reinforcement on the behavior. The tests showed that the anchor bolt transfers loads to the concrete member by a sequence involving steel-to-concrete bond, bearing against the washer of the anchorage device, and, finally, wedging action by a cone of crushed and compacted concrete in front of the anchorage device. The parameters were evaluated by comparing bolt stress slip curves. A regression analysis of the test results was used to develop a design equation for anchor bolts.