Shear test on anchor bolts or rods

This test is designed to evaluate the shear resistance of anchors or bars embedded in an existing substrate. The procedure involves the use of a hydraulic jack, which applies a shear force to the anchor through a specially designed metal fork. To ensure a pure shear condition, it is essential to maintain coplanarity between the axis of the hydraulic jack rod and the portion of the anchor protruding from the substrate, in order to avoid introducing unwanted bending moments. The test is performed by applying a monotonic load—via hydraulic pump—until either the anchor fails or the target design load is reached. The maximum force recorded during the test is noted and may correspond to the design load or to the onset of failure, whether by shear of the embedded element or bearing failure in the substrate. The failure mode is documented accordingly. Where required, force and displacement data (or force alone) can be recorded to obtain a test graph.

Reference standards: ASTM E 488/ E 488M-22; ETAG 001