Resources > Australian Engineered Fasteners and Anchors Council

Information Resources

AEFAC is currently developing a number of unified guidance documents on post installed and cast in anchors. These are intended to become codes of practice in Australia. Specifically, in short to medium term AEFAC is developing the following:

Guidelines for minimum performance specifications for anchors
Guidelines for specification of anchors
Guidelines for field testing and certification of anchors
Certified training for installation of anchors

Additional resources are being developed to assist design engineers and specifiers of anchors and fasteners. These free resources promote state-of-the-art practice for the Australian construction industry. All documents generated by AEFAC have been reviewed by an expert technical panel to ensure complete and accurate advice is provided.

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Testing Procedures

The AEFAC Test and Evaluation Procedure for Concrete Screw Anchors is intended to be used with the NASH Standard Residential and Low-rise Steel Framing Part 2: Design Solutions 2014 Clause F2.2 Determination of minimum design capacities for concrete screw anchors.

AEFAC test and evaluation procedure for concrete screw anchors

Student module for post-installed and cast-in anchors

AEFAC has compiled a student module to provide training materials for undergraduate and postgraduate students at universities across Australia. This student module consists of PowerPoint slides to cover the following topics:

Introduction to different anchor types, application and sensitivity
Anchor design to SA TS 101:2015
Concrete Capacity Method
Worked examples

To obtain FREE access to the training materials and get a sample of the AEFAC demo kit (photo shown below) which consists samples of various chemical and mechanical anchors, please fill in the following registration form and email aefac@aefac.org.au. You will be contacted shortly.

Registration form for training materials

Demo kit item list
AEFAC demo kit

Design Provisions

Design provisions for fastenings for use in concrete

The new design provisions for fastenings to concrete for use in Australia are now available as the Standards Australia Technical Specification SA TS 101:2015 “Design of post-installed and cast-in fastenings for use in concrete”. This document was instigated by AEFAC and developed by an expert committee representing relevant organisations as listed below. The development of the design provisions followed the Australian Building Codes Board Protocol for the Development of National Construction Code Referenced Documents. It was made available for public comments in 2015 as AEFAC Standard Part 1 and Part 2. Following the public comments process, these two documents were combined and have become the Standards Australia Technical Specification SA TS 101. This document and its full details can be acquired through SAI Global.

The members of the drafting committee of the AEFAC Standard/SA TS101:2015 are:

Allthread Industries Pty Ltd
Ancon Building Products
Australian Building Codes Board
Australian Engineered Fasteners and Anchors Council
Australian Steel Institute
Australian Window Association
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Concrete Institute of Australia
Edith Cowan University
Engineers Australia
Hilti (Aust.) Pty Ltd
Hobson Engineering Company Pty Ltd
Housing Industry Association Ltd
ITW Construction Systems
National Precast Concrete Association Australia
Simpson Strong-Tie
Stanley Black & Decker Australia Pty Ltd (Powers)
Swinburne University of Technology
Würth Australia Pty Ltd

Fasteners compatible with SA TS 101

In order for fasteners to be designed in accordance with SA TS 101:2015 they must first be prequalified in accordance with SA TS 101:2015 Appendix B (normative).

The prequalification is considered to be fulfilled if the fastener has either:

a current European Technical Assessment/Approval (ETA) as identified by SA TS 101 Appendix C; or
has been tested and assessed in accordance with SA TS 101 Appendix B

There are different paths for compliance with the performance requirements the National Construction Code (NCC). For further details, please refer to this ABCB infographic.

Technical Notes

AEFAC is preparing publications on a range of technical issues. Listed below are the AEFAC Technical notes presently available for download.

Additional publications are being prepared that are currently in draft format and will be published here soon. Sign up for AEFAC news Alerts (opposite) to be advised when this technical information becomes available.

Correct Selection of Bonded Anchors for Applications in Concrete and Masonry
Correct Installation of Bonded Anchors for Applications in Concrete
Characteristics of bonded anchors for post-installed anchor applications

Sample Specifications

Listed below are sample specifications developed by AEFAC.

Technical Publications

The following publications have been developed through AEFAC to benefit the anchor industry.

Design of cast-in headed and hooked fasteners

Heath, D. J., Lee, J., King, B., Gad, E. F & Eligehausen, R. (2018), Australian Journal of Structural Engineering, DOI: 10.1080/13287982.2018.1460080

New Design Guidelines for Fasteners to Concrete in Australia

Lee, J., Pokharel, T. & Gad, E. F. (2017), Proceedings of Concrete 2017, Oct 22 - 25, Adelaide, Australia

Anchoring into concrete – the Australian experience

Lee, J., Pokharel, T. & Gad, E. F. (2017), Proceedings of Connections between Steel and Concrete (ConSC), Sept 27 - 29, Stuttgart, Germany

Design Guidelines for Post-Installed and Cast-in Anchors in Australia for Safety-Critical Applications

Lee, J. & Gad, E. F. (2017), Proceedings of Austroads Bridge Conference (ABC) 2017, Apr 3 - 6, Melbourne, Australia

Blind bolted connections

Lee, J., Gad, E. F., Fernando, S., Notini, M. & Goldsworthy, H. M. (2016), Steel Construction Journal, 48(1): 1-43

Tensile load capacity of screw anchors in early age concrete

Mohyeddin, A., Gad, E. F., Yangdon, K., Khandu R. & Lee, J. (2016), Construction and Building Materials, 127: 702-711

Anchored to Best Practice. Building Connection

Lee, J., (2016), Spring Edition, pp. 84

Best Practice Specification, Design and Installation for Post-Installed Anchors in Safety-Critical Applications

Lee, J., Heath, D. J., & Gad, E. F. (2016), Proceedings of The Australasian Structural Engineers Conference (ASEC) 2016, Nov 22 - 25, Brisbane, Australia

Seismic Design Provision for Fastenings to Concrete in Australia

Heath, D. J., Tsang, H. H., Lee, J., & Gad, E. F. (2016), Proceedings of The Australasian Structural Engineers Conference (ASEC) 2016, Nov 22 - 25, Brisbane, Australia

AEFAC Installer Certification Program

Lee, Heath and Gad, 2015, Proceedings of Concrete 2015, Aug 31 - Sep 2, Melbourne, Australia

Fasteners to concrete: Failures and solutions

Heath, Gad and Lee, 2015, Proceedings of Concrete 2015, Aug 31 - Sep 2, Melbourne, Australia

Design Guidelines for Cast-in and Post-installed Anchors in Australia

D J Heath & E Gad, 2014, Proceedings of the Australasian Structural Engineering Conference, 9 – 11 July, Auckland, New Zealand

Prequalification testing of temporary propping systems for tilt-up and precast panels

N Haritos, D Heath, E Gad & J Wilson, Proceedings of the Australasian Structural Engineering Conference, 9 – 11 July, Auckland, New Zealand

Specification of threaded bar in structural applications

Journal of the Australian Steel Institute, Volume 47 Number 1, July 2014

Cyclic testing of Temporary Propping of Tilt-Up Panels for Wind Loading Effects

Haritos, Heath, Gad and Wilson, 2013, Proceedings of AEES Conference, Nov 15-17, Hobart, Australia

Guidelines for Prequalification of Post-installed and Cast-in Anchors in Australia

Heath, Gad and Connah, 2013, Proceedings of Concrete 2013, Oct 16-18, Gold Coast, Australia

Australian Engineered Fasteners and Anchors Council