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red head wedge bolts

Daddy-0-

Daddy-0-

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Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
855
Location
Powhatan, Va.
I turned down a foundation inspection because the anchor bolts in the cip poured wall were too close to the edge. They usually come back with a drill/epoxy job. On this house they installed a bunch of red head wedge bolts and furnished an engineer's letter. The letter states that the anchors are embedded 2"-3" and that this is all the manufacturer requires. I can't find it on their website but I would expect more embedment. The problem is that the engineer did his inspection after the sill was installed and notes a lot of assumptions in his letter. Is 3" o.k.?
 
It may depend on the diameter. I know that the torque does. As I recall 2 3/4" is required for 5/8" with a torque of 95 ft. lbs. I don't trust my memory and ask to see the box. I stopped accepting Red Heads when we started requiring 5/8" because of the torque. 2X plate fails way before 95 ft. lbs. I have never seen them installed before the plate is down.

A deeper hole should not be a problem but I'm pretty sure that 2" is wrong.
 
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Loved these inspections, it's all per the manf specs. The only 'problem' I see here is that it doesn't sound like you were able to measure the depth prior to the installation of the bolts. And like ICE said, they need to be properly torqued, note that 95 ft. lbs means 95 ft. lbs. Way too many people think it's fine to torque way past the manf specs - no, it was designed to function a certain way at a certain torque, no telling what it will or won't do if it's too far over or under the specified torque. Not sure how you're going to address the depth prior to installation of the anchors problem, a torque wrench will check the second part of the issue.
 
When checking the torque, understand that the anchor will relax after it has been torqued. So the nut will turn up to 1/4 turn and then should hit the torque value. They won't have a torque wrench. I have one. They are surprised.
 
Does Red Head furnish the load capacities for such an embedment? I mean, I'm sure the engineer checked the uplift capacity of a 3" embeded anchor, so he should be able to furnish it.

For lateral (eg soil) pressure.. meh. Could be ok, just speaking from common sense.
 
See table 1 and figures 3 and 4 in the ICC report in Mark's link. Figure 3 shows markings on the end of the anchor. The table then tells you the overall length for each anchor. With this information, you can measure what is above the concrete and then determine the embedment.
 
Daddy-0- said:
Thanks Mark. The link shows 2inches to 3inches embedment. Thanks. You found what I was looking for.
Click to expand...
Glad to help, edge distance is usually the governing factor, upwards of 6"
 
The rest of the story....the letter stated that the bolts were type L which are 7" long. I was in the area yesterday and dropped in on the job. All of the bolts I found were type H which are 5" long. With a 1/2" of bolt at the nut plus two sill plates= 1 1/2" embedment. Told the engineer I was not accepting his letter which scrambled his eggs a bit! The contractor had shown him the box from the bolts but it was not the box they had used. Hummmm. Caught him in a lie and the engineer did not verify. NICE. Now the must remove framing to verify every anchor bolt per the engineer. He is ****ed! I am not to thrilled either.
 
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