11.

Column bases and anchorage into concrete

11.1 General remarks on column bases
Regardless of the nature of the foundations of a structure spread footings,
concrete piles or even steel piles it is common practice to construct that part of a
structure which is just below and just above the ground in concrete. The most
important reason for doing so is that the region which is exposed to both oxygen
from the air and moisture from the soil can be quite corrosive. Lifting the steelwork
above this level makes sense. In other cases the steelwork may be built on top of a
concrete structure, or supported by it.
The base of a steel column can be placed directly on top of a concrete foundation,
or on top of a plinth or short concrete column built on the foundation. A plinth or
stub column lifts the steel away from the splash zone where it can be exposed to
water during floor washing and other activities. It can also put the steelwork out of
harms way where vehicles, forklift trucks and other moving objects can accidentally
damage it.
Whichever way the concrete surface on which the steel base will sit is built, the
concrete contractor is likely to experience difficulty in getting its level accurate to
within the tolerance on this level according to SANS 2001-CS1 (see Table 11.1). This
problem is addressed as shown in Figure 11.1 by placing the bottom of the steel
base some 40 mm above the specified level of the top of the concrete foundation,
supporting the base on steel packs (or on nuts on the holding down (HD) bolts, if the
base plate and HD bolts are designed for this situation) and inserting a flowable wet
grout in the space between the concrete and the steel. We recommend that a
non-shrink grout be used, for which a number of proprietary products are available,
or alternatively a grout consisting of a CEM/II/V-B cement and clean well-graded
sand with a low water demand. If the base plate is larger than about 700x700 mm,
50 mm diameter holes should be made in it to facilitate making sure that the grout
fills the whole space under the plate. The grout should be given time to cure before
it is loaded. The holding down bolts will be discussed under 11.3 below.
Figure 11.1 and Table 11.1 illustrate typical base plate details and dimensions, with
the minimum projections of the plate beyond the faces of the column or the
minimum distance from the HD bolts to the edge of the plate. At least four HD bolts
should be used for a column, with the exception of a 152x152H-section, for which
two may be adequate. Even if the base will not be required to resist bending
moment in the final structure, it may have to keep the column upright when the
wind blows and other forces act on it during construction. This is dealt with under
11.6 below in the introduction to the resistance tables.
Base plates for hot-rolled sections should be welded to the column, with 6 mm welds
up to a flange thickness of 20 mm and 8 mm thereafter. A normal, flat plate and a
sawn column end should easily be within the tolerances of SANS2001-CS1. However,
with bigger columns welded up from plate it is common practice not to weld the
column to the base plate, to machine the column end and, if necessary, the base
plate for full contact, and to use tensile bolts to tie down the column. This is depicted
in Figure 11.1( d ) and (e). A box column can also be handled as in (d).

Some vertical elements, with base plates, are called posts rather than columns
because they are intended to resist wind and other loads in bending, rather than
axial compression. Provided that a post will be laterally supported at its top from the
moment it is erected, it can be provided with a base plate of minimal size.
Tables 11.6(a) and (b) are intended not only to provide the resistances of axiallyloaded base plates, but also to give guidance on standard sizes. For each universal
beam sizes the first size listed is intended for posts. The tables also show how tall a
column with the smallest base plate listed may be, without exceeding the
resistances under the action of construction loads.

Figure 11.1 Typical base plate details

TOLERANCES
DIMENSION

Tolerance (mm)

Top of concrete

10,20

Top of base plate

Position of column

DETAILS
Bolt hole diameters

d = diameter of HD bolt
d h diameter of hole

d 24mm : d h d 6mm
24 d 40mm : d h d 10mm
d 40mm : d h d 15mm
Washers (may be plates)
If d h d 6 mm: use heavy duty washers
If d h d 6 mm: t w

dh db
2

If column base subject to shear, weld washer to base plate.

Note: See 11.3 below for details and tolerances for HD bolts
Table 11.1 - Details and tolerances of base plates and foundations
It is permissible to support a base plate on levelling nuts, provided that this is
approved by the designer of the structure and concrete foundation, who should
base his/her decision on the following considerations:
The base plate must be strong enough to resist the forces it will be subjected
to while it rests on the bolts.
The bolts must be strong enough to resist these forces. They should not yield,
buckle or deflect sideways. The strength of the supporting concrete in
providing anchorage to the bolts must also be adequate.
If the intent is that the base plate should only sit on the nuts during a certain
stage of the erection process, steps must be taken to ensure that grouting
(and curing of the grout) will be complete before further loads are placed on
the column.

There are basically two types of bases for steel columns: pinned bases and moment
bases. The distinction between the two is simple: it depends on how the structure
was analysed. If it was assumed in the analysis that there is a hinge at the bottom of
a column, it will be a pinned base, essentially regardless of its details or the
behaviour of the structure. If it was assumed that the support at the base of a
column is rigid, it will be a moment or rigid base which has to be able to resist the
moments and other forces emerging from the structural analysis. It may appear
rather arbitrary to just assume that a base is pinned whenever that suits us, but there
are two arguments that underlie this approach:
Rigid bases tend to be a lot more expensive than pinned bases. Not only is
their design and fabrication time consuming, but more material will be
required and the concrete foundation may also have to be bigger. Rigid
bases should only be used where they are either inevitable or demonstrably
beneficial.
On the basis of the Lower Bound Theorem as discussed under 1.5 above, it is
almost always safe to assume that a base is pinned, even if that is not true.
Rotation in a column can be accommodated by elastic deformation and
yielding of the base plate and bolts, slight localised crushing of the grout and
concrete, or tilting of the concrete foundation. In some situations, especially
where the concrete base is very stiff, the capacity of the base plate to
absorb deformation may have to be checked. It is, in general, erring on the
safe side to assume that the base of a column is pinned when it can actually
resist a bending moment.
The design of pinned column bases is discussed under 11.4 below, and that of rigid
bases under 11.5

11.2 Castin or embedded elements

The interface between steelwork and concrete supporting it is, of course, not limited
to the bases of columns. Steelwork is often attached to concrete walls or columns by
casting steel elements into the wet concrete as shown in Figure 11.2 (a) and (b) and
attaching the steelwork to these elements. Another strategy is to leave a pocket in
the concrete, to place, for example, the end of a beam in this pocket, and to cast
concrete around this beam end. This is illustrated in Figure 11.2(c).

Figure 11.2 Steel element embedded in concrete.

Note that in each case shown in Figure 11.2 rods or shear connectors are connected
to the steel elements and cast into the concrete to ensure that the steel will not part
company with the concrete. The design of these anchorages will be discussed
under 11.3 below.
No tolerances relating to the position of embedded steelwork are given in SANS
2001-CS1, except that the level must be within 5 mm of the specified value. British
and European specifications require the embedded plate in (a) to be within 10mm,
horizontally, vertically and out of plane. The angle in (b) is really a trimming on the
concrete structure, and thus the concrete tolerances should generally apply to it.
The connection of steelwork to a cast-in plate as shown in (a) is a situation where site
welding may make eminent sense. It is in any case advisable to allow for
adjustability in the steelwork to be attached to a cast-in element, as it may be very
difficult to fix any positional inaccuracies that are noted once the concrete has
hardened, despite any tolerances that may have been prescribed.

11.3 Anchoring steelwork to concrete

11.3.1 Holding down bolts
The standard item holding a base plate firmly in position on a foundation is the
holding down (HD) bolt, called anchor rod in American practice.
Typical details for HD bolts are shown in Figure 11.3. In (b) a pocket is provided to
allow moving the bolt sideways if it proves not to be in exactly the right position.
Suggested tolerances on the position of a HD bolt are given Table 11.2. Note that
these tolerances are more liberal than those in Table 11 of SANS 2001-CC1, which
are rather impracticably tight.

Figure 11.3(c) shows an anchor plate intended to help prevent pulling the HD bolt
from the concrete. This can be replaced by a frame as shown in (d) to help keep
the bolts in position relative to each other during casting of concrete. A more
effective position for this frame is near the top of the HD bolts, as shown in (c), but in
this position it will not help much in resisting tensile forces in the bolts and the anchor
plate is still required.
The anchor plate can be deleted and replaced with a single nut if the HD bolt will
not be subjected to a tensile force. However, this will require checking that the HD
bolts will have sufficient strength to resist wind and other forces acting on the column
during construction. The SAISC recommends that all HD bolts be detailed as shown in
Figure 11.3.

Dimensions of pocket (mm)

d
hp

20

24

30

150

200

250

dp

75

75

100

> 30
Pocket not
recommended

Figure 11.3 Dimensions and symbols for HD bolts

Tolerances for positions of HD bolts

Top of HD bolt: 20 mm (high), 5 mm (low)
Horizontal position of HD bolt without pocket: 3 mm
Horizontal position of HD bolt with pocket: 8 mm
Table11.2 Tolerances for HD bolts
Note that in Figure 11.3 the anchor plates and frames are shown as being attached
to the HD bolts by nuts. The reason for doing so is that it is easy to do and that the
quality problems often experienced with welding are obviated. The issue of the
weldability of the steel also disappears.
The question may arise: what is the appropriate torque for a HD bolt? The answer is
that HD bolts should be tightened to the snug tight condition after the grout
supporting the base plate has hardened sufficiently. The possibility of preloading is
discussed later in this section.
The SAISC recommends that Commercial Quality steel (i.e. any steel, regardless of
grade) be specified for all HD bolts that will not be subjected to any significant
forces, i.e. for bases subject to vertical compressive force only. These bolts are
primarily intended to keep the base plate in position until the structure has been
erected, and the main criterion is that they should not easily deform when subjected
to the normal activities on a construction site. If stronger bolts are needed, a steel of
appropriate quality can be chosen or Class 8.8 equivalent can be obtained by
using material as commonly used for producing Class 8.8 bolts and giving it the
appropriate heat treatment after manufacture, or by using EN 19 (BS970 Grade 709
M40) steel and doing heat treatment to achieve Hardness T. See also 2.1.6 above.
We suggest the minimum diameters and lengths for HD bolts listed in Table 11.3. Note
that the SAISC recommends a minimum HD bolt diameter of 20 mm, to ensure
robustness during construction.
Minimum
HD bolt
diameter
(mm)

Minimum HD bolt
overall length
(mm)

t b 20

20

300

20 t b 50

24

400

t b 50

36

500

Base plate
thickness t b
(mm)

Table 11.3 Minimum sizes of HD bolts

7

The resistance of a bolt to failure in tension or being pulled out of the concrete will
now be addressed.
Tensile resistance of the bolt: Tr b An f u

(11.1)

(from Clause 25.2.2.1 in SANS 10162-1)

where b 0,67

An

d 0,938 p 2
4

d = diameter of bolt on thread

p = pitch of thread

f u = 365 MPa for Commercial Quality steel, 800 MPa for Class 8.8 equivalent.
For simplicity, take An 0,75

d 2
4

(11.2)

The resistance of the bolt to pull-out will depend on the bond strength between the
bolt shank and the concrete 0,28 f cu and bearing on the anchor plate 0,6 f cu .

Thus the resistance Trc of a bolt as determined by the concrete is given by

(assuming the anchor plate to be 3,5d x 3,5d ):

Trc 0,28 f cu d b 0,6 f cu 3,5d Ahd

2

where Ahd

(11.3)

d 2
4

Having ensured that the HD bolt will neither yield nor pull out of the concrete, the
next step is to make sure the concrete will not fail. In unreinforced concrete, failure
of the concrete will happen in the form of a cone pulled out of the concrete as
shown in Figure 11.4 for single and grouped HD bolts.
The following simplified equations can be used to solve the problem.

For a single HD bolt as shown in Figure 11.4(a) the effective surface area of
the cone can be approximated by:

Ac 81b,75

(11.4)

For a single HD bolt near an edge as shown in Figure 11.5(a) with edge
distance 6.d a b it is conservative to say:

Ac 41b,75

(11.5)

For a group of HD bolts as shown in Figure 11.5(b) the following effective area
can be used:
8

 8 2b 8 b p
Ac

8 2b

1,75
.8 n 81,75
b
b

(11.6)

where n is the number of HD bolts in the group

The ultimate stress on the surface may not exceed 0,25 f cu
Thus:

Tr Ac .0,25 f cu

(11.7)

An alternative approach to anchoring a HD bolt is to let the force in it be transferred

by bond to the reinforcing in the concrete base, just as one would for a normal
rebar, in accordance with SANS 10100-1.

Figure 11.4 Conical failure of concrete

A HD bolt can also act in shear, as shown in Figure 11.5. This situation need only be
considered if the shear force acting on the column concurrently with a (minimum)
axial force C u exceeds Cu , where is the minimum coefficient of friction on any of

the relevant surfaces. The value of can conservatively be taken as 0,3. Figure 11.6
shows how a shear key can be used to resist shear rather than the HD bolts. Other
options may be to tie the base to another object, or to tilt the top of the concrete so
that the forces in the column act perpendicular to it.

Figure 11.5 HD bolts in shear

Figure 11.6 Shear key to resist high shear forces on base plate
As for normal bolts, SANS 10162-1 Clause 25.2.3.3 specifies that the shear resistance
of a HD bolt is given by:

Vr 0,7 x0,6b Ahd f u

(11.8)

where b 0,8

Ahd

d 2
4

d diameter of bolt

f u tensile strength of bolt steel

10

Bearing of the base plate against the bolt should never be a problem.
Clause 25.2.3.2 is intended to prevent crushing of the concrete when the HD bolt
pushes horizontally against it. The resistance is given by:

Vr Br 1,12c A f cu

(11.9)

where c 0,6

A 5d 2

f cu concrete cube strength.

Note that this assumes that the grout layer will be solid, at least as strong as the
concrete, and will not slide on top of the concrete. The resistances of HD bolts to
shear forces are given in the last row in Table 11.5. For 25 MPa concrete, the
concrete controls, regardless of the quality of the HD bolt. All HD bolts must be at
least 7.d away from any edges for these equations to apply.
For HD bolts that are loaded in combined shear and tension the following interaction
equation is recommended.

Tu

Tr

V
n
Vr

1,0

(11.10)

Table 11.5 lists resistances for HD bolts.

A situation where a combination of tensile and shear forces act on HD bolts can of
course cause problems if a bolt is close to the edge of the concrete. Such bolts must
be constrained with stirrups and hairpins and the requisite care must be taken to
ensure that they will not fail. Moreover in cases where the concrete is cracked, all
capacities must be reduced by 20%.
When HD bolts are subjected to repetitive tensile loading, such as can be expected
when they secure a mast, chimney or post subject to wind loads, there may be
concern about fatigue in the bolts. The solution would be to apply the requirements
of SANS 10162 Clause 13.12.1.3, and to limit the stress in a Class 8.8 equivalent bolt to
214 MPa under the worst combination of specified loads. It is not advisable to use
Commercial Quality bolts in such a situation.
One may think about following the approach discussed under 3.8 above and
pretension the HD bolts so that they will not experience the fluctuating loads. The
problem is that the concrete will tend to shrink and creep, so that the bolts will lose
their preload. The anchorage of the HD bolts may also not be sufficient to resist the
preload force. These problems can be solved by using a sleeve around the bolt, as
shown in Figure 11.4. The base plate rests on the sleeve, which rests, in turn, on a
thick anchor plate. Preload in the bolt will put the sleeve in compression, and
shrinkage or creep of the concrete will play no role. The cross-sectional area of the
sleeve must, of course, at least equal T p / f y , where T p is the preload in the bolt.
The problem with this solution is that it will be very difficult to have the tops of all the
sleeves under a base plate on exactly the right level so that the plate will rest on all
of them. The attractive aspect, on the other hand, is that horizontal adjustability of
11

the bolt will be greatly enhanced, making the detail an option even if the sleeves
are not taken to the bottom of the base plate, thus ruling out preload.

Figure 11.7 HD bolt with sleeve

11.32 Studs for cast-in elements
It is difficult to generalise about the design of steelwork embedded in concrete.
Obviously, any steel plate or other element must be able to resist the forces acting
on it while spanning between the points where the anchoring elements support it.
The anchoring elements themselves must be strong enough, attached to the
embedded steelwork by strong enough welds, and be properly anchored by bond,
bends, attachment to rebar, or other elements, so as to be able to resist the forces
acting on them. Where the anchoring elements are studs, the shear resistance of
each stud is given by SANS 10162-1 Clause 17.7.2.1 as q rs , where:

Vr qrs 0,45sc Asc

f cu Ec sc Asc f u

(11.11)

where f u = 415 MPa for commonly-available studs

sc 0,8
Asc

d 2
4

d = diameter of stud

E c = short term E of concrete to SANS 10100-1

Assuming that there is steel reinforcement in close proximity to the stud, the distance
to the edge of the concrete must be greater than 7.d to preclude concrete failure
due to shear in the stud.
The weld connecting the stud to the embedded steel must be strong enough in
tension or shear, and the tensile resistance of the stud must not be exceeded. The
concrete should also not fail under the action of tensile force, and here it is best to
use the model of conical failure as depicted in Figure 11.7. It is advisable to keep the
stud a minimum of 6.d away from edges in order to preclude side face blow out
due to tension in the stud.
12

Figure 11.8 Conical failure in concrete

The surface area of the cone is given by

Ac 2 2b 4,44 2b

(11.12)

The stress on this surface under ultimate load may not exceed 0,25 f cu , thus the
resistance is given by:

Tr 4,44 2b * 0,25 f cu
Tr 1,11 2b

(11.13)

f cu

Thus the required embedded length of the stud is given by:

Tu

(11.14)

1,11 f cu

This method is appropriate for a stud length b 110mm . For longer or studs refer to
the method for HD bolts under 11.3.1 above.

11.4 Design of pinned (simple) bases

If the engineer assumed during the analysis of the structure that a base is pinned
and there is no shear, only axial compression needs to be transmitted between the
column end and the base plate. If the end of the column is sawn and the base
plate is flat, the tolerance required in SANS 2001: CS1 Item 3 of Table 3 and Item 5 in
Table 4 should be easily attainable and no forces need to be transmitted through
the welds connecting the column to the base plate.
However, these welds have to be strong enough to keep the base plate attached
to the column during transport and erection, and to resist any shear forces and
moments that may occur at the bottom of the column during the lifetime of the
structure, because the base is not actually an ideal pin. At a minimum, welding must
be applied over the width of the outside of each flange and over half the length of
the web on either side of it. The welds should have a leg size of 6 mm for flanges up
to 20 mm thick and 8 mm for thicker flanges. An alternative is to weld cleats to the
base plate and to bolt the column to these. If the value 2t b t f exceeds 60 mm the
need for preheating the welded area must be investigated, where t b thickness of
base plate, t f thickness of column flange. (See Chapter 4 above on preheating.)
13

The following steps can be followed for the design of base plates:
a) Calculate the area of base plate required, by dividing the factored axial load
C u by 0,6 f cu , according to SANS 10100, Clause 6.2.4.4.4 (b)
b) Choose an effective area equal to the required area around the column. It
may be possible to find an adequate area that is similar to the shape of the
column and projects everywhere a distance c from the face of the column,
as shown in Figure 11.9(a). The value of the required c can be obtained by
solving the following quadratic equation:

4c 2 (column perimeter) c column area = Cu / 0,6 f cu

(11.15)

If the calculated c exceeds half the distance between the flanges, there will be an
overlap area as shown in Figure 11.8 (b), and a new value of c has to be obtained
by doing a second calculation, which involves solving the following equation for c :

h 2cb 2c Cu / 0,6 f cu

(11.16)

where h = depth of column

b = width of column

Figure 11.9 Concentrically-loaded base plates

If the real edge of the base plate is closer to the column at any point than the value
of c from Equation 11.16, as shown in Figure 11.8(c), a new effective area and value
of c have to be found. This can be obtained by solving the following equation for c :

2a t f c b 2c h 2t f 2c 2c t w = Cu / 0,6 f cu
14

(11.17)

c) Determine the required plate thickness from

t b2 f y
1 2
M u c M r
2
4
tb

(11.18)

2
c
f y

(11.19)

= pressure under plate Cu / (effective area) 0,6 f cu

where

f y = yield stress of plate

(Note that the plastic section modulus is used)
d) The thickness of the plate should not be less than the flange thickness of the
column.
Values of the minimum thickness t b mm of the base plate depending on the cube
strength of the concrete, the yield stress of the steel and the dimension c are listed in
Table 11.4, assuming that the pressure on the concrete equals 0,6 f cu .
Concrete cube
strength
( MPa)

f cu

Steel yield
stress

fy
(MPa)

20
275
355

3,21
c

3,65

35

30

25

c
2,87
c

3,26

2,62

2,98

2,43

2,76

40

2,27

2,58

Table 11.4 Required base plate thickness t b as a proportion of minimum value of c .

Table 11.6 provides the resistances of base plates for various column sizes, for
different values of the concrete cube strength and the yield stress of the base plate
steel.
The minimum diameter and length of HD bolts for a base plate are also given (in
accordance with Table 11.3), and the requirements stated in Figure 11.1 are
observed.

11.4 Design of column bases under combined compression and moment

Some column bases are required to resist simultaneously both the axial forces and
end moments in columns. Figure 11.10 shows a number of common bases of this
kind, subject to increasing axial force and moment. It is common to make such
15

bases symmetric, even when the moment will only act in one direction, but that may
not necessary be advisable.

Figure 11.10 Column bases to resist bending moment

As long as the moment is small, compressive stress can be present over the whole
area of the base plate, varying from a minimum at one edge of the plate to a
maximum at the other. However, when the moment is large, stresses cannot be
present over the whole base because tensile stresses cannot be developed
between the base plate and the concrete foundation. As the eccentricity increases,
a tensile force becomes necessary to maintain equilibrium, and this is provided by
the holding down bolts. The situation is analogous to a reinforced concrete beam;
the bolts in this case corresponding to the steel reinforcement.

16

There is no quick way to find the required size of a base plate with bending moment,
such as we have for concentrically-loaded bases in the form of Equations 11.15,
11.16 and 11.17. The size must be found by trial and error.
What part of the base plate will be effective in carrying compressive stress will
depend on the thickness of the base plate, the shape of the column, and the
loading. The thickness t p will determine the distance c max from the face of the web or
flange of the column to the edge of the effective bearing area, shown hatched in
Figure 11.11. The relationship between c max and t p can be read from Table 11.4 with
the relevant f cu and f y . Any part of the base plate more than c max away from the
nearest column edge (except at the corners) must be ignored. Figure 11.11 also
gives an idea of the shape of the area in compression under the base, depending
on the load condition. The required thickness of the base plate may also be
controlled by tension in the HD bolts.
Let us consider first the base plate in Figure 11.11(a), where the whole width of the
plate will be effective. The forces and stresses acting on the plate, and the
necessary dimensions, are shown in (b). We can say that there will be no tension in
the HD bolts if:

d
Cu
M u Cu b
2 2bb 0,6 f cu

(11.20)

In this case the resistance C r of the base plate is given by:

2M u
C r 0,6 f cu bb d b
Cu

(11.21)

If C r Cu failure will not occur.

17

Figure 11.11 Pressures and forces on moment bases

If M u is bigger than the value calculated in Equation 11.20 there will be tension in the
HD bolts and we can say:

M u Cu d 2 bb x 0,6 f cu d1 0
(11.22)
2

We can solve this equation for x , and then get Tb , the force in the HD bolts, from
the following equation:

Tb bb x 0,6 f cu Cu

(11.23)

18

If the collective resistance of the HD bolts that will be in tension exceeds Tb the base
plate will be able to resist C u and M u acting together. The signal that the base plate
is too small to resist Pu and M u will be that a sensible solution for x cannot be found.
If this happens, or if the tension in the HD bolts is too large, the size of the base plate
must be increased, which will require making it thicker. We need to make sure that
the base plate can resist the force Tb the group of HD bolts acting in tension will
exert on it. Let:

M u Tu . m

(11.24)

Where Tu = load in the HD bolt group

x = distance from the centroid of the bolt group to the centre of the
nearest flange.

t 2p f y
M u Tu . m

bb
bb
4

(11.25)

Tu .m
bb .f y

(11.26)

tp 2

The problem in Figure 11.11(c) and (d) is exactly the same as that in (a) and (b)
if x c1 where c1 cend cmax . But if x is larger the problem can be handled as
follows:

A bb c1 xc 2

(11.27)

where c2 2cmax t w

Cc A 0,6 f cu

(11.28)

M u Cu d 2 C c d1 x 0

bb x c2 bb c1 x

(11.29)

c 2 x bb c1
cbb

(11.30)

Entering all the factors we get the equation that has to be solved for x :

c x bb c1
0
M u Cu d 2 bb c1 xc 2 0,6 f cu d1 2
2bb

With x known, A and C c can be obtained and then:

19

(11.31)

Tb Cc Cu

(11.32)

As before, if a sensible solution for x cannot be found, the base is too small.
We present next an entirely different approach that can be followed in the case
where the full width of the base plate is effective, as in Figure 11.11(a) and (b).
Let Tbr be the combined resistance of the group of HD bolts that will resist any tensile
forces, as defined by Equations 11.1, 11.3 or 11.7.
Then the maximum force C r that can be resisted at a given excentricity e

Mu
Cu

can be demonstrated to be predicted conservatively by:

Cr

2 4
2

where

(11.33)

1
2 0,6 f cu bb

db
Tbr

e
2 0,6 f cu bb

Tbr d1

Tbr
2 0,6 f cu bb

However, if the actual load in the column Cu 0,1 0,6 f cu bb d b we must also check
that

Tbr
M u M ro Tbr d1
2 0,6 f cu bb

(11.34)

Where M ro = resistance of base plate in absence of axial load.

The difference between the two approaches is clear: in the approach that leads up
to Equation 11.32 we work with the actual values C u and M u and calculate the
required tensile resistance Tb of the group of HD bolts in tension. In Equation 11.33
we assume a resistance Tbr for the applied group of HD bolts in tension and work
with a relationship e M u / Cu of the forces, which gives us the maximum force C r
that can resisted at an eccentricity e .
The reason for introducing the last approach is that it lends itself to the handling of
baseplates with biaxial bending and axial force. Let the force in the column be C u
and the moments about the x and y axes respectively M ux and M uy . The
eccentricities are:
20

ey

M ux
Cu

ex

M uy

(11.35)

(11.36)

Cu

Looking at the group of bolts along the edge where they can best resist M ux , their
collective resistance to tensile force is defined as Tbrx . Equally, the resistance of the
bolts resisting M ry is Tbry . (A corner bolt may be a member of both groups.)
Using Equation 11.33 with the appropriate value of e and Tbr , and switching d b , bb
and d 1 to the appropriate values, we can calculate C rx and C ry .
Furthermore, define:

C0 0,6 f cu bb d b

(11.37)

Then the base plate can resist a force C r at eccentricity e x , e y , such that

1
1
1
1

C r C rx C ry C0

(11.38)

If Cu 0,1C0 the equation may be unconservative, and we also need to check:

M uy
M ux

1,0
M rx
M ry

where M r Tbr d1

Tbr
2 0,6 f cu bb

(11.39)

(11.40)

with the appropriate values of Tbr , d 1 , and bb for each axis.

11.5 Examples
11.5.1 HD bolt examples
Example 11.1
What embedment length b is required for a 24 mm Class 8.8 equivalent HD bolt to
carry an ultimate tensile load Tu of 150 kN. Assume f cu 25 MPa and an anchor
plate of size 3,5d (square). Assume f u = 800 MPa for the bolt.
(i) Check that the HD bolt can carry the imposed load.
According to Equation 11.1:
21

Tr b An f u 0,67 0,75

d 2
4

x 800 = 182 kN > 150 kN OK

(ii) Check that the HD bolt cannot be pulled out.

According to Equation 11.3:

Trc 1,4 d b 15 3,5d An

2

105,6 b 104220 N
Letting Trc Tu 150 000 N we get:

b 434 mm
(iii) Check that the HD bolt tension does not cause concrete cone breakout.
(a) Assuming that there is no edge close to the HD bolt a 434 :
Equations 11.4 and 11.7 give us:

Tr 81b,75 0.25 f cu 101b,75

Letting Tr Tu we get

b 244 mm
(b) If the anchor is a distance a = 190 mm away from an edge:
Check if this is an edge condition by comparing

a b max
190 mm < 434 mm therefore this is an edge condition.
Check to preclude sideface blow out if a 6d : ( 190 6.24 =144 mm OK)
According to Equations 11.5 and 11.7:

Tr 41b,75 .0,25 f cu 51b,75

Letting Tr Tu we get

b 362 mm

Therefore b =434 mm
22

From Table 11.5 it is clear that the HD bolt strength can be fully developed in
tension if HD bolt pull out is precluded by increasing b to 800 mm. Then Tr = 182
kN.

Example 11.2
Evaluate whether the HD bolt in Example 11.1 can carry a tensile load Tu = 100 kN
and a shear load Vu = 35 kN simultaneously. Assume the edge distance a = 190 mm
(i)

Check to make sure that the edge distance c 7d to preclude side concrete
breakout
190 mm 7 24 = 168 OK

(ii)

Check concrete crushing due to shear. This limit is always more critical than
the shear resistance of the bolts for Class 8.8 equivalent HD bolts.
According to Equation 11.9:

Vr 1,12c A f cu 1,12 0,6 5d 2 25 = 48,4 kN

(iii)

Check interaction of tension and shear.

From Example 11.1 Tr =150 kN for b = 434 mm
According to Equation 11.10:

Tu

Tr

100

150

V
u
Vr
3

110
5

35 3

1,09 1,0 no good !

48,4

If b is increased to 800 mm, then Tr = 182 kN (as per Table 11.5)

Then:

100

182

35

48,4

0,95 1,0 OK

Example 11.3
Evaluate the maximum tension that can be imposed on an cast in plate that is
anchored to concrete ( f cu = 25 MPa) using a single standard headed stud ( d = 20
mm and = 110 mm). Assume the plate already carries a 25 kN shear load and is not

23

close to an edge. Also assume reinforcing around the stud and uncracked
concrete.
(i) Check the shear capacity of the stud.
If the stud were purely in shear we would limit our check to Equation 11.11,
but because the stud is carrying shear and tension we will be conservative and
also check Equation 11.9 for concrete crushing assuming A d

Vr 1,12 0,6 110 25 = 37 kN OK

According to Equation 11.9:

Vr 0,45.sc Asc

f cu Ec sc Asc f u

E c = 26 000 MPa from SANS 10100 for normal density concrete

f u = 415 MPa for commonly available studs

Vr 0,45 0,8

d 2
4

25 26000 =91 kN 0,8

d 2
4

415 =104 kN

We work with the lower value:

Vr = 37 kN
(ii) Check the tensile capacity of the stud
According to Equation 11.13: ( b 110 mm)

Tr 1,11 2b

f cu 1,11 110 2 25 = 67 kN

(iii) Check the interaction Equation 11.10 and solve for Tu

Tu

67

25

37

1.0

Tu 43 kN
11.5.2 Base plate examples
Example 11.4
Design a base plate for an axially loaded 203x203x60 H column with an axial load
C u of 824 kN (equal to the resistance for an effective length of 6m).
Assume a concrete strength of 25 MPa. The dimensions of the column are: h = 209,6
b = 205,2, t f = 14,2, t w = 9,3, A = 7600 mm2
24

Assume a base plate size of 350x350

Then according to Equation 11.17:

4c 2 + column perimeter c + column area

Cu
0,6 f cu

Column perimeter = 1221,4 mm

4c 2 1221,4c 7600

824000
= 55 000 mm2
0,6 25

Solving for c

c = 34,8 mm
The distance between the flanges 209,6 2 14,2 =180,8mm
Check: 2c 180,8 . Therefore the value for c is OK.
Also check 2c 350 209,6 and 2c 350 205,2 . Both are OK.
Using Table 11.4 and base plate f y = 355 MPa, the required plate thickness is

tp c

3,26

34,8

3,26

= 10,7 mm

However the thickness should not be less than t f , so use t p = 16mm

Conclusion:
Use 350 x350 x16 plate
with 4-16 mm HD bolts embedded 250 mm
and arranged as per Figure 11.1(b).
Note that according to Table 11.6(a) this column and base plate combination can
resist a load of 966 kN.

Example 11.5
Design a base plate for a 356 x171x57 column that carries an axial load of 200 kN
and a moment of 75 kN.m. Assume f cu =25 MPa and plate f y = 355 MPa
(i) Make a preliminary base plate size selection of 550x350 mm, and check if
there will be tension in the HD Bolts. According to Equation 11.20 if:
25

Cu
M u Cu b
there will be no tension in the bolts
2 2bb 0,6 f cu
But

200,000
550
1
M u 75 200

50,6
2 350 0,6 25 1000
2
(i)

Therefore there is tension in the HD bolts. To calculate the tension in the bolts
we can use Equations 11.22 and 11.23 if x is less than c1 or Equations 11.31
and 11.32 if x is greater than c1 . Solving equation 11.22 we get (assuming
that the HD bolts are 60 mm from the edges)

75 x10 6 200,000 215 305 x 0,6 25 490 =0

2

This yields x = 48,2 mm c1 therefore Equation 11.23 can be used to solve for Tb

Tb bb x 0.6 f cu Cu 350 48,2 0,6 25 200,000 =53,05 kN

(ii) Determine the size and anchorage length of two HD bolts to carry Tb
assuming
Class 8.8 equivalent bolts, and no edge condition.

Checking for concrete cone breakout;

The centres of the two HD bolts are 350 2 60 =230 mm .
Assuming 24 mm bolts and using Equation 11.6 and 11.7, for the group of bolts:

8 2 8 b 230 1,75
8 b and solving for b
Tr 0,25 25 b
2

b 2,4 mm
Checking against Equation 11.6 for a single bolt:

Tr 0,25 25 2 8 1b,75 and solving for b

90,4 mm

Checking for HD bolt pull out according to Equation 11.3

Tb 53,05 / 2 Tr 1,4d b 15 3,5d Ab for 3.5d square anchor plates.

2

26,52 105,6 b 99054

b 0 mm
26

It is recommended to use the anchor lengths and details given in Table 11.3 and
Figure 11.5.
therefore use b = 400 mm > 90,4 mm
(iii) Determine the required thickness of the base plate, with the information
already calculated illustrated below.

a (550 359) / 2 35,5 mm

550 359 48,2

71,4 mm
2
2

The bearing force Cc 0,6 25 350 48,2 = 253 kN

Clearly, the compressive force and lever arm are much bigger than the values for
the HD bolts.
Thus

M u 253x71,4 18,1x10 6 N.mm

Mr

b p t 2p
4

f y 0,9

350t 2p x355
4

28 000t 2p N.mm

Setting M u M r yields

t B 25,4 mm

According to Equation 11.26 with the necessary changes:

t2

Fu x 2
253 000 x71,4
=25,4 mm
2
bbf y
350 0,9 355

Conclusion
Use a 550 x350 x30 base plate with 4-24 mm Class 8.8 equivalent HD bolts with
400 mm anchor length.
Example 11.6
If the anchor length of the M24 HD bolts is limited to 200 mm, would the base plate
in Example 11.5 be able to carry a minor axis bending M uy of 20 kN.m in addition to
the 75 kN.m major axis bending and 200 kN axial load?
27

From Equations 11.4 and 11.7:

Tbr 2 0.25 25 8 2001,75 = 212 kN

From Equation 11.3:

Tbr 2105,6 200 99054 = 240 kN

Therefore Tbr = 212 kN, M ux =75 kN.m, M uy = 20 kN.m and C u =200 kN.

ex

M uy

ey

M ux

Cu

Cu

20 000

75 000

200

= 100 mm

(Equation 11.35)

= 375 mm

(Equation 11.36)

200

In order to check the interaction equations given in Equations 11.38 and 11.39 we
have to evaluate C rx , C ry , C o , M rx and M ry
According to Equation 11.33:

C rx

2 4
2

1
1

2 0,6 25 350 10500

550
212000

375 140
2
0,6 25 350

x 212 000 490

212 000

9,96 x10 7
2 0,6 25 350

140 140 2 4 9,96 10 7 / 10500

C rx
= 524 kN
1

2
10 500

M rx x =99,6 kN.m
Calculate C ry using Equation 11.33

1
1

2 0,6 25 550 16 500

356
212000

100 = 49,3
2
0,6 25 550
28

212000

58,8 x10 6
2 0,6 25 550

y 212000

C ry

49,3 49,3 2 5,88 10 7

= 1472 kN
2 1 16 500

M ry y = 58,8 kN.m
It is easy to to calculate that, for a concentrically-loaded base plate of the given
dimensions:

C o = 2611 kN
Now we can check the interaction equations.
According to equation 11.40:

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

C r C rx C ry Co 524 1472 2611 453

C r = 453 kN > C u = 200 kN

But Cu 0,1Co = 261,1 kN so we have also to check Equation 11.39

M ux M uy
75
20

1,09 1.0 no good.

M rx M ry 99,6 58,8
Therefore at an anchor length of 200 mm the maximum minor axis bending that
can be imposed on the base plate is 14 kN.m which will give an interaction of 1,0.
Even then one has to check the thickness of the plate using Equation 11.26:

tp 2

Tuy
bbtf y

212000 42
= 17,8 mm < 30 mm ok
350 0.9 355

When considering the thickness required due to bearing it is conservative to that

work with Table 11.4, noting that the maximum projection of the base plate
beyond the column face is 95,5 mm:

tp

95,5
= 29,3 mm < 30 mm OK.
3,26

Conclusion
Therefore the maximum bending moments that this base plate can carry together
with C u = 200 kN are M ux = 75 kN.m and M uy = 14 kN.m. Larger bending moments
can be resisted with higher values of C u .
29

11.6 Resistance tables

Table 11.5 provides the resistances of individual HD bolts for different values of the
anchor length b and diameter d with 25 MPa concrete. The resistances listed take
the anchorage in the concrete (Equation 11.3) and the resistance of the concrete
to conical failure (Equations 11.4, 11.5 and 11.7) into account, i.e the values for
single bolts. Grouping of bolts as covered by Equation 11.6 was not considered. The
tensile force on a HD bolt may, however, not exceed the resistance of the bolt in
tension as determined by Equation 11.1, thus the maximum values of Commercial
Quality (CQ) bolts and Class 8.8 equivalent bolts were also listed. Lastly, the shear
resistance as controlled by Equations 11.8 and 11.9 was listed.
Note the limitations in the notes at the bottom of Table 11.5. For concrete with a
cube strength higher than 25 MPa higher resistances can be found on the basis of
the equations listed above, roughly proportional to the increase in the cube
strength.
Table 11.6 provides the resistances of base plates for columns consisting of universal
beams or columns, for different values of the cube strength of the concrete. Several
base plate sizes and thicknesses are listed for each column, the first of which for
each column size is intended to be for bolts inside as shown in Figure 11.1 and for
use with relatively small loads. The values are based on the approach discussed in
11.4 above. Interpolation can be done.
The minimum HD bolt diameters and lengths in Table 11.6 are based on Table 11.3.
The maximum column height values indicate the maximum length of column of the
particular size and with the minimum size base plate and associated bolts (of
Commercial Quality steel) that can stand on the base plate and resist a wind
pressure of 1 kPa coming from any direction during the construction period. Longer
columns may need lateral support.

30

Resistance to tension

Bolt diameter, d (mm)

Anchorage
length b

Edge Distance b

7d Edge Distance < b

(mm)

20

24

30

36

20

24

30

36

200
300

86
95

106
131

106
194

106
216

53
95

53
108

53
108

108

400

104

141

208

286

104

141

179

179

500
600
700
800
900
1000

113
122
126
126
126
126

152
162
173
182
182
182

221
234
247
260
274
284

302
318
334
350
365
381

113
122
126
126
126
126

152
162
173
182
182
182

221
234
247
260
274
284

264
318
334
350
365
381

Max value
CQ bolts

57,7

8,30

130

187

57,7

83,0

130

187

Max value for

8.8 bolts

126

182

284

410

126

182

284

410

34

48

76

109

34

48

76

109

Shear
resitance
Notes:
1.

b for any HD bolt must exceed 5d

2. HD must be at least 7 d from edge of concrete
3. Bolt shanks must be degreased before embedment in concrete.
4. Assumed concrete strength = 25 MPa.

Table 11.5 Resistances (kN) of individual HD bolts to tensile and shear forces

31

Notes:
1. Base plate made of S355 steel
2. See 11.6 above for explanation

Table 11.6(a) Capacities of base plates for axially-loaded columns, fy = 355 Mpa

32

Notes:
1. Base plate made of S275 steel
2. See 11.6 above for explanation of table

Table 11.6(b) Capacities of base plates for axially-loaded columns fy = 275 Mpa

33