The 1st Student Conference Content and English Language Integrated Learning

CLIL 2016 Zenica, B&H, June 2016

TESTING GALVANIZED EARTH ANCHORS

Lejla Huseinspahi
Mainski fakultet u Zenici,
Fakultetska br.1,
Zenica, Bosnia i Herzegovina

SUMMARY
This paper is based on methods for testing galvanized earth anchors. Methods that will be described
in this paper are tensile test and microscopic method. By testing galvanized earth anchor, its
mechanical properties and thickness of the galvanized layer are being determined. All tests must be
done according to BAS EN ISO standards.
Keywords: anchors, testing, tension, coating, zink, thickness

SAETAK
Ovaj rad se temelji na opisivanju metoda ispitivanja pocinanih ankera. Metode koje e biti opisane u
ovom radu su ispitivanje na zatezanje i mikroskopska metoda. Ispitivanjem pocinanog ankera,
odreuju se njegove mehanike osobine i debljina nanosa cinka. Sva ispitivanja moraju biti izvedena
prema BAS EN ISO strandardima.
Kljune rijei: ankeri, ispitivanje, zatezanje, prevlaka, cink, debljina

1. INTRODUCTION
An earth anchor is a device designed to support structures, most commonly used in geotechnical and
construction applications. Also known as a ground anchor, percussion driven earth anchor or
mechanical anchor, it may be impact driven into the ground or run in spirally, depending on its design
and intended force-resistance characteristics.
Earth anchors are used in both temporary or permanent applications, including supporting retaining
walls, guyed masts, and circus tents.
Installation methods differ depending on soil composition and moisture. Earth anchors are commonly
driven into the ground using a drive rod and impact hammer. Pilot holes are required for denser soils.
After an impact driven anchor has been installed, the drive rod is removed and the anchor load-locked,
typically by rotating it for ninety degrees. For lighter anchors a hand tool is often sufficient.
Once installed and load-locked, an earth anchor exerts effort to the soil above it, with the soil in turn
providing resistance. Upward soil compression created by the anchor is typically exerted in a frustum
shaped cone.
Components of earth anchors are:
- anchorage (anchor head/nut, bar and bearing plate),
- free stressing (unbonded) length and
- bond length.

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The 1st Student Conference Content and English Language Integrated Learning
CLIL 2016 Zenica, B&H, June 2016

Figure 1.Components of an earth anchor [1]

Figure 2.Anchorage components for an earth anchor [1]

2. TESTING EARTH ANCHORS

In testing earth anchors we can use two test methods:
- tensile test and
- measurement of coating thickness.

2.1.Tensile test for earth anchors

2.1.1 Test pieces and equipment for tensile test

A test piece for tensile test may either be standardized (normal and proportional) or technical (in the
as-delivered condition).
Unless otherwise agreed or specified in the product standard, the test piece shall be taken from the bar,
wire rod or wire in the as-delivered condition.

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CLIL 2016 Zenica, B&H, June 2016

In the case of a test piece taken from coil, the test piece shall be straightened prior to any tests by a
bend operation with a minimum amount of plastic deformation.The straightness of the test piece is
critical for the tensile test and the fatigue test.
For the determination of the mechanical properties in the tensile test and the fatigue test, the test piece
maybe artificially aged (after straightening if applicable), depending on the requirements of the
product standard.
If the product standard does not specify the ageing treatment, the following conditions should be
applied: heating the test piece to 100 C, maintaining at this temperature 10 C for a period of
1 h+15
0 min and thencooling in still air to ambient temperature.
In addition to the general provisions, the free length of the test piece shall be sufficient for
the determination of the percentage elongation and calculated from the following formula: L=5d,
where d is nominal diameter of the free length.

Figure 3.The specimen before and after the tension test[2]

The most common testing machine used in tensile testing is the universal testing machine. This type of
machine has two crossheads; one is adjusted for the length of the specimen and the other is driven to
apply tension to the test specimen. There are two types: hydraulic powered and electromagnetically
powered machines.
The machine must have the proper capabilities for the test specimen being tested. There are four main
parameters: force capacity, speed, precision and accuracy. Force capacity refers to the fact that the
machine must be able to generate enough force to fracture the specimen. The machine must be able to
apply the force quickly or slowly enough to properly mimic the actual application. Finally, the
machine must be able to accurately and precisely measure the gauge length and forces applied.
Alignment of the test specimen in the testing machine is critical, because if the specimen is
misaligned, either at an angle or offset to one side, the machine will exert a bending force on the
specimen..
The strain measurements are most commonly measured with an extensometer, but strain gauges are
also frequently used on small test specimen or when Poisson's ratio is being measured. Newer test
machines have digital time, force, and elongation measurement systems consisting of electronic
sensors connected to a data collection device (often a computer) and software to manipulate and
output the data.

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Figure 4.The universal testing machine[3]

2.1.2 Test procedure

The test process involves placing the test specimen in the testing machine and slowly extending it until
it fractures. During this process, the elongation of the gauge section is recorded against the applied
force. The data is manipulated so that it is not specific to the geometry of the test sample. The
elongation measurement is used to calculate the engineering strain, , using the following equation:

[3]

where L is the change in gauge length, L 0 is the initial gauge length, and L is the final length. The
force measurement is used to calculate the engineering stress, , using the following equation:

[3]

Where Fn is the tensile force and A is the nominal cross-section of the specimen. The machine does
these calculations as the force increases, so that the data points can be graphed into a stressstrain
curve. For the determination of Rp0,2 (0,2% proof strength, non-proportional extension), if the straight
portion of the force-extension diagram is limited or not clearly defined, the straight portion of the
force-extension diagram shall be considered as the line joining the points corresponding to 0,2Fm and
0,5Fm. The test may be considered invalid if the slope of this line differs by more than 10% from the
theoretical value of the modulus of elasticity. For the calculation of tensile properties (upper yield
strength ReH, 0,2% proof strength Rp0,2 or tensile strength Rm), the nominal cross-sectional area shall be
used, unless otherwise specified in the relevant product standard. Where fracture occurs in the grips or
at a distance from the grips less than 20 mm or d (whichever is the greater), the test may be considered
as invalid. For the determination of percentage elongation after fracture (A), the original gauge length
shall be five times the nominal diameter (d), unless otherwise specified.

For the determination of the percentage total elongation at maximum force (A gt), Agt is determined by
the manual method after fracture and shall be calculated from the following formula:

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Agt = Ag + Rm / 2000 [2]

where Ag is the percentage non-proportional elongation at maximum force.

The measurement of the percentage non-proportional elongation at maximum force (A g) shall be made
on the longer of the two broken parts of the test piece on a gauge length of 100 mm, as close as
possible to the fracture but at a distance, r 2, of at least 50 mm or 2d (whichever is the greater) away
from the fracture. This measurement may be considered as invalid if the distance, r 1,between the grips
and the gauge length is less than 20 mm or d (whichever is the greater).
.

Figure 5.Measuring of the total elongation(a- grip length, b -gauge length, 100 mm)[3]

hen testing anchors on tension, ReH, Rm, Agt and elongation for l0=5d are measured and inscribed in a
table. Based on the data about the applied force and the cross-section area of the specimen, we can
calculate the engineering stress in the specimen. Data about the applied force and the elongation of the
specimen will be inscribed into a diagram, which is the most important test result.

Specimens data Elongation

Yield
Mark of the Tensile Percentage total (%) for
Diameter Area strength
sample Strength elongation at max
lo=5do
(mm) (mm2) ReH(N/mm2) 2
forceAgt (%) for
Rm(N/mm ) l0=100 mm

Sample of
an earth
14,00 153,94 551 625 8,5 20,5
anchor
14 mm
Table 1. Tension test results [3]

Figure 6.Diagram stress-elongation[3]

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2.2. Measurement of coating thickness

2.2.1Test pieces and equipment for measurement of coating thickness

Figure 7.Galvanized coating on an earth anchor[1]

A portion of the test specimen is cut out and mounted. The mounted cross-section is prepared by
suitable techniques of grinding, polishing and etching. The thickness of the coating cross-section is
measured by means of a calibrated scale.
Thickness of the coating is measured by the microscopic method. Factors relating to measurement

Figure 8.Surface for testing and its cross-section[1]

uncertainty are:
surface roughness
taper of the cross-section
deformation of the coating
rounding of edge of the coating
overplating the specimen
etching the cross-section
smearing caused by improper polishing or overplating
magnification of the microscope
calibration of stage micrometer
calibration of micrometer eyepiece
alignment of the micrometer eyepiece
uniformity of magnification
lens quality
orientation of eyepiece
tube length

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CLIL 2016 Zenica, B&H, June 2016

2.2.2 Test procedure

The specimen must be prepared, mounted, grinded, polished and etched so that:
the cross-section is perpendicular to the coating,
the surface is flat and the entire width of the coating image is simultaneously in focus at the
magnification to be used for the measurement,
all material deformed by cutting or cross-sectioning is removed,
the boundaries of the coating cross-section are sharply defined by no more than contrasting
appearance, or by a narrow, well defined line.
The microscope and associated equipment, its use, its calibration and the method of preparation of the
cross-section shall be chosen so as to allow the coating thickness to be determined within 1 mm or
10%, whichever is the greater, of the actual coating thickness. The method is capable of giving
absolute measurement uncertainty of 0,8mm, and for thickness greater than 25mm a reasonable
measurement uncertainty is of the order of 5%or better. However, with careful preparation of the
specimen and the application of suitable instruments this method is capable of providing a
measurement uncertainty of 0,4mm under reproducible conditions.
Measuring of the galvanized coating thickness on an earth anchor can be done if on a cross-section of
the specimen four measuring places are chosen. Thickness layer of zink is measured in five different
points in the four measuring places and the data are inscribed in the table. After that is done, it is
required to calculate the average thickness of the layer for all four measuring places, that will be used
to calculate the average thickness of the galvanized coating of an anchor.

Figure 9.Four measuring places on a cross-section[1]

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CLIL 2016 Zenica, B&H, June 2016

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CLIL 2016 Zenica, B&H, June 2016

Figure 10.Thickness of the coating in four measuring places[1]

Table 2. Test results for the galvanized coating thickness[3]

3. CONCLUSION

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The 1st Student Conference Content and English Language Integrated Learning
CLIL 2016 Zenica, B&H, June 2016

In this paper are described the methods of testing galvanized earth anchors. The anchors seem quite
simple constructions. However, they must fulfill a lot of conditions to be installed. We have already
mentioned in the paper, galvanized earth anchors are tested on tension and thickness of the galvanized
layer is measured. Test results are presented in tables and diagrams in the test reports. In my opinion,
this paper can be quite useful, considering the amount of informations it provides.

4. LITERATURE
[1] Braja M. Das, Sanjay Kumar Shukla (2012), Earth Anchors, J. Ross Publishing, 2012,
[2]E.W. Brandt, S.S. Vyalov, W. Derski (1996), Developments in Geotechnical Engineering, Elsevier science,
1996,
[3] Horst Czichos, Tetsuya Saito, Leslie E. Smith (2007), Springer Handbook of Materials Measurement
Methods, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2007,
[4]P.J. Sabatini, D.G Pass and R.C Bachus (2010), Geotechnical Engineering circular no 4.- Ground Anchors
and Anchored Systems, Office of bridge technology, 2010,

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