Use of Shear Lugs for Anchorage to Concrete

Anchoring structures, systems and components to concrete is a significant activity in the design and construction of a nuclear power plant. Early in this decade the Concrete Capacity Design method (CCD) was adopted by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) for use in the structural design for both commercial and nuclear facilities. This design method and associated qualification tests brings new challenges to designing efficient means for anchoring to concrete structures. Although the CCD method provides guidance on many aspects of concrete anchorage there are a few areas, pertinent to nuclear power plant construction, that are not covered or require significant interpretation of the most recent codes. This paper will focus on the design of shear lugs used to resist significant lateral loads. Results from laboratory tests of shear lugs are presented. These full scale tests considered the interaction of tension and shear loads on the performance of shear lug assemblies. Recommendations for the efficient use of shear lugs are provided.Copyright © 2009 by ASME