HILTI TECHNICAL BULLETIN

Date: January 12, 2012

Subject: Brittle -factors and Hilti Adhesive Anchors

Engineering practice has traditionally assumed that reinforcing bars are ductile steel elements.
The ICC-ES Evaluation Service Reports for Hilti adhesive anchor systems have been modified
such that the -factors for the steel strength of ASTM A615, Gr. 40 and ASTM A615, Gr. 60
reinforcing bars correspond to the brittle -factors given in ACI 318-08, D.4.4(b). The reason
given for this modification, which differs from the assumptions used in the ACI 318 Building Code,
is that the ASTM standards for reinforcing bars do not provide the parameters commonly used to
define a ductile steel element:
>14% tensile test elongation and >30% reduction in cross-sectional area.

Reference the following ICC-ES Evaluation Service Reports:
ESR-2262 (Revised J une 2011), Table 19 for HIT-HY 150 MAX
ESR-2322 (Revised August 2011), Table 23 for HIT-RE 500-SD
ESR-3013 (Issued April 2010), Table 11 for HIT-HY 150 MAX-SD

ACI 318-11, Part D.3.3.4.3(a)6 states:
Deformed reinforcing bars used as ductile steel elements to resist earthquake effects
shall be limited to ASTM A615 Grades 40 and 60 satisfying the requirements of
21.1.5.2(a) and (b) or ASTM A706 Grade 60.
ACI 318-11, 21.1.5.2 states:
Deformed reinforcement resisting earthquake-induced flexure, axial force, or both,
shall comply with ASTM A706, Grade 60. ASTM A615 Grades 40 and 60 reinforcement
shall be permitted if:
(a) The actual yield strength based on mill tests does not exceed f
y
by more than
18,000 psi; and
(b) The ratio of the actual tensile strength to the actual yield strength is not less
than 1.25.
PROFIS Anchor uses the design data given in the Evaluation Service Reports for post-installed
anchors. When HIT-HY 150 MAX, HIT-RE 500-SD and HIT-HY 150 MAX-SD are selected in
PROFIS Anchor, the -factors given in ESR-2262 Table 19, ESR 2322 Table 23 and ESR-3013
Table 11 respectively will be used to calculate the design steel strength for ASTM A615, Gr. 40
and ASTM A615, Gr. 60 reinforcing bars. However, pursuant with ACI 318-11 Part D.3.3.4.3(a)6
and 21.1.5.2, PROFIS Anchor performs seismic calculations for ASTM A615, Gr. 40 and ASTM
A615, Gr. 60 reinforcing bars based on the assumption that they are ductile steel elements.
Therefore, the brittle steel element -factors used in PROFIS Anchor are in compliance with the
Evaluation Service Reports but the design calculations assume ductility per the ACI 318 Building
Code.

Please feel free to contact our Engineering Technical Services department for more information
or any questions.

Hilti Engineering Technical Services
(877) 749-6337 toll free
(918) 872-6337
hnatechnicalservices@hilti.com