Anchor Pull Testing
An anchor pull test confirms that a fixing installed into concrete or masonry will carry the load the design relies on. Using a calibrated hydraulic pull tester, we apply a controlled tension load to the anchor and record how it performs, giving the engineer or contractor documented evidence that the installation is sound before it goes into service.
Our on-site anchor testing follows BS 8539, the code of practice for the selection and installation of post-installed anchors in concrete and masonry, and the accompanying Construction Fixings Association (CFA) guidance note. That matters because a fixing is only as reliable as the base material it is set into and the quality of the installation, and neither can be assumed. Testing removes the guesswork.
We work for main contractors, M&E installers, structural engineers, facades specialists and scaffolding firms across London and the surrounding region. Whether you need a sample of safety-critical fixings proof tested or a full allowable load investigation on an unknown substrate, we bring the equipment, the reaction gear and the competence to the site and hand back clear pass or fail data.
- Standard referenced
- BS 8539 with CFA guidance
- Method
- Calibrated hydraulic pull tester, controlled tension load
- Test types
- Proof (non-destructive) and allowable load (to failure)
- Applies to
- Mechanical and resin anchors, scaffold ties, wall ties
- Substrates
- Concrete, brickwork, blockwork and stone
- Deliverables
- Full test certificate (PDF) with calibration evidence
- Coverage
- London and UK-wide
What we test
Anchor pull testing applies to a wide range of post-installed fixings, including:
- Mechanical expansion anchors and undercut anchors
- Bonded or resin (chemical) anchors and threaded studs
- Scaffold ties and anchor ties, tested in line with NASC TG4 guidance
- Cavity wall ties and remedial wall ties in masonry
- Fixings for balustrades, handrails, brackets, plant and facade support systems
- Fixings into concrete, brickwork, blockwork and stone
We carry out the two forms of testing described in BS 8539. Proof testing (also called sustained or non-destructive testing) applies a defined test load to a sample of working anchors to prove the quality of installation, without taking the anchor to failure. Allowable load testing is used where the base material is unknown or no manufacturer data exists; test anchors are loaded to failure so that a safe allowable resistance can be calculated for the specifier.
When you need it
Anchor testing is typically requested at these points:
- Before a safety-critical installation is signed off, to prove a sample of fixings has been installed correctly
- When working into an older or unknown substrate with no reliable concrete strength or masonry data
- When no suitable European Technical Assessment (ETA) approved anchor is available and a resistance value has to be established on site
- Handover of scaffold tie or temporary works installations
- Facade retention, cladding support and remedial wall tie schemes
- Where site supervision or installer competence during fixing is uncertain and verification is prudent
Deliverables
Every test is documented to the standard set out in BS 8539 and the CFA guidance note. Your report includes the test date and reason, the anchor manufacturer, type, size and finish, the proposed application, the base material, installation details, the test equipment used and the recorded results against the specified test load, with a clear pass or fail outcome for each anchor.
We supply a current gauge calibration certificate, the method statement used on site, and, where an allowable load test has been carried out, the calculated allowable resistance for the fixing. Results are recorded fixing by fixing so the data stands up to review by a building control body, warranty provider or client engineer.
What affects the price
Every job is priced to its scope. The main things that move the cost are:
- The number of anchors to be tested and the sampling rate agreed
- The test loads required and whether proof or allowable load testing is needed
- The base material and the type, size and finish of the fixings
- Access to each fixing location, including any work at height
- Site location and the turnaround required on the certificate
Send us the brief or call and we will confirm a fixed price for the work, free and with no obligation.
A survey you can plan around.
A clear, repeatable method on every job, so you know what is happening on site and what lands on your desk afterwards.
Scope
We review the fixing schedule, base material, load requirements and the number of anchors to be tested, then agree the test loads and sampling rate with the specifier.
Set-up on site
We position the calibrated hydraulic tester and reaction bridge, confirm the support-leg spacing relative to the anchor embedment, and prepare each test location.
Testing
We apply the load in a controlled manner, monitor for movement and record the result at each anchor, repeating destructive tests the required number of times where allowable load data is needed.
Report
We issue a full test certificate with the recorded data, calibration evidence and pass or fail results, usually within a short turnaround after leaving site.
Questions we are asked about this service.
What is BS 8539 anchor testing?
BS 8539 is the British Standard code of practice for the selection and installation of post-installed anchors in concrete and masonry. It sets out how anchors should be specified, installed and tested, and it defines two on-site test regimes: proof testing to confirm installation quality, and allowable load testing to establish a safe resistance where no data exists. Testing to BS 8539 gives documented, defensible evidence that a fixing is fit for its intended load.
What is the difference between proof testing and allowable load testing?
Proof testing applies a defined load to a sample of working anchors to confirm they have been installed correctly, without pulling them to failure. Allowable load testing is destructive: test anchors are loaded until failure so that a safe allowable resistance can be calculated. Proof testing checks quality of installation; allowable load testing establishes performance where the base material or product data is unknown.
How many anchors need to be tested?
The sampling rate and test load are linked. Under the CFA guidance, testing one in 40 fixings allows a test load of up to 1.5 times the applied load, while testing one in 25 fixings allows a test load of 1.25 times the applied load, with the applied load never exceeding the manufacturer’s recommended figure. The right rate depends on the application and is agreed with the specifier before testing.
Do you test cavity wall ties and scaffold ties?
Yes. We carry out pull testing of remedial and existing cavity wall ties in masonry, and testing of scaffold ties and anchors in line with NASC TG4 guidance. Both are common on refurbishment, facade and access projects.
Is anchor testing always required?
No. Where an ETA-approved anchor has been installed into a known substrate by a trained, supervised installer, BS 8539 indicates that testing may not be required. Testing becomes necessary when the substrate or its strength is unknown, when there is no suitable approved anchor, or when installation supervision has not been assured. We can advise on whether testing is needed for your application.
How quickly can you attend and report?
We aim to attend at short notice and issue the test certificate soon after leaving site. Turnaround depends on the number of anchors and whether allowable load calculations are required, which we confirm at the scoping stage.
One team, from point cloud to pull test.
Plate bearing testing
Prove the ground will carry the load, tested in situ for foundations and working platforms to BS 1377.
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See the rebar, conduit and post-tension cables hidden in the slab, before the drill goes anywhere near them.
See the service PTPost-tension cable detection
Locate tensioned tendons in a post-tensioned slab before you core, cut or drill.
See the serviceSend us the brief. We will scope it.
Tell us the site, the deadline and what you need to know. We will confirm the right survey or test, the standard it meets and exactly what you will receive.
- 1Send the brief or call.
- 2We confirm scope, method and price, free and with no obligation.
- 3Booked, surveyed, reported.