ANCHOR AND FIXING TESTING

At Elephant, we carry out on-site pull testing and shear testing of anchors and construction fixings across the UK. Whether you need to check a proposed fixing or test a sample of installed anchors, we can help you arrange the testing your project requires.

Why test your fixings?

You may need testing because:

There isn’t suitable manufacturer’s load data for the material you’re fixing into.

You need to check the installation quality of fixings already on site.

Testing is required by your engineer, project specification or scaffold design.

The type of test depends on what you need to find out. The two main approaches are preliminary testing and proof load testing.

Request fixing testing

A load test engineer conducting a pull out test on a concrete fixing

Preliminary pull-out testing of a fixing into masonry. Displacement is measured using a digital dial gauge.

Preliminary testing

Will the proposed fixing work in the material on your site?

Preliminary testing may be needed where suitable performance data isn’t available—for example, when fixing into existing brickwork or stone.

Sample fixings are installed and tested using an agreed procedure. The results help the project designer or specifier assess the fixing’s suitability and establish an allowable load. Depending on the purpose and procedure, testing may involve loading to a specified level or continuing to failure.

Proof load testing

Do the installed fixings withstand the specified test load?

Proof testing checks installation quality by testing a percentage of the installation.

The test load and number of tests depend on the application, relevant guidance and project requirements.

Proof testing supports installation checks but does not replace correct anchor selection, design or installation.

Pull testing and shear testing

Pull testing, also called pull-out or tensile testing, applies a load along the fixing’s axis, pulling it away from the base material.

Shear testing applies a load across the fixing, parallel to the surface of the base material.

Scaffold anchor testing

We carry out preliminary and proof testing of scaffold anchors in line with NASC TG4 guidance, where applicable.

Preliminary testing may be needed where the anchor’s performance in the base material is uncertain. Proof testing checks a sample of installed anchors for installation quality.

What can we test?

We test a wide range of fixings, including:

Resin anchors.
Through bolts.
Expansion anchors.
Concrete screws.
Drop-in and undercut anchors.
Holding down bolts.

Typical applications include façade and cladding brackets, soffit fixings, suspended ceiling supports, scaffold anchors and seasonal decorations.

For lifting eyes installed into concrete or attached to steelwork, see our lifting eye testing service.

Standards and guidance

Depending on the application, relevant references include:

BS 8539:2012+A1:2021 — Code of practice for the selection and installation of post-installed anchors in concrete and masonry.
CFA guidance — Procedure for Site Testing Construction Fixings, 2024.
NASC TG4:25 — Anchorage Systems for Scaffolding.

Other fixings and specialist loading arrangements are tested to an appropriate agreed procedure.