In short
A site test report records facts so the person who asked for the tests can judge whether the objective was met: the job and anchor, the test load, each anchor's position and result, first movement at 0.1 mm if asked for, the drill bit diameter to 0.1 mm, and the tester's calibration. It does not approve the fixing.
This guide explains how site tests are planned and carried out under BS 8539:2012+A1:2021. It does not replace the standard, the anchor manufacturer's data, or the instructions of the specifier or engineer responsible for the job, who decides the test plan, the loads and the factors. A test records what happened on the day; it does not approve a fixing for use.
Key figures
| What a report concludes | Only whether each tested anchor met the test objective |
|---|---|
| Who decides what the results mean | The specifier or engineer who asked for the tests |
| First movement | Recorded at 0.1 mm, if asked for |
| Drill bit cutting diameter | Recorded to 0.1 mm |
| Attachments | Method statement and gauge calibration certificate |
What is a site test report for?
A site test report gives the person who asked for the tests the facts they need to decide what happens next. Its only verdict is pass or fail against the objective they set, such as "held 3.6 kN with no movement".
Leave the why and the what-next to the specifier. Unless you are qualified in anchor technology, don't explain failures or suggest fixes in the report. Do add a plain statement that the report is factual, for example:
> These results describe only the anchors tested, on the date shown. This report does not say whether the anchors are suitable for their intended use. That decision belongs to the specifier.
What should the report record?
A site test report should record the job, the anchor and the test asked for before the visit, how the anchors went in, what happened at each test, and the equipment and sign-off at the end. BS 8539 recommends the items below. Set them out as a form in this order, and add anything the job needs.
The report, set out as a form
| Part of the form | What to fill in |
|---|---|
| 1. Before the visit: the job | Report number and date; client's company and address, with a contact's name and position; site address and site contact; who asked for the tests |
| 2. Before the visit: the anchor and the test | Anchor make, type, size and finish; what it will hold; characteristic action N_Ek; design resistance or manufacturer's recommended resistance in that base material; the test type (preliminary, to failure or proof); the procedure, for example BS 8539 Annex B.2.3.1; the test load asked for |
| 3. On site: the base material | What it is; whether solid or hollow; its strength at the time, if known |
| 4. On site: installation, if you installed or watched it | Installer's name and company; hole diameter; drill bit cutting diameter, to 0.1 mm; hole depth; effective embedment depth; how each hole was cleaned; specified and applied torque; for bonded anchors, the temperature at installation and the recommended and actual curing times |
| 5. At each test: where | Position, on a drawing or described well enough for site staff to find the anchor again; edge distance, spacing and member thickness where they matter, noting any closer than c_cr or s_cr (never below c_min or s_min); distance to the nearest bridge support |
| 6. At each test: what happened | Highest load reached; load at first movement (0.1 mm) and movement at each load step, if asked for; what the anchor and base material looked like afterwards; failure mode, if it failed |
| 7. Sign-off | Tester's name, job title and qualifications; names and companies of any witnesses; tester make, type and capacity; date of last calibration and who did it; any movement gauge and torque wrench used; any departure from the procedure; the statement that the report records facts only |
| 8. Attached | Method statement; gauge calibration certificate |
Should someone witness the tests?
Yes, where you can. Ask the client, or the engineer who asked for the tests, to send someone to watch, and record their names and companies in the report.
What should a report say about an anchor that failed?
Name the failure mode using the groups in first movement and failure modes, give the load at which it happened, and measure any cone of material that came away. Then record that the anchor was removed or marked so that nobody uses it.
What do scaffold tie test records need?
Scaffold tie test records under NASC TG4:25 follow the same idea in a shorter form. For each anchor: pass or fail, the load it reached, the minimum test load it had to reach, and where it is. For the job: whether the tests were preliminary or proof tests, the anchor type and base material, and the client, site and date. Tag each proof-tested anchor with the test date and load, and mark failures clearly (TG4:25 §9.6). See scaffold tie proof testing.
Who decides what the results mean?
The specifier, or the engineer responsible for the job, decides what the results mean. They set the test plan, the loads and the factors before the tests, and they decide afterwards whether the anchors can be used, whether more tests are needed, and whether the specification should change. The report gives them the facts to do that. Our test-load calculator shows how a preliminary test load is worked out.
Can the Staht Connect app produce the report?
The Staht t25 and t60 connect by Bluetooth to the Staht Connect app for Android and iOS, which comes with every kit. For each test, the app records the peak load, the target load, pass or fail and the time, with graphs, notes, photos, video and a map pin. Tests sync to the Staht Connect dashboard at app.staht.com, which makes a report in one click and can filter tests by date, location, client, project or team member. Whatever tool produces the report, check it holds every item in the table above. See Staht Connect.
More questions
No. A pull test report records the tests and their results. It does not approve or endorse the fixing for its use. The specifier or responsible engineer decides that.
Only if the tester is qualified in anchor technology. Otherwise the report should give the facts, such as the load and the mode of failure, and leave the reasons and remedies to the specifier.
The tester's make, type and capacity, the date of its last calibration and who calibrated it, any movement gauge used, the distance from the anchor to the closest bridge support, and the torque wrench used. Attach the gauge calibration certificate.
The person who asked for the tests. Complete the report and pass it to them.
BS 8539 asks for the load at first movement to be recorded in site tests. In a proof test, any movement is a failure, so record it whenever it is seen.
Sources
- BS 8539:2012+A1:2021 Code of practice for the selection and installation of post-installed anchors in concrete and masonry, BSI
- NASC TG4:25 Anchorage systems for scaffolding, Sections 9.6 and 11.1 and Appendix A, NASC
Record tests as you go
The Staht t25 and t60 connect by Bluetooth to the Staht Connect app.