Method to attain substantial anchorage forces within limited embedment depths into thin fibre-reinforced concrete plates and shells

Contemporary fibre-reinforced concrete provides new opportunities for the design of thin concrete elements with substantial bending strength. To realise the full benefits of reduced weights owing to the reduced structural thickness, new anchorage elements must be developed that can sustain high anchorage forces within limited embedment depths in thin plates. This paper introduces a new anchorage design for concrete plates or shells that provides high tensile forces between 4 and 6 kN within a small embedment depth of 5 mm. The proposed design concept includes a two-stage anchorage mechanism that provides the required tensile strength and ductility for the anchorage. Achieving such anchorage capabilities within the limited embedment depth of thin concrete elements enables the production of lightweight concrete plates and shells.