Experimental and numerical studies for the performance verification of post-installed anchors used in electrical cabinet fixation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most of the electrical equipment responsible for the control within a power plant is configured in cabinet form and fixed using post-installed anchors. Shaking table testing to evaluate the seismic performance of cabinets does not simulate the same installation conditions as on-site, but simply welds the bottom of the cabinet to the top surface of the shake table to assess the structural integrity. The seismic performance evaluation of post-installed anchors is typically conducted indirectly through material testing, making it necessary to compare the performance under on-site conditions to ensure reasonable measurement. This study fabricated a structure as a replacement for the cabinet, fixed it using post-installed anchors, and applied static loads to measure the pull-out load transmitted to the anchors. The measured results were then compared with those obtained from material testing. Consequentially, the pull-out load in the test reflecting on-site conditions was approximately 10% higher than in the material test. So the current way of indirectly evaluating the performance of post-installed anchors is deemed reasonable based on the derived results. To validate the reliability of the experimental study, a numerical study was conducted, and the results showed an error range of around 1%, indicating reasonable and consistent findings.