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No description available.

M. Phil. / The purpose of this research is to see if on-site portable pull-out tests in South Africa on post-installed chemical and mechanical fixings can produce similar results to internationally laboratory tested fixings. The method used in the field study was to use typical South African 25 MPa, 75 mm slump ready mix concrete as supplied by a reputable supplier and to test several types of fixings in common situations, some covered in the European Technical Approval Guidelines (ETAG) and some not. The results were analyzed against published international values and theoretical calculations for the fixings. The findings showed that the results produced using the portable equipment can show values similar to the published and theoretical values. It was also shown that this methodology can be used as a diagnostic tool to reveal installation errors. The pull-out test operator needs to be skilled to ensure a satisfactory outcome of the tests. The implications of the findings have direct bearing on: The on-site pullout testing of post installed anchors in South Africa; The diagnosing of bad anchor installation. And secondarily bearing on: The education of post-installed fixing installers and designers; The lack of standards for post-installed anchors in South Africa; The transportability of data from international research to South African conditions.