I have maintained for years that contractors should not field-cut threaded rods that have been set in epoxy. The heat generated from field-cutting has a significant effect on the bond between the epoxy and the rod, leading to a compromised capacity. Do you have any white papers, installation guidelines, or articles that discuss this? I would like to have a document in hand to back up this claim if asked.
Hi Nicolas,
Although Hilti does not have a white paper that specifically discusses cutting threaded rods, Hilti generally does not recommend cutting threaded rods for the following reasons:
- The mechanical properties of the anchor could be changed resulting in reduced load capacity.
- The corrosion resistance properties of the anchor could be reduced during the cutting process (zinc/Hot-dipped galvanized coating could be removed), even for indoor carbon steel applications because you now have exposed raw steel.
- Cutting could remove the length identification mark on the anchor (if applicable)
- The threads of the anchor could be damaged.
Please note that decision to cut threaded rods will ultimately be at the discretion of the Engineer of Record (EOR) on the project as this application falls outside of Hilti's scope of testing.
Best,
Mia