Steel · Bases, anchors & embedded plates
Fixed column base plate with anchor bolts calculator
Axial load plus moment: stress-block length, anchor tension, bearing stress, and plate thickness on both the compression and tension sides.
Standard: AISC Design Guide 1 rectangular stress block · AS 4100 Cl 9.3 · AS 3600 bearing
Inputs in the worked example
The live calculator starts with these values; change any of them and every result, check and diagram updates instantly.
| Input | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Axial compression N* | 300 | kN |
| Base moment M* | 120 | kNm |
| Plate width B | 400 | mm |
| Plate length D (in moment direction) | 550 | mm |
| Plate centre to anchor line | 220 | mm |
| Anchor bolts on tension side | 2 | |
| Anchor bolt size | M24 | |
| Anchor grade | 4.6/S | |
| Column depth | 310 | mm |
| Concrete f′c | 32 | MPa |
| Confinement √(A2/A1) (≤ 2) | 1.5 | |
| Plate grade | Grade 250 plate | |
| Plate thickness | 45 | mm |
Worked example — results
| Result | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt diameter df | 24.00 | mm |
| Bolt tensile strength fuf | 400.0 | MPa |
| Tensile stress area As | 353.0 | mm² |
| Core area Ac (threads) | 324.0 | mm² |
| Shank area Ao | 452.0 | mm² |
| Plate yield stress fy (AS/NZS 3678) | 250.0 | MPa |
| Plate tensile strength fu | 410.0 | MPa |
| Eccentricity M/N | 400.0 | mm |
| Design bearing stress φ0.85 f′c √(A2/A1) | 24.48 | MPa |
| f + D/2 | 495.0 | mm |
| Discriminant (≥ 0 → solution) | 207,035 | mm² |
| Bearing length Y | 39.99 | mm |
| Anchor tension total | 91.57 | kN |
| Anchor tension capacity (group) | 225.9 | kN |
| Peak bearing stress | 24.48 | MPa |
| Plate cantilever m = (D − 0.95dc)/2 | 127.8 | mm |
| t req (compression side) | 43.30 | mm |
| t req (tension side) √(4 T x/(φ fy B)) | 16.26 | mm |
- ✓ Equilibrium solution exists
- ✓ Anchor tension
- ✓ Plate thickness (compression side)
- ✓ Plate thickness (tension side)
Method, formulas and assumptions
- Bolt diameter df = CHOOSE(4,12,16,20,24,30,36) = 24 mm
- Bolt tensile strength fuf = IF(1=1,400,830) = 400 MPa
- Tensile stress area As = CHOOSE(4,84.3,157,245,353,561,817) = 353 mm²
- Core area Ac (threads) = CHOOSE(4,76.2,144,225,324,519,759) = 324 mm²
- Shank area Ao = CHOOSE(4,113,201,314,452,707,1018) = 452 mm²
- Plate yield stress fy (AS/NZS 3678) = CHOOSE(1,IF(45<=8,280,IF(45<=12,260,250)),IF(45<=8,320,IF(45<=12,310,IF(45<=20,300,280))),IF(45<=12,360,IF(45<=20,350,340))) = 250 MPa
- Plate tensile strength fu = CHOOSE(1,410,430,450) = 410 MPa
- Eccentricity M/N = 120*1000/300 = 400 mm
- Design bearing stress φ0.85 f′c √(A2/A1) = 0.6*0.85*32*MIN(2,1.5) = 24.48 MPa
- f + D/2 = 220+550/2 = 495 mm
- Discriminant (≥ 0 → solution) = 495^2-2*300*1000*(400+220)/(24.48*400) = 2.070e+5 mm²
- Bearing length Y = IF(400<=550/6,550,495-SQRT(MAX(0,2.070e+5))) = 39.989 mm
- Anchor tension total = IF(400<=550/6,0,24.48*400*39.989/1000-300) = 91.575 kN
- Anchor tension capacity (group) = 2*0.8*353*400/1000 = 225.92 kN
- Peak bearing stress = IF(400<=550/6,300*1000/(400*550)*(1+6*400/550),24.48) = 24.48 MPa
- Plate cantilever m = (D − 0.95dc)/2 = (550-0.95*310)/2 = 127.75 mm
- t req (compression side) = IF(39.989>=127.75,SQRT(2*24.48*127.75^2/(0.9*250)),SQRT(4*24.48*39.989*(127.75-39.989/2)/(0.9*250))) = 43.305 mm
- t req (tension side) √(4 T x/(φ fy B)) = SQRT(4*91.575*1000*MAX(0,220-310/2)/(0.9*250*400)) = 16.265 mm
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For preliminary design and education. Check every result against the current standard and your own engineering judgement before use.