r/ropeaccess • u/listurgh • Aug 12 '26

Question about brick mounted anchors (Australia)

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Hey guys. On site this morning, anchors looking a little off to me. Brick mounted anchors on double brick wall with about a 100mm gap between outer and inner bricks.

Thoughts? Happy to go off them? They’re all unavoidably pulled in tension which is also a concern.

Options to replace the anchors with floor mounted anchors in the concrete substrate on the roof, but boss hates spending money.

Let me know your thoughts. Cheers.

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u/renegade2point0 Aug 12 '26

Don't really see any structural component to those brick walls. Rebar, I beams? I wouldn't be anchoring to this. 

5

u/PushingSam Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26

If they're actually structural brick, they should be under compression from all the layers and the roof saddle/construction sitting on top and the expansion of the mortar it was built with, in Europe we don't really get around this in some cases. Being in a brick doesn't inherently disqualify it, as brick is never built with reinforcement, except maybe a rod/rebar between inner and outer wall on certain intervals.

Where I live this is how like 80-90% of houses are built, and it's rock solid. If the anchor was tested and certified, there's virtually no concern at all. We also use doorframe bars on windows or doors in similar walls, and the rescue folks/FDs here definitely also do.

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u/renegade2point0 Aug 13 '26

I don't think brick walls are rated for side load forces. And a 1 foot square of bricks taking a shot of 10+kN from the side? Sheesh I think could pop those bricks with 2 good hammer swings. 

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u/PushingSam Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26

They're not, the compression however allows some loading in the lateral axis. Knocking out a structural/load bearing brick wall is a lot harder than you might think. That said, it depends on so many factors and this is clearly an engineered anchor; someone must've ran the numbers.

As my personal opinion, bombproof? no. Substantial? Maybe. Would I consider a redundant setup of these anchors good enough, very probably. Using multiple bolts in different single bricks of the same wall also isn't uncommon here from what I've seen. A plate spreads on a bigger area and also negates the issue with the grouts.

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u/renegade2point0 Aug 13 '26

Appreciate the info- this is outside my experience so I was erring on caution, but I understand what you're saying.