Fasteners for Construction and Infrastructure

Every building from a large skyscraper to critical home infrastructure relies on thousands of components to hold it together. This is where fasteners come into play. These components are often hidden but play an important role for safety, longevity, and the structural integrity of a project. It’s important to consider the type of fastener you’re using to avoid costly failures. In this article we’ll review the most in-demand products used in construction and infrastructure projects.

Anchoring Systems

Anchors keep things in place. They’re designed for transferring heavy loads to base materials. The base material is typically concrete, stone or block. It’s important to use the right kind for the stability of the project. Anchors are commonly zinc plated for interior use and stainless steel for exterior environments since they’re corrosion resistant.

Wedge Anchors These are the great for solid concrete. They achieve their hold through mechanical expansion as the nut is torqued, making them reliable for load-bearing applications.
Drop-In Anchors Ideal when a flush finish is required or for overhead applications, they create a secure, internal thread within the concrete, often used for hanging utilities or secondary framing.
Sleeve Anchors Versatile and adaptable, these are commonly specified for fixing materials to brick, block, and concrete, offering a secure hold through compression against the base material.

Structural Bolting

Structural bolts come in different grades and are used when joining primary load-bearing components. Things like this include bridge trusses or high-ride building frames. These bolts often come in an assembly which includes a nut and washer of high grade. This is usually a more economical version than purchasing the bolt alone.

Structural Hex Bolts (ASTM A325 or A490) These are commonly used in structural steel construction. A325 is a standard grade for general structural use. A490 is used for higher-stress applications.
High-Strength Washers These washers are often F436 which are required to install structural bolts. They distribute the clamping force and protect the connected material.
Heavy Hex Nuts (A563 or A194) These nuts come in the assemblies. These hold everything together and keep the bolt in place.

Fasteners for Wood

With the timber construction industry continuing to grow, they continue to require specialized fasteners that can handle wood connection and keep everything in place. It’s important that these are easy to install on the job site as well. These are the two most commonly used ones are structural screws and lag screws/bolts. Materials for these often include carbon steel with a corrosion resistant coating for exterior uses.

Structural RSS Screws These specialized screws are rapidly replacing traditional lag screws. They come in a variety of lengths, grades, and materials. They’re engineered to handle substantial shear and tension forces.
Lag Bolts/Screws A traditional threaded solution for wood construction, often used for connecting heavy dimensional lumber or secondary framing in wood structures.

Choosing Corrosion Resistant Fasteners

Construction and infrastructure projects near coastlines or in highly exposed areas, face high corrosion risks. You must select the correct material to achieve longevity and prevent corrosion.

For exterior exposed structures like piers, boardwalks, and exterior pipe supports, the fastener material must withstand environmental elements. The two most common are stainless or galvanized. These materials are often more expensive upfront but are necessary to avoid potential risks down the line that’ll escalate the cost of the projects.

Stainless Steel (304/316) This is the preferred material to use. Type 304 (or 18-8 or A2) is the basic type of stainless. Type 316 (or 416 or A4) is a heavier duty grade offering stronger corrosion resistance. It’s sometimes referred to as marine grade since it’s used for saltwater exposure and chemical resistant.
Hot-Dip Galvanized (HDG or Galv) This is a thick coat that goes on top of carbon steel. Galvanized bolts are durable and ideal for heavy duty structural applications. They’re great against weathering.

Locking for Vibration Control

Fasteners in construction and infrastructure are often subject to dynamic loads, vibration, and temperature changes. There are a few different strategies to go about fastener loosening prevention. Some examples of high vibration areas include machinery mounts, connectors on railways, and industrial equipment.

Nylon Insert Lock Nuts (Nyloc) These nuts have an internal polymer ring which deforms over the bolt threads. This creates frictional resistance to keep the nut in place.
Jam Nuts and Prevailing Torque Nuts These other type of lock nuts offer mechanical locking solutions that use frictional interference or counter-torque resistance.
Lock Washers There are many types of lock washers including the standard split lock washer, internal tooth, external tooth, etc. These provide additional friction between the nut and the joint material.

The Importance of Fasteners

In these heavy duty industries, fasteners cannot be an afterthought. They’re important for structural integrity and safety. It may be costly up front but it’s important to make sure that structures don’t fail. The right fasteners prevents repair costs down the line. If you’re looking for a specific type of fastener, please email our sales team for a quote! We can source many types of fasteners in various materials and grades.