Check that every anchor callout on the drawings gives the type, diameter, effective embedment, spacing, and edge distance that Section 05 05 20 says are “indicated on contract drawings,” that proof load or capacity appears on the drawings or in the section, and that horizontal, inclined, or overhead anchors under sustained tension are flagged. Then confirm that the anchor articles kept in the issued section match the base material drawn, that the evaluation report basis and the adhesive bond strength table match the values the engineer used, and that the installer training and periodic or continuous special inspection agree with the drawings and the Section 01 45 35 schedule.
Assemble the review package
Gather the structural general notes with the concrete and masonry strengths and the anchor notes, the anchor schedule and connection details, the wall types and slab sections that show the base material, the existing conditions and as-built drawings for renovation work, the equipment, pipe support, and nonstructural seismic details that use post-installed anchors, the anchor calculations and the evaluation reports they cite, and the issued Section 05 05 20 with Sections 01 45 35, 05 50 13, and 13 48 73. Follow one anchor type from its callout through its calculation and evaluation report to its inspection entry before assuming the others are complete.
WBDG publishes UFGS 05 05 20: Post-Installed Concrete and Masonry Anchors as a public guide-specification reference (accessed October 28, 2026). Use your project’s issued specification and amendments for the actual comparison; the guide specification does not automatically govern your project. The checklist below is an original suggested review workflow, not a reproduction of the UFGS requirements.
Eight checks to run against the issued set
Use one record per location or system. The CSV contains the same eight prompts plus fields for source revisions, observed evidence, the review owner, the decision, and closure references.
| Check | Sources to compare | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Information the drawings must show | Opening designer note + Post-Installed Anchors article + anchor schedule and details | Does each anchor callout give the type, diameter, effective embedment, spacing, and critical edge distance, and is the proof load or capacity shown on the drawings or edited into the section rather than missing from both? |
| Who selects the anchors | Post-Installed Anchors article + general notes + delegated design or contractor-designed support notes + Section 13 48 73 | The guide section expects the anchor values to be indicated on the contract drawings. Where a note leaves anchors to the contractor, the equipment supplier, or a contractor-designed support system, does the issued set say who provides those values and how they are submitted? |
| Anchor type vs. base material | Mechanical Anchors in Concrete, Adhesive Anchor System in Concrete, and Mechanical and Adhesive Anchors in Masonry articles + wall types + slab and deck sections | Does the section keep an article for every anchor type drawn, and does the masonry bracket (hollow concrete masonry, filled concrete masonry, or brick) and the concrete type match the base material each detail shows? |
| Evaluation reports and product basis | Post-Installed Anchor Certification and Manufacturer’s Printed Installation Instructions articles + general notes + anchor calculations | Do the general notes and calculations name a product or evaluation report consistent with the certification options the section keeps, and is it clear how a substitute anchor will be checked against the design values? |
| Adhesive bond strength and temperature | Adhesive Anchor System in Concrete article bond strength table + anchor calculations + general notes | Are the bracketed concrete strength, short- and long-term temperatures, and bond strengths filled in from the evaluation reports used in the calculations, with anchor sizes not used on the project deleted? |
| Rod material and corrosion protection | Mechanical Anchors in Concrete and Adhesive Anchor System in Concrete articles + exterior, wet, and corrosive location details | Does the threaded rod or reinforcing bar grade the section keeps match the details, and where the section allows galvanized or stainless steel “unless otherwise indicated,” do the details for exterior or corrosive locations indicate which one? |
| Existing reinforcing and embedded items | Embedded Items article + existing conditions and as-built drawings + slab and wall details | Does the bracket choose project or as-built drawings to suit new or existing construction, is a scanning method kept where anchors go into existing concrete or masonry, and do the drawings show reinforcing or embedded items near anchor groups? |
| Installer training, inspection, and proof loading | Installer Qualifications, Post-Installed Anchor Special Inspector Qualifications, and Tests and Inspections articles + Section 01 45 35 schedule + drawings | Are anchors needing continuous special inspection identified on the drawings, does the installer training bracket keep the orientation items those anchors need, are the proof load tables edited to the anchors actually used, and does the Section 01 45 35 schedule match? |
Worked example: overhead adhesive anchors with no orientation flag
Illustrative example: a renovation of an existing concrete building hangs new pipe racks from the underside of the slab on adhesive anchors and anchors a canopy to a multi-wythe brick wall. The drawings give anchor diameter and embedment but no edge distance, and nothing marks the pipe rack anchors as overhead anchors in sustained tension. The issued Section 05 05 20 keeps the hollow concrete masonry bracket, leaves the bond strength table blank, and limits the embedded items review to the project drawings.
Ask the structural engineer to add edge distances and proof loads to the anchor callouts, flag the pipe rack anchors as overhead anchors in sustained tension so that continuous inspection and orientation training apply, change the masonry bracket to brick for the canopy, fill in the bond strength table from the evaluation report used in the calculations, and point the embedded items review to the as-built drawings with a scanning method. Confirm that the Section 01 45 35 schedule shows the same inspection.
Avoid a false conflict
Section 05 05 20 covers post-installed anchors only. Cast-in anchors, through bolts, and powder or pneumatic actuated fasteners are sent to Section 05 50 13, and cast-in anchor bolts may also be shown in the concrete and structural steel sections, so check those before calling an anchor unspecified. Nonstructural seismic sections can reference this section for equipment anchorage while leaving the anchor design to a contractor-designed support system, and differing product values between manufacturers are a question for the engineer, not a conflict on their own.
When requirements disagree, follow the project’s document-control and clarification process. Do not assume that drawings always override specifications, or the reverse. Identify the exact sources and request an authorized decision.
Close the issue across the affected documents
Record the location or tag, drawing and specification references, issue dates, observed difference, and the decision needed. Assign an owner and keep the item open until the response identifies the governing requirement. Check the revised drawings and specification references together; a response email alone may leave the issued package inconsistent.
For the overall process, use the guide to drawing and specification conflicts. Mark an inapplicable checklist row with a reason, and distinguish a verified correction from a question that still needs design information.
Where Groundbook fits
Groundbook’s drawing and specification review helps investigate potential disagreements in the documents you supply. Include the relevant specification sections and drawing references, then verify the cited evidence with the responsible reviewers before acting on a finding.