How to Determine the Anchoring Depth of Exterior Wall GRC Components: Key Influencing Factors and Code Requirements Explained

Anchoring depth is the lifeline of GRC component safety. Scientifically determining anchoring parameters requires balancing three dimensions: material properties, the building environment, and code standards.

In the field of architectural decoration, GRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete) is widely used for the exterior wall decoration of high-end projects such as grand theaters, commercial complexes, and landmark buildings, thanks to its advantages of being lightweight, high-strength, and flexible in shaping. However, the anchoring depth design of exterior wall GRC components directly affects building safety and durability, and even slight carelessness may trigger the risk of components falling. As an industry leader with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group will explain the scientific method for determining anchoring depth from two aspects: key influencing factors and code requirements.

### I. Core Factors Influencing the Anchoring Depth of GRC Components

1. **Substrate Properties and Load Conditions** The self-weight, seismic grade, and wind load of GRC components are fundamental parameters for determining anchoring depth. For example, in typhoon-prone areas, GRC exterior wall panels at a height of 10 meters must withstand a wind load of approximately 1.5kN/m², requiring the embedment depth of anchors to be increased by more than 20% compared with ordinary areas. During the detailed design stage, Qinglong uses BIM technology to simulate stress conditions under different load scenarios, and, leveraging the performance advantage of UHPC/GRC materials with flexural strength above 20MPa, precisely calculates anchoring requirements.

2. **Differences in Base Wall Materials** The anchoring depth must match the base wall type: concrete walls can use shorter anchoring (typically 50-80mm), while autoclaved aerated concrete or hollow brick walls require longer anchoring of 100-150mm, combined with undercut anchors. The Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC) (JGJ/T423-2018), which Qinglong helped compile, clearly stipulates that the anchoring depth deviation for different substrates should be controlled within ±5mm to ensure uniform load distribution.

3. **Environmental and Durability Requirements** In humid, saline-alkali, or environments with large temperature variations, the anchoring depth must account for anti-corrosion and thermal expansion/contraction effects. The GRC components produced by Qinglong use an alkali-resistant glass fiber and low-alkali cement mix, combined with stainless steel anchors, extending the anchoring system's service life to more than 50 years and meeting the durability indicators of the General Technical Conditions for Non-load-bearing Components of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC).

### II. Code Requirements and Industry Practice Standards

1. **Mandatory Requirements of National Standards** According to GB50011 Code for Seismic Design of Buildings, the anchoring depth of GRC components should meet the minimum requirements of "no less than 60mm in seismic intensity zone 7 and no less than 80mm in zone 8." In projects such as the Nanjing East Road Century Plaza renovation, Qinglong used 3D laser scanning positioning technology to control anchoring errors within 2mm, far exceeding the ±10mm standard allowed by the code.

2. **Full-Chain Quality Control System** From detailed design to construction and installation, Qinglong has established a trinity quality control process of "design-production-installation": the design stage uses Rhino parametric modeling to optimize anchor point layout; the production stage uses RFID chips to trace anchor material certification; and during installation, torque wrenches are used to ensure the anchoring force reaches 1.2 times the design value. This whole-process control model has enabled projects undertaken by Qinglong, such as the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center, to achieve a zero safety accident record.

3. **Application of Innovative Technologies** For complex-shaped GRC components, Qinglong developed a "pre-embedded combined anchoring system" that sets reinforcing ribs and anchor plates inside the components, converting single-point anchoring into surface load transfer, enhancing overall stability while ensuring anchoring depth. This technology has been applied to the hyperbolic GRC curtain wall of a landmark project in Malaysia and has received technological innovation recognition from the International GRC Association.

### III. Qinglong's Professional Solutions and Industry Value

As a national "specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative" enterprise and a participant in GRC standard development, Qinglong has always taken "creating beautiful architecture" as its mission, providing customers with full-cycle services from material selection to after-sales maintenance. For potential customers, we showcase anchoring node details through 1:1 physical samples and use 200+ successful cases to dispel their concerns about safety; for professional customers, we provide BIM collaborative design and on-site technical supervision to help achieve the precise realization of complex shapes.

Determining anchoring depth is not only a technical issue but also a responsible commitment to building safety. Qinglong will continue to build on its 28 years of industry experience, integrate the innovative advantages of UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, and create architectural decoration solutions that combine aesthetics and safety for designers and owners, driving the industry toward high-quality development.