Germany-based Keil has become the first company to be awarded the European Technical Approval for an anchor – used to fix facade panels from the rear – by the DIBt (German Institute for Construction Technology).

The approval – which applies to the attachment of all stoneware panels to EN 176 – saves manufacturers of facade panels the trouble of obtaining expensive approvals on their own, says the company.
“A lot of effort is required just to obtain a European Approval for anchors in accordance with a guideline,” says a spokesman for the company. “But even more manpower, effort and money have to be invested to obtain an approval on the basis of CUAP (Common Understanding of Assessment Procedure).”
The lack of guidelines for such anchors prompted Keil to apply for European Approval without a guideline in August 1998. On the basis of the application, the DIBt obtained a mandate from the Commission in Brussels and drew up the CUAP. Before it could be used as the basis for the assessment report, it was placed before the approval bodies in the European Community for assessment.
The report on the assessment of the usability of the anchor for the purpose intended was based on several tests that included:

• Pull-out tests along the line of the anchor; at right angles to the anchor; and at an angle;
• Component tests;
• Tests regarding performance under repeated loading; under continuous loading; under alternating freezing/thawing conditions; and under absorption of water.

In addition, the in-house production control was certified and on-going external monitoring was carried out to obtain the approval, says the spokesman.
Extensive discussions resulted from the decision to apply for approval for all stoneware panels to EN 176.
Keil now has the first European Technical Approval ETA-03/0055 for special anchors for the fixing of dry-pressed ceramic facade panels (stoneware) from the rear to EN176. “It is remarkable that there were no objections from any of the approval bodies in Europe,” he says.
Innovation
Commenting on the features of the undercut anchors, he continues: “The attachment of facade panels from the rear with positive fit anchors in an undercut hole has created new opportunities for ventilated facades and Keil is leading the way in this.
“The Keil KH undercut anchor is a superior product that has already extended its reach to many applications. A few of the projects on which the anchors have been used include: a large hospital in Bologna, a new swimming pool in Warsaw and a shopping centre in Copenhagen. The recent approval – which permits the use of the Keil facade anchor for stoneware panels up to a size of 60 by 120 cm and up to a building height of 100 m – has given an additional push to this trail-blazing technology,” he claims.
The planner now has the whole range at his disposal based on defined application conditions and capabilities. And the owner of the building can trust an attachment method, the reliability of which has been proven in an extensive procedure, he adds.

European Approval System
With an aim of reducing non-tariff trade barriers, the European Community has created the Construction Product Directive, which has been introduced into German Law as the Construction Product Law.
This directive controls the requirements on construction products, which are important for safety and specifies the type of proof of conformity required. The end result is the marking of the products with the CE mark.
All products, which are incorporated in a permanent manner, in construction works are regarded as construction products, and this includes anchors. The annexure 1 to the directive also deals with the “essential requirements” which are detailed in the following six interpretative documents.

• Mechanical strength and stability;
• Safety in case of fire;
• Hygiene, health and the environment;
• Safety in use;
• Protection against noise; and
• Energy saving and thermal protection.

To obtain detailed requirements for the conformity assessment of individual construction products, the European Commission grants mandates for drawing up CEN standards or approval guidelines.
CEN standards are, as a rule, drawn up for products whose use is known and clearly defined and whose capabilities can be standardised.