HE-HC — Female Anchor for Hollow-Core / Prestressed Slabs (Spancrete)
A short internally threaded drive-in female anchor engineered for hollow-core, prestressed and Spancrete floor slabs — with a European Technical Assessment, embedment matched to the thin lower flange.
The Adit female-anchor family
Choose the right female anchor for your substrate — solid concrete or a hollow-core / Spancrete slab.
Technical specification
| Property | HE-HC — short female anchor, European approval |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | Short female anchor, intended for hollow-core / Spancrete / hollow and prestressed concrete |
| Material | Steel (also available in SS316 stainless steel) |
| Technology | Drive-in female anchor (expanded with a dedicated setting tool) |
| Spancrete / hollow-core | Yes — this is its primary purpose |
| Prestressed & hollow concrete | Yes |
| Embedment depth | Short — matched to the lower flange of the slab |
| Fire rating | Yes |
| Approvals | European approval ETA 14-0135 (includes hollow-core) |
Downloads
Why a hollow-core slab needs a special anchor
A hollow-core (prestressed) slab is a hollow, prestressed concrete plank: it is built from longitudinal voids, internal prestressing strands and an exceptionally thin lower flange — usually just a few centimetres thick.
The implication: an ordinary anchor, designed for an embedment depth in solid concrete, can punch through the lower flange or damage the prestressing strands — compromising the structural integrity of the slab. An anchor for hollow-core slabs must be short, have a defined and approved embedment depth, and be backed by a dedicated European approval.
HE-HC is the short version of the HE female anchor, designed for exactly these conditions: an embedment depth matched to the lower flange, without damaging the internal strands.
Applications in hollow-core ceilings
- Suspending pipes and ducts: a threaded rod screws directly into the anchor — water, electrical and HVAC services, beneath the hollow-core slab.
- Fire-suppression systems: anchoring sprinklers in prestressed ceilings.
- Acoustic ceilings and partitions: hangers for suspended ceilings and modular partitions.
- Flush head: the anchor stays flush with the concrete face — with no protrusion below the ceiling.
- Replaceable elements: the suspended element screws into the internal thread and can be replaced without touching the anchor.
- Car parks and office buildings: hollow-core is the common solution for ceilings in car parks, office buildings and industrial structures.
Additional anchors approved for hollow-core
HE-HC is not the only solution for hollow-core slabs. These are the anchors in the ADIT catalogue approved for hollow-core ceilings — HC (dedicated female anchor for hollow-core, ETA 15-0912), TFF (female-head concrete screw, ETA6 for hollow-core) and TFE (direct-thread concrete screw, ETA6 for hollow-core):
| Anchor | Type | Removable / reusable? |
|---|---|---|
| HE-HC | Short drive-in female anchor | Anchor body stays permanently in the ceiling |
| HC | Dedicated female anchor for hollow-core | Anchor body stays permanently in the ceiling |
| TFF | Female-head concrete screw | Yes — fully removable |
| TFE | Concrete screw, socket head | Yes — fully removable |
Frequently asked questions about anchoring in hollow-core slabs
What is hollow-core / Spancrete?
Why must you not use an ordinary anchor in a hollow-core slab?
What is the difference between HE-HC and HC?
Can the anchor be removed and reused?
Is HE-HC suitable for sprinklers?
Planning a suspension in a hollow-core ceiling? Tell us about the slab thickness, the load and the number of suspension points — we will verify the embedment depth and recommend the right anchor.