During the erection of precast concrete elements, achieving the correct vertical alignment often requires progressive adjustments. The element must be brought close to its intended position, checked and adjusted until it is plumb, while keeping the joint configuration within the available tolerances.
When these operations must be carried out while the lifting equipment remains connected, adjustment can affect the erection sequence and extend the time for which the crane is occupied.
The VICE adjustable anchoring system manages this stage through the principle of a fixed point in the structure. The element is moved towards or away from this reference by means of millimetric adjustments, allowing its vertical alignment to be controlled without relying on large or unmeasurable movements.
When used with anchoring profiles suited to the configuration, the system also allows adjustment to continue after the crane has been released and permits subsequent corrections where required. The central function is therefore not only fastening, but the progressive control of the element’s position during erection.
Table of contents
Browse the sections of the article dedicated to the VICE system.
- The principle of the fixed point in the structure
- Moving the element towards or away from the structure to adjust vertical alignment
- The role of the anchoring profile
- Adjustment after the crane has been released
- The possibility of subsequent adjustments
- Bolts and extensions according to the distance from the fixed point
- Adjustment and tolerance are not the same
- How the erection sequence changes
- The VICE system within adjustable anchoring systems
The principle of the fixed point in the structure
B.S. Italia adjustable anchoring systems operate by establishing a stable reference point in the structure.
The fixed point does not move with the element, but provides the reference position against which adjustment is carried out. Using the VICE system and its associated fasteners, the precast element can be moved gradually towards or away from the structure.
This approach turns plumbing into a sequence of controlled millimetric movements. Vertical alignment is not corrected through a single crane movement, but by acting on the connection until the specified alignment has been reached.
This principle is particularly important because it distinguishes between two operations that may overlap during erection:
- the general positioning of the element in the installation area;
- the fine adjustment needed to achieve the correct vertical alignment.
The crane brings the element into its initial position. The adjustable system then allows greater precision in relation to the fixed point provided in the structure.
Moving the element towards or away from the structure to adjust vertical alignment
Bringing an element to plumb does not necessarily require uniform movement of the entire unit. It is often sufficient to change the local distance from the structure in order to correct its inclination.
By acting on the connection, the VICE system allows the element to be moved progressively towards or away from the structure. Changing the distance at the anchoring point provides the correction required to achieve the specified vertical alignment.
Millimetric control is particularly important where the remaining tolerances are limited. At this stage, another general handling operation is not required; instead, fine adjustment allows the result to be checked progressively.
Plumbing therefore becomes part of the behaviour of the anchoring joint, rather than an external operation entrusted exclusively to the crane or other temporary systems.
The role of the anchoring profile
The VICE system does not operate as an isolated component. The configuration includes a connection to an anchoring profile embedded in the structure, which provides the fixed point and the tolerances required for coupling.
The two functions are clearly distinct. The anchoring profile accommodates positional tolerances, while the VICE system and its fasteners adjust the distance between the element and the structural reference point.
The anchoring profile must therefore be selected and positioned by considering:
- the geometry and reinforcement of the structure;
- the intended position of the connection;
- coupling tolerances;
- the space required for adjustment;
- the direction of the forces transferred through the joint.
Different anchoring-profile configurations are available, with reinforcement and geometries developed for integration under different conditions. Selection cannot be separated from reinforcement design, because the profile must be embedded in the concrete and must be compatible with the available space.
The precision achievable during erection therefore also depends on the correct arrangement of the fixed point before casting. Adjustment is not added afterwards to a generic joint, but must be incorporated into the anchoring configuration.
Adjustment after the crane has been released
One of the specific characteristics of the VICE system, when used with anchoring profiles suitable for the application, is that adjustment can also be carried out after the crane has been released.
This changes the erection sequence. The lifting equipment is used to bring the element into its initial position and activate the connection. Once the conditions required for release have been achieved, fine adjustment can continue through the anchoring system.
The crane therefore does not necessarily have to remain occupied throughout all the precision-adjustment operations. It can be released from that specific operation while the site team works on the joint to complete alignment.
Separating handling from fine adjustment can make the sequence of operations more orderly, especially where several elements must be installed and use of the lifting equipment must be coordinated with other site activities.
This does not mean that the crane can be released before the required joint conditions have been achieved. The connection must be configured and used in accordance with the conditions and checks required for the specific erection operation.
The possibility of subsequent adjustments
The VICE system also permits subsequent adjustments where required. This distinguishes it from a connection in which the position becomes immediately fixed and cannot be modified after installation has been completed.
A subsequent adjustment may be useful where the position of the element needs to be corrected again after the initial alignment. The principle remains unchanged: the fixed point remains in the structure and the connection allows the distance to be modified in millimetric increments.
The ability to intervene again does not make the position indefinite or uncontrolled. Adjustment must always take place within the specified joint configuration, using compatible components and respecting the technical conditions of the connection.
The operational advantage is that plumbing does not necessarily have to be treated as a single irreversible operation. The system retains the possibility of making corrections compatible with its configuration even after the initial erection stage.
Bolts and extensions according to the distance from the fixed point
The distance between the precast element and the fixed point is not always the same. It may vary according to the geometry of the structure, the position of the profile and the designed space between the surfaces to be connected.
The VICE system therefore includes bolts and extensions of different lengths. They must be selected according to the actual distance to be covered, rather than treating the fasteners as components independent of the joint geometry.
The anchor-head bolt must be selected according to the distance between the element and the anchoring profile. Dedicated extensions may be used where this distance increases.
The length must simultaneously allow:
- correct engagement with the profile;
- insertion of the VICE system;
- the adjustment range required;
- the tightening specified for the configuration.
When the distance exceeds the specified limits, the behaviour of the bar also changes. For distances greater than 30 cm, the bar or extension may work only in tension, and contact between the element and the structure must be ensured.
The distance from the fixed point is therefore a structural and operational parameter, not simply a dimension that can be compensated for by choosing a longer bolt.
Adjustment and tolerance are not the same
Within the anchoring joint, tolerance and adjustment perform related but different functions.
Tolerance allows components to be coupled where their actual positions differ from their theoretical positions within the specified limits. The anchoring profile provides the range needed to locate the connection position.
Adjustment takes place after coupling and changes the distance from the fixed point in order to control the vertical alignment of the element.
Confusing these two aspects may lead to the VICE system being interpreted as a device intended to compensate for any deviation. In reality, the profile, fasteners and adjustment system must be coordinated from the design stage by defining the position, distances and required movement range.
The final precision therefore depends on continuity between the design, the positioning of the inserts and the erection operations.
How the erection sequence changes
Use of the VICE system introduces a clearer distinction between the handling stage and the adjustment stage.
The sequence can be summarised in four essential steps:
- the crane brings the element into its initial position;
- the connection is made in relation to the anchoring profile provided in the structure;
- once the specified conditions have been achieved, the crane can be released;
- vertical alignment is completed through millimetric adjustment of the joint.
This approach avoids the need for every fine correction to involve another movement by the lifting equipment. The crane remains essential for handling, but does not necessarily have to be used as the only means of maintaining and correcting the position.
The result is a sequence in which geometric control of the element is entrusted to the anchoring system, while the lifting equipment can move on to the subsequent erection operations.
The VICE system within adjustable anchoring systems
The VICE system provides millimetric adjustment of the vertical alignment of precast elements in relation to a fixed point established in the structure.
The ability to move the element towards or away from the structure, continue adjustment after the crane has been released and perform subsequent corrections makes the joint an active part of the plumbing process.
However, system behaviour depends on the correct combination of the VICE system, anchoring profile, bolt or extension and connection geometry. Each component must be selected according to the distance from the fixed point and the conditions specified for the joint.
Explore the adjustable anchoring systems developed by B.S. Italia for the alignment and plumbing of precast concrete elements.
Frequently asked questions about the VICE system
How is vertical alignment adjusted?
The system uses a fixed point established in the structure. By acting on the connection, the element is moved towards or away from the structure in millimetric increments until the specified vertical alignment is achieved.
Can the VICE system be adjusted after the crane has been released?
Yes. When used with anchoring profiles suited to the configuration, the system allows adjustment to continue after the crane has been released.
What is the function of the anchoring profile?
The profile creates the fixed reference point in the structure and provides the tolerances required for coupling. The VICE system instead adjusts the distance and the vertical alignment.
How is the length of the bolt or extension selected?
The length must be defined according to the distance between the element and the fixed point, checking compatibility with the anchoring profile, the VICE system, the adjustment range and the intended behaviour of the connection.
