System for anchoring a load

A method for anchoring a load to an anchorage, comprising:

• providing at least one unitary anchoring tendon including a plurality of tensile elements each having a bond length and a free length, the tensile elements being fixed together at a leading end of the tendon;
• forming a respective bore through the load into the anchorage for each said tendon;
• inserting a said tendon lengthwise in its respective said bore such that the leading end of the tendon is passed through the load into the anchorage, the bond lengths of different groups of the tensile elements providing staggered bond transfer regions along a bond zone of the tendon for load transfer to the anchorage via grout with tensioning of the groups of tensile elements;
• once the grout has sufficiently cured or set, tensioning different said groups of tensile elements in a predetermined sequence to extend the free length of the tensile elements to a respective initial displacement length, to compensate for differences in the free length of the tensile elements between respective of the groups;
• subsequently, collectively further tensioning all of the tensile elements of the tendon at essentially the same time to extend the free length of the tensile elements by the same predetermined length to a respective increased final displacement length;
• and
• securing the tendon to the load to maintain the tension in the tensile elements.