An anchor is a steel bar or strand that transmits a tensile force from a main structure to the surrounding ground. The shear strength of the surrounding ground is used to resist a tensile force, and the anchor is fastened to competent ground well away from the structure. Steel strands or bars are routinely installed through structures (e.g., dams, spillways, basins), grouted into the bedrock and tensioned, effectively anchoring the structure to its foundation.