Concrete Nominal Cover for Reinforcement and Prestressing Steel

Input
Concrete characteristic strength
fck
MPa
e.g. 30 MPa for concrete class C30/37. For a list of concrete classes see Table of Concrete Design Properties

Type of reinforcement / tendon

Maximum diameter of reinforcement / tendon

Φ
mm
Environment exposure class

Exposure classes related to environmental conditions in accordance with EN 206-1 as specified in EN1992-1-1
Table 4.1. See table below.

Exposure classes related to environmental conditions in accordance with EN 206-1

No risk of corrosion or attack (Very dry: Concrete inside Chlorides - Moderate humidity (surfaces exposed to
X0 XD1
buildings with very low air humidity) airborne chlorides)

Carbonation - Dry or permanently wet (interior of buildings Chlorides - Wet or rarely dry (swimming pools,
XC1 XD2
with very low air humidity, permanently submerged in water) exposure to industrial waters containing chlorides)

Chlorides - Cyclic wet & dry (bridge parts exposed to

Carbonation - Wet, rarely dry (long-term water contact, many
XC2 XD3 spray containing chlorides, pavements, car park
foundations)
slabs)

Carbonation - Moderate humidity (interior of buildings with

Sea water - Airborne salts not in direct contact with
XC3 moderate or high air humidity, external concrete sheltered XS1
sea water (structures near to or on the coast)
from rain)

Carbonation - Cyclic wet & dry (concrete subject to water Sea water - Permanently submerged (parts of marine
XC4 XS2
contact not within exposure class XC2) structures)

Sea water - Tidal splash & spray zones (parts of

XS3
marine structures)

Design working life

years
Design working life of 50 years corresponds to structures of average importance.

Member with slab geometry

True if position of reinforcement is not affected by construction process, such as in slabs without link reinforcement.
Concrete cast against uneven surface

Special quality control of the concrete production

Nominal aggregate size greater than 32mm

Nationally Defined Parameters

Nationally Defined Parameters

Nationally Defined Parameters corresponding to EN1992-1-1 sections 4.4.1.2(3), 4.4.1.2(5), 4.4.1.2(6), 4.4.1.2(7),
4.4.1.2(8), 4.4.1.2(13), 4.4.1.3(1), 4.4.1.3(3), 4.4.1.3(4).

Note: Always verify the validity of the Nationally Defined Parameters. Please inform us of any discrepancy using
our Contact Form
Finished
Results
Nominal concrete cover
cnom
40.0 mm
Notes

1. Minimum cover may be reduced or increased for special conditions such as a) use of
stainless steel, b) coating protection, c) uneven surfaces other than the ones examined, d)
abrasion on the concrete surface, e) air entrainment of more than 4%, f) fabrication
subjected to quality assurance system or accurate monitoring g) in-situ concrete placed
against an existing concrete surface. For more information see EN1992-1-1 sections
4.4.1.2(7) to (13), 4.4.1.3(3) and the National Annex.

Details

Input Data
o Concrete characteristic strength: fck = 30 MPa
o Type of reinforcement / tendon: = Reinforcement_Bar
o Maximum diameter of reinforcement / tendon: Φ = 20 mm
o Environment exposure class: = XC4
o Design working life: = 50 years
o Member with slab geometry: = No
o Concrete cast against uneven surface: = None
o Special quality control of the concrete production: = No
 o Nominal aggregate size greater than 32mm: = No

Nationally Defined Parameters

o Nationally Defined Parameters: = Default

Calculation of structural class

The structural class is calculated according to the rules specified in EN1992-1-1 Table 4.3N:

o The initial structural class is S4 (corresponding to the reference design working life of 50
years)
o The next working life class that is applicable for the structure is 50 years
o The minimum structural class is S1

Therefore the structural class is S4.

Calculation of concrete cover for durability

For reinforcement steel the minimum cover for durability cmin,dur is calculated in accordance
with EN1992-1-1 Table 4.4N.

For structural class S4 and exposure class XC4 the minimum cover for durability cmin,dur is equal
to cmin,dur = 30.0 mm.

Calculation of concrete cover for bond

The minimum cover for bond cmin,b is calculated in accordance with EN1992-1-1 §4.4.1.2(3) .

For reinforcement bars the minimum cover for bond is calculated in accordance with EN1992-1-
1 Table 4.2N as: cmin,b = 1.0⋅Φ, where Φ is the diameter of the reinforcement bar (or equivalent
diameter of bundled bars).

Therefore minimum cover for bond is cmin,b = 20.0 mm.

Calculation of minimum concrete cover

According to EN1992-1-1 §4.4.1.2(2)P the greater value of concrete cover satisfying the
requirements for both bond and durability is used:

cnom = max {cmin,b, cmin,dur + Δcdur,γ - Δcdur,st - Δcdur,add, 10 mm}

According to EN1992-1-1 §4.4.1.2(6) the additive safety element is Δcdur,γ = 0.0 mm.

The following modification factors are not applicable:

 o Reduction of minimum cover for use of stainless steel Δcdur,st = 0 mm
o Reduction of minimum cover for use of additional protection Δcdur,add = 0 mm.

Therefore the minimum concrete cover is calculated as:

cnom = max {20.0 mm, 30.0 mm + 0.0 mm - 0 mm - 0 mm, 10 mm } = 30.0 mm

Calculation of nominal concrete cover

The nominal concrete cover cnom is calculated by adding to the minimum cover cnom the allowance
for deviation Δcdev.

According to EN1992-1-1 §4.4.1.3, the allowance for deviation is Δcdev = 10.0 mm.

The required nominal concrete cover is:

cnom = cnom + Δcdev = 30.0 mm + 10.0 mm = 40.0 mm

Therefore the required nominal concrete cover is cnom = 40.0 mm.