Project

Job ref

Exercise 4
Part of structure

Sheet no

Minimum concrete cover Cnom

Drawing ref.

Calc by

see Ref

Date

KW

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Date

01/11/2010

Calculations

Ref

ref

1/6

Output

Exercise 4:
Task

Calculate the minimum concrete cover for the verification of durability and fire resistance

for the following examples:

a) Concrete beam/slab:
Support conditions:

simple supported

b) Concrete column:

Fire resistance class: R120

Exposure conditions: XC3
Max reinforcement diameter used: 16mm

mi = 0.7
See Note 1
Table B2
(attached)

Fire resistance class: R90

Exposure conditions: XC1
Max reinforcement diameter used: 20mm

- Durability
Find for the environment specified above:
1) The upper limit to the water/cement ratio
2) The lower limit to the cement content

=
=

a)
b)
0.7
0.45
3
3
240kg/m 340kg/m

In addition to the above requirements for durability in any given environment are:
3) good compaction
4) adequate curing
5) good detailing.

6) The lower limit to the thickness of the cover cmin to the reinforcement
The greater value for c min satisfying the requirements for both bond and environmental
conditions shall be used.
c min = max {c min ,b; c min,dur + c dur, - c dur,st - c dur,add ; 10 mm} (4.2)
EN 1992
4.4.1.2 (3)

where:
c min,b minimum cover due to bond requirement

4.4.1.2 (5)

c min,dur minimum cover due to environmental conditions

a)
20

b)
16

15

25
0

4.4.1.2 (6)

c dur, additive safety element

4.4.1.2 (7)

c dur,st reduction of minimum cover for use of stainless steel

4.4.1.2 (8)

c dur,add reduction of minimum cover for use of additional protection

a)
30mm

b)
35mm

4.4.1.3

c dev =

10mm

cmin=

a) 20mm

b) 25mm

c nom = c v = c min + c dev =

See Table
attached

- Fire resistance
Minimum cover to centreline of main reinforcement a =
Minimum dimensions with or thickness
initial /final design
a) Concrete slab/beam: slab:
200;25 / 200;25
b) Concrete column:
initial =

500mm / no dim for a

final design

beam:

initial /final design

200;35 / 200;45

bmin = 350 and a= 57mm

or
bmin = 450 and a= 51 mm

Note 1: Manual for the design of concrete building structures to Eurocode 2 (UEL Plus)

Project

Job ref

Exercise 4
Part of structure

Sheet no

Minimum concrete cover Cnom

Drawing ref.

Calc by

see Ref

Calculations

Ref

Initial design

2/6

Date

KW

Check by

Date

01/11/2010

Output

ref

Project

Job ref

Exercise 4
Part of structure

Sheet no

Minimum concrete cover Cnom

Drawing ref.

Calc by

see Ref

Calculations

Ref

Final design for slabs

3/6

Date

KW

Check by

Date

01/11/2010

Output

ref

Project

Job ref

Exercise 4
Part of structure

Sheet no

Minimum concrete cover Cnom

Drawing ref.

Calc by

see Ref

Calculations

Ref

Final design for beams

4/6

Date

KW

Check by

Date

01/11/2010

Output

ref

Project

Job ref

Exercise 4
Part of structure

Sheet no

Minimum concrete cover Cnom

Drawing ref.

Calc by

see Ref

5/6

Date

KW

Check by

Calculations

Ref

Final design for columns

Note: It is good practise that the any column dimension should not be less than 300mm.

Durability

Date

01/11/2010

Output

ref

Project

Job ref

Exercise 4
Part of structure

Sheet no

Minimum concrete cover Cnom

Drawing ref.

see Ref

Ref

Calc by

Calculations

6/6

Date

KW

Check by

Date

01/11/2010

Output

ref