EC2 – worked examples 4-1

SECTION 4. WORKED EXAMPLES – DURABILITY

EXAMPLE 4.1 [EC2 clause 4.4]

Design the concrete cover of a reinforced concrete beam with exposure class XC1.

The concrete in use has resistance class C25/30.

Bottom longitudinal bars are 5 φ 20; the stirrups are φ 8 at 100 mm.

The max aggregate size is: dg = 20 mm (< 32 mm).

The design working life of the structure is 50 years.
Normal quality control is put in place.
Refer to figure 4.1.

Fig. 4.1

From table E.1N - EC2 we see that, in order to obtain an adequate concrete durability, the
reference (min.) concrete strength class for exposure class XC1 is C20/25; the resistance
class adopted (C25/30) is suitable as it is higher than the reference strength class.

The structural class is S4.

First, the concrete cover for the stirrups is calculated.

With:
cmin,b = 8 mm

We obtain from table 4.4N - EC2:

cmin,dur = 15 mm

Moreover:
Δcdur,γ = 0 ;
Δcdur,st = 0 ;
Δcdur,add = 0 .

From relation (3.2):

cmin = max (cmin,b; cmin,dur + Δcdur,γ - Δcdur,st - Δcdur,add; 10 mm) =
max (8; 15 + 0 – 0 – 0; 10 mm) = 15 mm

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EC2 – Worked examples 4-2

Moreover:
Δcdev = 10 mm.

We obtain from relation (3.1):

c nom = c min + Δcdev = 15 + 10 = 25 mm .

If we now calculate now the concrete cover for longitudinal reinforcement bars,

we have:
c min,b = 20 mm.

We obtain from table 4.4N - EC2:

c min,dur = 15 mm .

Moreover:
Δc dur, γ = 0 ;
Δcdur,st = 0 ;
Δcdur,add = 0 .

From relation (3.2):

c min = max (20; 15 + 0 – 0 – 0; 10 mm) = 20 mm .

Moreover: Δcdev = 10 mm.

We obtain from relation (3.1):

c nom = 20 + 10 = 30 mm .

The concrete cover for the stirrups is “dominant”. In this case, the concrete cover for
longitudinal bars is increased to: 25 + 8 = 33 mm .

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