Cover to Reinforcement (Beams: BS 8110) Page 1 of 2

Cover to Reinforcement (Beams: BS 8110)

The greatest nominal cover is selected derived from:

1. Bar Size1­ The nominal cover to all steel should be such that the resulting cover to main bar
is not less than the size of the main bar.

cnom, φ ≥ φ ­ φlink

where

φ = maximum diameter of bar in longitudinal reinforcement

φlink = diameter of link

2. Environmental Conditions­ The cover required to protect the reinforcement against corrosion
depends on the exposure conditions.

cnom,ENV = cmin + Δc

where

cmin = value to set by the user with reference of Table A.3, Table A.4 and Table
A.9 of BS 8500­1:2006

Δc = user specified value of deviation, default = 10mmA

A
BS 8110­1:1997 3.3.1.1

3. Fire Resistance2­ For fire protection the values given in Table 3.4 of BS 8110­1:1997 ensure
that fire resistance requirements are satisfied.

The BS8110 ‘Environmental Conditions’ and ‘Fire Resistance’ provisions are not
implemented in the current version of Tekla Structural Designer.

4. Nominal maximum size of aggregate –3

The nominal cover should be not less than the nominal maximum size of the aggregate hagg
cnom,hagg ≥ hagg

Nominal limiting cover to reinforcement:

cnom,lim = MAX [cnom, φ, cnom,hagg]

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Cover to Reinforcement (Beams: BS 8110) Page 2 of 2

A minimum value for the nominal cover, cnom, u, is set by the user with the following default
values;

Nominal cover from top surface of beam, cnom,u,top Default value: 30.0mm

Nominal cover from bottom surface of beam, cnom,u,bot Default value: 30.0mm

Nominal cover from side face of beam, cnom,u,side Default value: 30.0mm

Nominal cover from end surface of beam, cnom,u,end Default value: 30.0mm

The nominal limiting cover depends on the diameter of the reinforcement, and the nominal
covers to be used for design and detailing purposes are given by;

Nominal limiting cover to reinforcement from the side face of a beam;

cnom,lim,side = MAX[φtop ­ φlink, φbot ­ φlink,φside ­ φlink, cnom hagg]

,

Nominal limiting cover to reinforcement from the top face of a beam;

cnom,lim,top = MAX[φtop ­ φlink, cnom, hagg]

Nominal limiting cover to reinforcement from the bottom face of a beam;

cnom,lim,bot = MAX[φtop ­ φlink, cnom, hagg]

Nominal cover to reinforcement from the end of a beam;

cnom,lim,end = MAX[φtop ­ φlink, φbot ­ φlink, φside ­ φlink, cnom hagg]

,

and where

φtop = maximum diameter of the longitudinal reinforcing bar nearest to the

top surface of the beam

φbot = maximum diameter of the longitudinal reinforcing bar nearest to the

bottom surface of the beam

φside = the diameter of the longitudinal reinforcing bar nearest to the side
of the beam

If cnom,u < cnom,lim a warning is displayed in the calculations.

Parent topic
• Beam Design to BS 8110

1. BS 8110­1:1997 3.3.1.2

2. BS 8110­1:1997 3.3.6, Table 3.4

3. BS 8110­1:1997 3.3.1.3

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