Concrete Cover – The What, Where and When (Concrete 2021)

This webinar was recorded at Concrete 2021 and the speaker is David McDonald from Vinsi Partners.
Concrete cover is utilized in many aspects of durable design and it is presented in wide range of different specifications and standards.  During recent durability evaluations, it as been found that there are inconsistencies between the required values and that values for design lives other than 50 or 100 years are needed to be derived by the durability and design team. The review will evaluate concrete deterioration mechanisms, including pH, sulfate, carbonation and chloride-related distress and the development of various cover requirements. This paper will also review the existing and historical concrete covers provided in AS2159, AS3600, AS3735, AS4058 and AS5100.5 along with other international recommendations. The paper will also discuss deemed-to-comply, engineering judgement, deterministic and probabilistic methods used to develop appropriate concrete covers for lives greater than 100 years. The presentation will provide some recommendations for evaluation of standards relating to concrete cover.