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Civil Engineering & Construction vocabulary · Concrete and Steel

Concrete cover

Meaning in civil engineering & construction, with examples

nounCommon term

In civil engineering & construction, concrete cover means: The thickness of concrete between the surface and the nearest reinforcing bar. It protects the steel from corrosion and fire and helps it bond with the concrete.

In Turkish: paspayı, beton örtüsü

How it is used

Usually just called 'cover' on site and given in millimetres, as in 40 mm cover. Spacers are fixed under and beside the rebar to keep the cover correct, and inspectors check it before every pour.

Example sentences

  1. The concrete cover to the bottom bars is only 15 mm here; we need more spacers.

  2. Foundations cast against soil need a larger concrete cover.

Common collocations

  • nominal cover
  • minimum cover
  • cover to reinforcement
  • cover spacers
  • cover meter
  • rebarShort for reinforcing bar: a steel bar with ribs on its surface, placed in concrete to resist tension and hold the concrete together.
  • reinforced concreteConcrete with steel bars or mesh cast inside it. The concrete resists compression and the steel resists tension, so together they make strong beams, slabs and columns.
  • inspectionA formal check of work, materials or equipment to see whether it meets the drawings, specifications and safety rules before the next stage can start.
  • toleranceThe amount by which a dimension, level or position is allowed to differ from the value on the drawing, such as ±10 mm.

More terms: Concrete and Steel

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