Cracking of RC members revisited: influence of cover, φ/ρ_s,ef and stirrup spacing - an experimental and theoretical study

This article describes an experimental programme aimed at studying the effect of cover, ratio between diameter and effective reinforcement ratio (&phgr;/&rgr;s, ef) and the influence of stirrup spacing on the cracking behaviour of reinforced concrete elements. The experimental programme was conceived in order to contribute to the debate - fuelled by the publication in recent years of Eurocode 2 EN1992-1-1 and the revision of the Model Code under way when the tests were carried out (and now published as a finalized document) - regarding the influence of these parameters on cracking. Important theoretical aspects are discussed, including where the crack width is estimated by current code formulations and what relevance this may have on the correlation between crack opening and durability of RC structures, especially with regard to structures with large covers. The effect of stirrup spacing, a variable absent from current codes, is also discussed.