Cover Meter
An instrument that locates reinforcement and measures the depth of concrete cover over it, without breaking out.
On an actual building
Cover depth is what stands between the environment and the steel. Comparing measured cover against carbonation depth tells you how much protective life a member has left, and low cover explains early corrosion in otherwise sound buildings.
What we most often have to correct
That cover is uniform because it was specified. Actual cover varies widely with workmanship, and low-cover areas fail first.
Terms that come up alongside this one
- Carbonation
The slow reaction of atmospheric carbon dioxide with the alkaline compounds in concrete, which lowers its pH.
- Half-Cell Potential Survey
A non-destructive test that measures the electrical potential between the reinforcement and a reference electrode on the surface, mapping where corrosion is active across a member or elevation..
- Spalling
Concrete breaking away from a structural member, pushed off from behind by corrosion products forming on the reinforcement.
Cover Meter — questions we get asked
What does cover meter mean in waterproofing?
An instrument that locates reinforcement and measures the depth of concrete cover over it, without breaking out.
Why does cover meter matter on a real project?
Cover depth is what stands between the environment and the steel. Comparing measured cover against carbonation depth tells you how much protective life a member has left, and low cover explains early corrosion in otherwise sound buildings.
What do people commonly get wrong about cover meter?
That cover is uniform because it was specified. Actual cover varies widely with workmanship, and low-cover areas fail first.
Have a building showing this?
If a term on this page describes something you are looking at, a site inspection will tell you how far it has gone and what it needs. It costs nothing.
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