Determining Concrete Maturity with Temperature Monitoring

Thermocouple Data Loggers Save Time & Improve Safety

Concrete maturity is a measure of how much a batch of freshly poured concrete has cured. It is a quick indicator of the in-place strength at that point in time relative to the ultimate strength when the concrete is fully cured. Traditional measurements of concrete strength rely on compression tests such as made in a lab on field cured sample cylinders of concrete made during the pour or pullout or penetration tests made on site. The maturity method calculates an index based on time-temperature data which provides a relative indicator of strength.

This technique is attractive because it can be done quickly on-site with a temperature data logger and thermocouple sensors embedded in the pour. Using the maturity index is attractive because it can save time and improve safety by allowing form removal, post-tensioning, joint sawing or putting structures in service knowing that required strength has been obtained.