Concrete Maturity Tester

Maturity Testing Primer:

When concrete hardens (cures), it gives off heat proportional to its curing rate. By learning how much heat is released, an accurate estimate of the strength can be determined.

 

Generally, concrete in a structure cures at a MUCH faster rate than concrete in a test cylinder. This is due to the much larger mass of the structure, and better hydration which aids curing. When determining the early-age strength of cast-in-place concrete, reliance on test cylinders can lead to problems. For example, if test cylinders are cured at a lower temperature than the structure, the cylinders would underestimate the strength of the slab, which means that critical construction operations are delayed unnecessarily. Or conversely, if the deck is cooler than the cylinders, the cylinders would overestimate the strength, a clear safety concern.

 

Maturity testing monitors the curing of the structure and compares it to the cylinder, to more accurately track strength gain in the structure, improving both safety and construction operations.

Maturity Testing has been a recognized ASTM Standard practice (C1074) for over 20 years.