Benefits of Maturity Method For Concrete Strength Calculation

The maturity of concrete is obtained with a non-destructive technique, where the compressive strength is identified at the initial stages to achieve maturity. This test is carried out on an in-place real-time concrete mix at the construction site.

When a maturity test on concrete is conducted at the job site, the concrete cylinder breaking tests is no longer required and consequently, the project schedule is optimized and saved.

Concrete Maturity and Maturity Method on Concrete

The maturity method is based on the concept that the strength of concrete and other relevant properties are directly proportionate to the age and the temperature deviations of the concrete structure.

The maturity method detects the compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete at an initial phase (in-place concrete) of construction. The principle observed is that the concrete samples with the same maturity contain equivalent strength regardless of the time and temperature combinations that provide the maturity.

The maturity of concrete is calculated in respect of the “maturity index” of the in-place concrete. The Maturity Index stands for a function of age and the history of temperature deviations of the concrete.

The derived value of maturity index can be applied to examination a standard graphical representation – Strength-Maturity Relationship Graph, from which the strength of concrete is assessed. To determine the strength-maturity relationship graph, a standard laboratory test is carried out for a given concrete mixture.

Principle of Maturity Method for Concrete Testing

The concrete gains its properties throughout the hydration process (with the release of heat). The formation of the early-stage strength of the concrete is pertaining to the rate of hydration of the concrete.

Also Read: Some vital factors that impact the strength of concrete

Throughout the concrete hydration process, the heat of hydration produced is calculated in relation to the rate of temperature rise in the concrete sample. Thus, the maturity method applies the actual temperature of the concrete to study the concrete strength at the site.

Therefore, the maturity method establishes the real-time strength value of the concrete at the site at a specific time. In this way, the optimization of workflow is obtained, which allows retaining more accurate in-place strength.

Maturity Method Steps

The elementary steps associated with the maturity method testing on in-place concrete are given below:

Monitor the internal temperatures of the concrete sample throughout the curing process.

Monitor the internal temperatures of the concrete sample throughout the curing process.

A concrete maturity sensor is applied to work out the concrete temperature and maturity value. Maturity is also be measured from the history of tracked internal temperatures.

Strength is calculated from the strength-maturity relationship that is standardized.

Benefits of Maturity Method Test on Concrete

1. The following are the major benefits for carrying out the maturity method for concrete testing:
2. The strength of concrete is obtained within a short span of time.
3. The real-time concrete strength is obtained.
4. The number of test samples necessary to perform quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) is reduced.
5. In pre-stressed structures, the stressing of tendons, stripping of forms and shores, their detachment, and application of load are executed previously than usual schedule.