The Maturity Method: From Theory to Application

The maturity method is a technique to account for the combined effects of time and temperature on the strength development of concrete. The method provides a relatively simple approach for making reliable estimates of in-place strength during construction. The origin of the method can be traced to work on steam curing of concrete carried out in England in the late 1940s and early 1950s. As a result of technology transfer efforts by the Federal Highway Administration, there is renewed interest in the method within the United States. The purpose of this paper is to review of the basic concepts underlying the method and to explain how the method is applied. The review focuses on work carried out by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of Standards).