Using the maturity method in concrete cracking control at early ages

摘要

The maturity method based on the Arrhenius law makes it possible to predict the concrete's compressive strength evolution in a structure on the basis of a 20 deg C characterization. This technique has been successfully used and improved now for more than 20 years. Examples are mentioned in this paper. The recent French National Project CALIBE (for "quality of concrete") produced a handbook that synthesizes the improvement of the 20 years on site experience of the technique and shows the way to use the maturity method in a conservative way to predict the concrete's compressive strength in situ. This technique can also be applied successfully to predict the characteristics (Young's modulus, tensile strength, thermal coefficient) needed to control the risk of cracking in cement based materials through the use of numerical tools such as the finite element program CESAR-LCPC.