The maturity method has been proven effective in determining the compressive strength of concrete as it hydrates; however, the method has seen little use in the precast concrete industry. This paper describes the implementation of the maturity method in a precast concrete hollow-core plant. The results indicated that the method was reliable in measuring concrete compressive release strength and the time to detension the prestressing strands. The number of precast concrete hollow-core slabs with out-of-tolerance strand slippage was significantly reduced after the introduction of the maturity method. Furthermore, the study revealed that by providing real-time information in a precast concrete manufacturing setting, the maturity method could lower production costs with respect to mixture design, labor, and curing energy.
