Monitoring the evolution of an early age set of parameters on concrete is necessary to predict the early age behaviour of structures. The difficulty lies in the fact that this monitoring must be automatic because the concrete hardening process takes place over a long period after the casting. This paper presents a new methodology and an apparatus, specifically designed at IFSTTAR, to monitor the hardening process of a concrete. Mainly, the Young’s modulus can be monitored in compression. Measurements start soon after having cast the concrete and the sample temperature is completely controlled so that the concrete maturity is well mastered. The performances of this apparatus, obtained on an ordinary concrete, are compared to more classical measurements using an extensometer mounted on the sample just after the setting time and to ultrasonic measurements. In these cases, the temperatures were not controlled and results have to be expressed in equivalent time. A comparison with another method developed and used at ULB by using the same concrete, in the frame of a joined cooperation between our two laboratories is achieved. This test set up is based on the so called Temperature Stress Testing Machine (TSTM). This device has been specifically designed with a control of the concrete maturity by the use of a dummy specimen only submitted to free deformations (thermal, shrinkage). The TSTM allows compressive and tensile testing starting just after the setting time. In addition, concrete properties, such as compressive and tensile strength, have been characterized at early age. These values have been used for the design of the loading histories applied in the automatic tests. The heat released by the cement hydration has also been measured in order to express the results on a maturity scale.
