Non-destructive tests are the future for early concrete deterioration detection. The interest in surface electrical resistivity as for the quality control of concrete structures has increased in the last several years. A standardized laboratory method has recently been adopted as AASHTO TP 95-11 and an ASTM method is under consideration. Both these methods measure surface resistance by a Wenner four-electrode probe device, in which the electrodes are equally spaced on the surface of saturated concrete elements. Currently, the standardized method is restricted to laboratory specimens. For this method to be applicable to field measurements requires first to identify how much time a concrete element needs to reach saturation and how reliable resistivity values are under different saturation stages. Phase one of this research investigated the duration of saturation required to achieve stable resistivity for 20 mixture designs at a range of ages. It was generally determined that resistivity varies until 24 hours. Past that duration, some increases in surface resistivity were observed and attributed to further hydration. In the field, concrete elements are generally large and the assumptions of infinite geometry hold. Lab specimens, on the other hand, have a constricted flow of electrical current. In Phase two, the influences of geometry and saturation fluid were examined. It was found that using published geometrical conversion factors did not result in equivalent surface resistivity between cylinders and small slabs or for cylinders of different sizes, suggesting more work required in this area. The use of tap water was investigated as it would be more available on site; it was found that at 28 days, there were minimal differences between tap water and limewater. At later ages, limewater generally resulted in higher resistivity. Phase Three investigated published temperature corrections to adjust site measured resistivity to standard temperature. Regardless of the correction, significant difference was observed between the site and laboratory measurements. Lastly in Phase four, two alternate techniques were tested for potential on site use. It was found that neither resulted in any significant changes in resistivity.