Category 5 Hurricane puts Helix™ Steel Technology to the Test
When Hurricane Irma hit the Caribbean island of St. Maarten with sustained winds of 185 mph (298 kph) on September 6, 2017, the devastation was incredible. Most buildings, including concrete structures, suffered extensive damage.
Helix Micro Rebar helps Indigo Green in Sint Maarten withstand a Category 5 Hurricane
The Indigo Green development was a notable exception – their structures survived virtually unscathed. Indigo Green wanted to build the most safe, comfortable and disaster-resistant homes possible and used the best technologies and construction techniques available. One key to this was specifying concrete with the maximum impact resistance and strength. For concrete slabs, stairs, and walls, Helix™ Steel’s patented Helix Micro Rebar was used to almost double the shear strength of the concrete as well as significantly increase its durability and crack resistance.
“Using Helix Micro Rebar led to more durable concrete and provided much-needed hurricane resistance,” noted Rene Lepine, Managing Director at Indigo Green. “Helix technology was a key factor in the way our buildings survived Hurricane Irma’s destructive winds so well. In addition, we were able to save considerable time during construction since much less steel work was required.”
According to Helix Steel CTO Luke Pinkerton, “Helix Micro Rebar technology was originally invented to provide blast resistance for concrete structures. This makes our product exceptional for use in situations where extreme stresses occur, such as those seen in hurricanes and tornadoes. We are very happy that our Helix Micro Rebar was able to withstand the force of Hurricane Irma and help save lives in this catastrophe.”
Indigo Green is a leading example of a community of well-built oceanfront homes that have benefited from the latest technologies, construction methods and state-of-the-art products to deliver comfortable, safe, resilient and sustainable homes.
Helix™ Steel, a Pensmore™ company, manufactures the patented Helix Micro Rebar, the leading proactive concrete reinforcement technology in the world. Helix Steel technology is used across commercial, industrial, precast, residential, underground and infrastructure, and in many applications ranging from structural reinforcement to shrinkage, crack, seismic, impact, and blast resistance.
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