Increasing the Value of Large-Slab Buildings, Warehouses and Fulfillment Centers

Upgrading your concrete reinforcement saves construction time and money, while providing owners with a higher-quality, longer-lasting and more durable concrete product.

When Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ was brought to the public in 2003 by Helix Steel, little did president Luke Pinkerton realize how the one-inch (25-mm) twisted steel rod would transform not only the construction industry, but those who own the thousands of properties that have concrete slabs infused with the innovative concrete reinforcement.

Owners and Developers Choose Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ for Their Concrete Slabs

Even tiny cracks and seemingly perfect joints can cause nightmarish maintenance issues. Using a superior reinforcement, without spending money on higher doses of fibers or heavier reber, can resist the forces that so often prove detrimental in large slabs.

Getting started is easier than you think. Helix Steel engineers can review your next building design and evaluate it in as little as two business days, outlining your cost and time savings, while also giving you information on capacity increases, maintenance reductions and slab strength. 

Adding Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ to a slab can allow an additional 10 feet of usable space above a finished floor, resulting in tenants being able to fit more product in less space. Owners could then potentially increase leasing rates  up to 20–30%, spurring investment returns far beyond that of a standard rebar solution.

Developer and owner Ashley Capital experienced significant benefits before, during and after the completion of its Livonia Commerce Center. Helix Steel’s engineers worked with the contractor to remove weeks of rebar installation from the schedule and also increase capacity. The fulfillment center’s original design required 8 inches (200mm) of concrete with a layer of 6×6, W2.9/W2.9 mesh. Helix Steel simplified this with a light Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ dosage of only 9 lb/yd³ (6 kg/m³), which cut the amount of steel needed in the concrete, increased the concrete’s shear strength by 64% and increased the concrete’s durability by 23%. This upgrade also resulted in a slab on grade that allows for racking all the way to the ceiling of the building.

Developers around the world find Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ to be a key selling feature for their properties. Your project’s marketing material can highlight the superior concrete reinforcement’s inclusion and key benefits, while also showcasing how the improvement can increase rack heights. 

How many pallets could you fit in your warehouse? A great question! We recommend using Lean Inc’s online warehouse space estimator.

Engineering Made Easy with Helix^® Micro Rebar^™

Helix Steel has five engineers on staff to evaluate your warehouse slab project to support your engineering and ensure all areas of concern are addressed.

Our engineering analysis takes into account everything above and below your slab, including the structure of your building as well as the soil conditions.

What else does our team consider when planning out your concrete reinforcement?^I

• Serviceability – We ensure that surface loads can be properly carried without cracking the slab’s bottom surface.
• Temperature and Shrinkage – We look at the climatic conditions of the location and the effect that shrinkage can have on the slab surface, whether it is indoors or outdoors.
• Ultimate Capacity – We plan for maximum loads to ensure no top surface cracks.
• Structural capacity – We analyze building type loads for ability to withstand regular usage.

^IReview the complete ICC-ES ESR 3949 here to learn more about the durability, structural integrity and crack control capabilities of Helix^® Micro Rebar^™.

Helix Steel will work alongside you and your engineering team every step of the way, and can provide an engineering stamp for anywhere in the U.S.A.

For a W.A.M. Capital warehouse project in Wichita, Kansas, a preliminary design included a 6” slab reinforced with mesh. Helix Steel reviewed the project details and found savings and strength by using an 8” slab with just 9 lb/yd³ of Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ reinforcement. The 2” increase with our solution doubled the weight capacity due to the increase in bending moment capacity (+103%) and shear strength (+90%). 

A standard dose for a reinforced 7” (175-mm) slab is 9 lb/yard (6 kg/m³), which can have the slab function as a structural foundation, while costing approximately the same as rebar installation, while greatly reducing the install time. The total tonnage of steel in the concrete slab is reduced, resulting in a smaller CO² footprint. 

Contractors Preparing and Pouring Concrete Slabs the Easier Way

Having worked with contractors for almost 20 years, Helix Steel has perfected the ability to make the lives of contractors easier: we save you time, we save you money and we save you energy.

Forget weeks of installing rebar on a large fulfillment center. Cut up to 70% of a reinforcement installation schedule by skipping that entire process. Instead, contractors can mix Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ directly into ready-mix trucks, drive onto the subgrade and pour directly onto the concrete’s final destination. For large warehouses or fulfillment centers, pumps and mini dumpers are rarely needed. In the case of the previously mentioned Ashley Capital fulfillment center project, Helix Steel increased their daily pour rate by 20%, saving time and money.

Finishing the slab is similar to standard concrete reinforcement. Cutting relief joints is similar to that of rebar, as broom finishing is easy. When polishing, a small amount of Helix might add additional style, but if the surface paste is not broken through, the polish will remain free from exposed reinforcement. 

To help you sell the benefits of Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ to your engineer and client, Helix Steel’s engineers can provide you with stamped designs.

Taking the First Slab Step with Helix^® Micro Rebar^™

Choosing a concrete reinforcement that adds value to your project isn’t rocket science, but it does take some research. That’s why the Professional Engineers with Helix Steel will gladly review your project details, and in only two to three business days reach out to you with specific insight into how Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ can benefit your project. Our PEs can even provide you with stamped slab-on-grade designs for every state in America.

We will be available for pre-pour consultation, offer ideas to expedite your processes and ensure Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ is working to the best of its ability in your application.

We encourage developers, engineers and contractors to replay our in-depth webinar on how 

Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ can increase the value of slabs for large light industrial and commercial buildings. Watch the slab webinar here and contact our American representatives on how to get started with our innovative concrete reinforcement technology. 

Today, inventor Luke Pinkerton still leads the Helix Steel team of specialists, and encourages you to discover why there are already 250,000,000 square feet (23,225,760 square meters) in slab on grade applications with Helix^® Micro Rebar^™.

Contact Helix Steel: sales@helixsteel.com

Developers, owners and real estate professionals

Al Juarez – 734-322-2114 x38

Engineers

TJ Lambert – 734-322-2114 x81

Contactors and Ready-mix Operators

Dan Lucas – 734-322-2114 x32

Residential (ICF)

Erica Marr – 734-322-2114 x80