A one-inch (25-mm) piece of twisted steel is here to prove that big concrete reinforcement isn’t always better.

Helix^® Micro Rebar™ is a one-inch-long twisted piece of steel that’s defying an industry devoted to the misconception that bigger is always better. Rebar is still often the standard, and provides short-term benefits for architects and contractors due to being the most well known reinforcement. Apart from being the go-to for most construction projects requiring concrete, it does not have the positive attributes you would imagine from being the world leader: the long rods are rusty, dirty, difficult to maneuver, heavy and result in an imperfect concrete product. 

Helix Steel has introduced its tiny concrete reinforcement to compete against rebar, and while there are many advantages for choosing Helix^® Micro Rebar™ over rebar, its strength is simply unparalleled. 

Here are four facts about the strength and durability of Helix^® Micro Rebar™ that will rethink everything you know about concrete reinforcement.

1. Helix^® Micro Rebar™ can be three times as strong as the minimum safety threshold.

Building codes provide designers with the minimum allowances for construction. In most cases, rebar is the “cheapest” solution that fulfills the basic needs to have a project approved. It will always be the one of the weakest allowable solutions.

Helix Steel reviewed the minimum building code recommendations, and instead of focusing on the minimums, chose to create the best concrete reinforcement possible. In its research for perfection, it found that by mixing thousands of twisted pieces of Helix^® Micro Rebar™ with concrete helps to increase concrete’s strength and durability by up to 3x!

2. The strength of Helix^® Micro Rebar™ saves you money. 

Helix^® Micro Rebar™ is the only reinforcement that can economically replace rebar in all standard applications: concrete slabs on grade, foundations, footings, walls, precast, ICF and slabs on metal decks. 

In some cases, the strength of Helix^® Micro Rebar™ means that no rebar needs to be installed at all, resulting in a huge reduction in installation costs. How many construction days will your next project be reduced by if you omit rebar hassles? Often this equates one full day of time for every 10,000 square feet of a project.

3. Helix^® Micro Rebar™ increases flexural strength by up to 33%.

Durability is one of the key benefits of concrete that have Helix^® Micro Rebar™ – cracks are extremely rare. This is possible because concrete’s flexural strength is optimized, giving it the ability to withstand forces before it breaks. With this increase in flexural strength, concrete thickness in many applications can be reduced resulting in thinner sections – saving concrete costs and pour time.

4. Helix^® Micro Rebar™ is proven with massive builds

The strength of Helix^® Micro Rebar™ is far from untested. For more than a decade it has been proven as a superior alternative that delivers exceptional results every time. From concrete slabs at warehouses to tunnel linings to precast infrastructure elements. 

Consider how Helix^® Micro Rebar™ strength helped to deliver superior results for these massive projects: Seattle’s Pier 57 Ferris Wheel, the Big Bend power station and a Mexico steel plant. For years of implementations, Helix^® Micro Rebar™ has yet to fail.

Helix^® Micro Rebar™ Creates Pillars of Strength

Stopping cracks before they even start makes this micro reinforcement a strong and durable solution to practically every concrete application.

Learn more about the massive projects that Helix^® Micro Rebar™ is used as a primary concrete reinforcement by searching hundreds of projects using our online Helix^® Micro Rebar^™ project finder.

To speak with a Helix Steel sales representative or in-house engineer about your next project, contact Helix Steel.