Minnesota Department of Transportation

Helix® Micro Rebar® was one of the few concrete patch products to withstand heavy traffic, freeze-thaw and de-icing agents of Minnesota’s highway system. The multi-year project was undertaken by the National Road Research Alliance’s (NRRA) Preventive Maintenance Team and sought to determine the most effective joint repair programs. By selecting longer-lasting patches for Minnesota’s roadways, the results will be: reduced need for lane closures, lower maintenance costs and the increased availability of staff to perform other duties.

Helix Steel performed two tests involving Helix Micro Rebar in conjunction with Rapid Set DOT Repair Mix. The one-inch twisted steel reinforcement was mixed in a revolving drum mixer with the concrete mix, placed on the patch area, then finished using traditional materials. Within one hour, the road for each test was reopened to traffic. Results after one, two and three years proved that the patches would last greater than five years.

Although both tests performed very well, the zinc-plated reinforcement (Helix 5-25-Standard BA) performed better than the stainless steel version, while also being approximately three times less expensive than stainless steel.

For more information on the study administered by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, please visit: Effective Long Lasting PCC Partial Depth Joint Repairs for Challenging Conditions