All reinforced concrete design (ACI) is based on a cracked concrete section called post-dominant crack. It is all about yielding as a crack opens, Re-bar yields by stretching and Helix yields partially by stretching and the rest by untwisting The Helix design method follows ACI in this regard and is 3 times more than the maximum allowed under the ACI 318 design code . So Helix is as good as re-bar in a post crack or “reactive” situation.
With the above principle understood, then we move into an area that re-bar, mesh or steel fibers have no affect. Helix is the only reinforcement in the world that acts Proactively or pre-dominant crack by allowing the concrete to micro crack and then spread that load into the Helix in the surrounding area and redistributing those loads. This allows the concrete to be more ductile and thus delaying the onset of a dominant crack where the reactive side of Helix may not ever need to be used.
Since Helix works just like rebar, it can be designed using the same principles only at a micro level but getting the added benefit of delayed dominant cracking. Also, Helix makes a composite with the concrete matrix which protects 100% of the concrete section giving additional protection from spalling.
Steel fibers do not bond to the concrete matrix like Helix due to the Helix patented shape and twist. They do not have any effect on concrete pre-dominant crack and they do not have a constant yield in a post-dominant crack. Steel fibers look like Helix but fundamentally do not act anything like a Helix Micro-Re-bar.
30
APR
APR
0