My boss just brought this product on and I must say, I am impressed with all I read and see.  I have yet to see it used in an ICF home, but apparently it is being used with great success.  The analogy that was given to me was imagine you have a big cork.  Now shove an ice pick in it (which represents the standard fiberglass fiber).  Now with the other cork put a corkscrew in it (helix stainless steel fibers).  Which one will break or come out first.  That kind of peaked my interest as it seems pretty straight forward logically.  If anyone has used this product good or bad or somewhere in between, please reply.  I want to make sure the product I am selling is one I can stand behind or should I run away from.

Thanks!

I think it is a wonderful advance for ICF construction. The engineer, however, has to be comfortable as well as the local building inspector. I think its a comfort thing....people see vertical and horizontal steel vs the steel cork screws. The installation and pour, however, would be much easier with helix.

I totally agree.  It is new and it could be a huge step forward for ICF and concrete in general.  I see the benefits on paper, but need to go see some real world applications.  I live in the SHOW ME STATE for a reason.  :) 

While the cost may be more than rebar, the time and labor savings are quite impressive.  And just the overall ease of the product might make it worth doing even if slightly more expensive.  While this is oversimplifying it a bit, just dumping a predetermined amount of product into a cement truck as they arrive without dealing with rebar (except for lintels) would just be a DIY'er and GC's dream job.  I still might do some vertical rebar as I like overkill, but that can be wet set and is rather easy and not time consuming. 

Have you had the chance to use or see this product in use? 

I have used and it works great. We eliminated all rebar except opening reinforcement and top row rebar. The concrete still flows well and doesn't act much different than without. I don't think you can add it at the job though, we had it put in trucks at the plant with just water then mixed the sand, stone, and cement in. You had better trust your redi mix supplier or do like we did and have someone from the crew supervise the adding of the fibers.

Virgil Schmidt

Have you used this product for any flat work?  If so, does it show thru the surface like the fiberglass fibers do?  I assume you can vibrate/trowel down the steel helix, but not sure it would wear off like the fiberglass fibers do. 

Thanks.

I have never used it in flat work but my partner has. It is in the floor of the shop we use and I have never noticed fiber showing. I don't recall seeing any cracks either.

Virgil Schmidt

I have cracks all through 20yds. Helix flatwork, 2 separate pours, separate days. I believe this is my problem, as the slab overlays the stem walls, then the upper walls are poured on the slab. When the slab shrinks it can't pull out/away from the wall because it is locked in. Cracks are consistent about 10 ft. O.C. just where control joints should have been....

Interesting to note the flatwork I poured as I normally do with #4 rebar 4 ft. O.C. has no cracks in a 34ft. by 34 ft. slab.

However no cracks in any of my Helix walls, we stripped foam continuosly to attach steel angle and hidden gutter throughout...

If adding Helix into the truck on site, take your time and shake it out evenly or you will get clumps.

Kevin