Gabions are an efficient,
economical, and environmentally friendly solution for various erosion control,
slope stabilization, and waterway management applications. Their ease of
installation, requiring no specialized equipment or skills, makes them a practical
choice for various project locations, including remote or difficult-to-access
areas. Once installed, gabions require minimal maintenance, yet their longevity
and effectiveness remain high, with a typical lifespan ranging from 10 to 25
years, depending on environmental conditions and material quality. Their
cost-effectiveness is further highlighted by their low initial cost, minimal
maintenance requirements, and long-lasting durability, making them a wise
investment for long-term applications.
Types
of Gabion Structures
Different types of gabions,
including gabion baskets, gabion walls, gabion wire mesh, and gabion sacks, are
frequently used in retaining walls, landscaping, marine and military
applications, and road construction for stabilizing banks, coasts, highways,
slope stability, and erosion protection.
Gabion
basket
These are the most popular
kind of gabions. Gabion baskets are steel wire mesh structures crafted in
different dimensions. The baskets serve as semi-flexible erosion control
building blocks when they are positioned on slopes and filled with stones. To
enhance stability, trees and shrubs are planted within gabion baskets. These
baskets find utility in crafting retaining walls, forming hills and
embankments, and constructing roads and railways.
Gabion
mattresses
Gabion mattresses,
alternatively referred to as Reno mattresses, constitute an alternate form of
box-like gabion construction. These gabions possess reduced vertical dimensions
compared to the alternative type. They find application in lining channels to
offer safeguards against erosion. Additionally, they offer the advantage of
rapid coverage for extensive areas without necessitating lifting, merely
enhancing the existing structure.
Gabion
sacks
Gabion sacks are tubular
steel mesh containers manufactured from double-twisted galvanized steel,
sometimes with a PVC coating. Similar to gabion baskets, gabion sacks serve
comparable purposes. Gabion sacks are filled with rock at the project site to
form flexible, permeable, monolithic structures used to provide erosion
protection for river banks, scour protection for bridge abutments, or any
situation where immediate defence against the effects of water erosion is
required. They prove valuable during emergencies and river management, acting
as protective barriers against the erosive impact of water.
Gabion
wire mesh
Gabion wire mesh is
convenient to keep away loose rocks from falling off the cliffs and mountains
onto highways and rail tracks. The wire mesh is also helpful to maintain
slopes’ stability close to rail tracks and highway roads. Gabion wire mesh is
also used to reinforce embankments in conjunction with geogrids.
Types
of Gabion Wire Meshes
The life and durability of
a gabion is mostly determined by the quality of the wire mesh that holds the
rocks. There are various types of wire meshes that are used to produce gabions,
which significantly influences performance, aesthetics, and cost.
Galvanized
Steel Gabions
These gabions are
constructed of either welded steel wire mesh or double twisted wire mesh that
is hot dipped galvanized. Galvanized gabions show excellent results for
protection against general exposure and are the most common type. The zinc
coating on galvanized gabions provides excellent resistance to rust and
corrosion, even in harsh environmental conditions. This is particularly
advantageous when gabions are exposed to moisture or submerged in water.
Galvanized gabions can last for decades, making them a cost-effective choice
for projects with a long lifespan. They tend to have a useful life of around 25
years on average. However, the actual design life depends on many factors
including water exposure, salinity and acidity of the soils and run-off, as
well as environmental pollution. The natural silver colour of galvanized wire
mesh can blend seamlessly with various landscapes, offering an aesthetically
pleasing option. Galvanized gabions can be used in a wide range of
applications, including retaining walls, embankments, erosion control and
landscaping.
PVC
Coated Galvanized Steel Gabions
PVC coated gabions can be
either welded wire mesh or double twisted woven mesh gabions. In both cases the
steel core wires are fuse bonded with PVC coating after hot-dip galvanizing and
applying primer. They make solid and rigid structures by providing excellent
protection in extreme environments. The PVC coating layer provides added
protection for use in environments where soil or water is acidic or polluted.
The protective coating prevents the risk of corrosion and is ideal for
retaining and erosion applications in freshwater. This coated layer further
lengthens the structural life of the gabions. Compared with other materials of
gabions, the features of PVC coated gabion is colourful and ecological. This
makes PVC coated gabions popular for projects where visual appeal is important,
such as parks and decorative landscaping.
Stainless
Steel Gabions
Stainless steel is the
premium choice among gabion materials, known for its exceptional strength and
resistance to rust and corrosion without the need for additional coatings.
Aesthetically, stainless steel gabions easily incorporate with architectural
designs and are available in a range of wire diameters and mesh sizes depending
on the aesthetic preference and the material that will be used as fill. These
wire meshes are quite visually appealing and are mostly used in residential
properties to make decorative gabion walls that give the exterior a stylish
look. When it comes to durability, they cannot compare with PVC-coated gabions
or galvanized ones, as they are mostly used for aesthetic purposes. Advantages
to using stainless steel gabions include excellent corrosion resistance in
harsh conditions, no splitting, cracking, zero maintenance, no termites, fire
resistant, anti-graffiti & vandal proof.
Polypropylene
Plastic Gabions
In contrast to conventional
steel wire gabions polypropylene gabions are a more affordable option. They
might not have the aesthetic look of steel wire, but polypropylene gabions are
quite long-lasting. In high moisture environments like the seaside, these
plastic gabions have excellent corrosion resistance as they are chemically
inert. They are also deployed in uneven areas as plastic is quite flexible.
Polypropylene marine gabions are ideal for bodies of water where wave energy
dissipation is needed to reinforce the shoreline. They also help in
scour-protection and maintaining the integrity of structures close to the
shoreline.
