GABIONS

HISTORY

For over 100 years the gabion structures are used all over the world, for the purpose of geo-erosion processes’ mitigation, for terracing of the avalanche slopes and stabilization of tectonic processes, to protect roads and railway mains from the avalanches and landslides, esthetic landscape development, strengthening of the foundations of the buildings and structures, protection of the hydraulic structures: pipelines and irrigation channels, construction of the banks, for prevention of river bed washing out at the bridge abutments, maintaining or changing of the river beds, for the piers, dams, river bank and sea coasts strengthening works. The gabions are made of the zinced wire meshes made by Maccaferri method through double stranding. Durability: structures made of double stranded stainless wires are subject to variable non-permanent load from 3500 to 5000 kg per running meter. Therefore, gabion structures are able to withstand any loads. Permeability: high permeability of the gabion structures excludes hydrostatic loads. Stability and water draining out make them ideal for slopes’ protection from erosion.

STRUCTURE AND DURABILITY

Mesh cell is of hexagonal shape of 8×10 cm size and in case of break it maintains structural resistance to rupture. The gabions are of the rectangular box shape; its dimensions depend on the architectural requirements to the gabion structure. Installation does not require particularly qualified workers; the boxes are filled with any natural stones, river rocks or crushed stones from the quarries, with the grain size greater than gabion mesh cells. Gabions are placed tightly adjacent to one another and fastened with the wire or special staplers. With time the dust and ground particles accumulate in the gabions and this allows growing of plants, adding strength to the gabion structures.

Long lasting: effectiveness of gabion structures grow. With time the alluvium is compacted and as a result of filling of gabions the plants start to grow on their surfaces. Environment friendly: as the gabion structures do not prevent plants’ growing and they combine with the natural environment, they are the natural construction blocks for landscapes improvement.

Road carriageways

Flat structures filled with stones are made of double stranded zinced wire mesh with 8×12 cm cell size. They are used for road and railway construction, for strengthening of building foundations, for water and gas pipelines, for protection of the river bed from washing out at the bridges.

River banks

Gabions are made of double stranded right and left-side zinced wires, as the box-type structures, filled with the frost resistant stones. The gabions can be made of given dimensions are filled with the required quantities of frost resistant stones. They are used for protection of the ruptured rocks, river banks, bridge abutments, dams and embankments, roads and railways.