Gabion Assembly

Construction requirements
 

Assembly of Gabions 

Gabions have the minimum folding possible as to be able to be transported in packs. Every gabion is constructed separately by raising the sides, ends and diaphragms making sure that all sides and the tops of all sides are parallel. The bottom left and on the front corner should be fastened first, followed by the rest of the bottom corners and then by the internal diaphragms to the outer panels. All connections shall be made by lacing wire or C-Rings as it has been described earlier.

 To use lacing wire one should cut adequate length

of wire, and loop and/or twist it to secure the lacing

wire onto the wire mesh. Then lacing should be

made with alternating pattern of double and single

loops through every mesh opening approximately

every 150 mm making sure that loops are tightened

and the end of the lacing wire is secured to the wire

mesh.

Installation

Following erection of the gabions, they are placed to their designated position and are tied up together through the vertical and upper edges of the overlapping panels following the same modus operandi as on the lacing during assembly.  In cases that multiple layers are needed, the top gabion must in addition be tied to the upper of the inferior layer through the facade and rear edges of the overlapping panels following the same modus operandi as put forward earlier.

Filling with rocks

Gabions have to be stuffed with stones as described on the top of the page. Throughout the filling process manual stone arrangement is necessary to diminish cavities. It is deemed obligatory to place stone higher than the rim of the gabion by 25 to 50 mm to allow for settlement of the stones. The facade of vertical structures should manually and meticulously positioned to present a orderly, smooth and solid form.

The cells filling must be made in stages to avoid local deformation. Cells must not be filled more than 0.30 m than the adjacent cell. For the rear gabion panels they can be filled concurrently to equal level as the filled gabions.

Inner Connecting Wires

Inner connecting wires-same as lacing wire- are utilised when a structure involves numerous layers of gabions to be mounded over each other.  When lacing wire is used the uncovered facade must be tied on a cell to the reverse wall of the cell.  An uncovered facade is any wall of a gabion cell that will be showing or unsupported following the completion of the structure.

Gabions of 1 Meter Height

One meter gabions must be filled in three layers, approximately 330 mm each layer.  Connecting wires ought to be placed following the filling of every layer, specifically at around 330 mm high and around 660 mm high.              

Gabions of 0,50 Meter Height

Gabions of 50 centimetres do not need connecting wires except if the gabions are utilised to construct vertical structures. Occasionally, these gabions ought to be filled in two layers of 250 mm. Connecting wires ought to be placed following the filling of the former layer at a height of 250mm.  

Securing of the Gabion

When the gabion is filled fully, the lid has to join all the perimeter edges. The lid must be tightly laced and/or fastened through all sides, ends and tops of diaphragms. No tools are needed.

Gabion Alterations

If required by the engineer the gabions may be cut, folded and fastened to fit worksite circumstances. The mesh shall be cut and extra mesh can be folded back or overlaid in order to be firmly fastened with fasteners or lacing wire. Restructured gabions must be compiled, set up, filled and sealed as described earlier.

.