Gabion Walls

FAISAL

DILSHAD 2008-Civil-24 USMAN ILYAS 2008-Civil-31

ASHAR

SAEED 2008-Civil-47 SHAKEEL AHMAD 2008-Civil-32

UET LAHORE

What are Gabions?

It is derived from an Italian word gabbione meaning "big cage They are cages, cylinders, or boxes filled with rocks, concrete or sometimes sand and soil that are used in Civil engineering, road building, and military applications.

Gabion Walls

Gabions

are free-draining walls that are constructed by filling large galvanized steel baskets with rock.

Size of Gabion Baskets and types of rocks

Gabion

baskets are available in a variety of different sizes. They come in 1/2 or 1 meter high, and 2, 3, or 4 meters long.
are several types and colors of rock available from common river type round rock, to multi-colored light and dark fractured rock.

There

Gabion Baskets

Most important benefit of Gabion Wall

Flexibility

is an important benefit of any gabion structure. Since the baskets are constructed of galvanized mesh wire and filled with rock, the flexibility of a gabion structure allows it to withstand pressure without deforming, cracking or breaking as in the case of concrete and other materials.

Uses of Gabion Walls

They are used as Retaining walls Temporary floodwalls To filter silt from runoff For small or temporary/permanent dams Channel lining Fish barriers on small streams.

Merit of Gabion Wall over Masonry or R.C Wall as a retaining wall

It

does not require skilled labor. Permeability of gabions allow free drainage. It is very flexible and allows considerable distortion before collapse. Large walls can be built relatively cheaply where the source of stone is local to construction site.

Gabion Walls can be Stepped face or Stepped back

Advantages

Strong base that provides strength from being drag away by river or stream. Reduce velocity of water as the energy dissipated by the rocks, thus reduce erosion. Its flexibility gives allowance to small ground movement. In most cases, as time goes, voids will be filled by vegetations and silt which will reinforce the structure and give extra strength. Depends on the availability of material and equipments, handling and transporting material is easy and this reduce the time of construction Voids can be easily seen between the rocks which makes high permeability to the gabion wall. It allows water to flow through the structure which can maintain the water level in the ground (Groundwater level) to be low.

Mass gravity retaining wallsGabion Walls

Gabion retaining walls provide stability by their mass, resisting the disturbing forces. They are considered to be a flexible and free draining retaining wall system. The design procedures for this walling follows the design criteria of BS8002 The Code of Conduct for Earth Retaining Structures. When designing the retaining wall, checks must be carried out at each course level to ensure that the stability criteria is achieved throughout the whole of the structure. It is normal to incline the walls from the vertical by 6 or 10 degrees for aesthetic and stability reasons.

 The

degree of flexibility of a retaining wall system is dependant upon the type of fill, quality of filling, mesh type and wire diameter of the mesh. the more angular the fill, the greater care in filling and the heavier the wire diameter of the mesh - the higher the quality of installation and results in a more dimensionally stable structure.

Typically,

APPLICATIONS

Bridge Protection System

Gabions

can be employed in a variety of ways to stabilize soil conditions around bridges, bridge piers and bridge abutment slopes. the angle of the slope to be protected shall determine what structure type is best suited for each application. Slopes with an angle of 1 in 1 or steeper require standard Gabion retaining wall protection.

Generally

Main Characteristics of Bridge protection system

Good adaptability adapting to the deformation of the groundwork

High flexibility not likely to be broken, bearing a large range of deformation without collapsing

 High

resistance to

Natural damage Bad climate

Quake and impact

Water Conservancy
The

development and control of the river-ways concerns the technology of laying protective layer, with permanent protective function on sections. The stone gabion can control water flowing volume and protect water resource from running off.

Main Characteristics of Water conservancy

General evolution of watercourses approach

 Gabion

gravity structure

Strengthening the stability of the river beds

Protecting riverbeds from being washed away.

CHANNEL LININGS
Gabions

are the frequent choice for channel design solutions because they provide for economical construction. Moreover, gabions do not prohibit the growth of vegetation but in fact, stabilize soil giving plants the opportunity to take root and grow.

 Channels

are commonly trapezoidal or rectangular. Trapezoidal channels have sloped sides and are formed by excavation. Gabion mattresses are placed on sloped sides and channel bottom for protection against erosion. channels have vertical or near vertical sides which are formed with gabions; the channel bottom may be fully or partially protected with gabion mattresses.

Rectangular

GABBION MATRESSES

Trapezoidal Channel

Benefits Of Gabions

Flexibility:
Subjected to alternating forces of tension and compression, the inherent flexibility of a Gabion structure enables it to deform rather than break. This prevents loss of structural efficiency.

 Strength:

Since Gabion are bound together as a monolithic unit, the wire mesh is extremely strong under tension. The wire mesh shell is not simply a container for the stone filling, but a reinforcement of the entire structure. Gabion efficiency, rather than decreasing with age, actually increases. During early periods of use, silt and vegetation will collect within the rock filling to form a naturally permanent structure, enhancing the environment.

 Permeability:

Spaces in the stone fill within the baskets provide a great degree of permeability throughout the structure eliminating the need for a drainage system and preventing buildup of hydrostatic pressure which will displace and crack concrete structures. In river works, pressure and counter pressure on the banks due to variations in water depth between flood and low water are therefore also eliminated.

 Economy:

Wire mesh gabions are less expensive than most construction materials. Graded stone fill is usually locally available. Waste materials such as crushed concrete may be specified in place of stone.

Any Questions??