RETAINING STRUCTURES USING

WOVEN GABIONS AND MESH FACED

REINFORCED SOIL SYSTEMS

Dale Chaychuk
 What We’ll Cover
• Part 1: Types of Retaining Structures Relating to Woven Mesh

• Part 2: The Engineering Behind These Systems

• Part 3: Different Applications

• Part 4: Individual System Components and Construction Procedures

• Part 5: Why Consider these Systems as an Option

• Part 6: Experienced Gained – Product and Design Issues

• Part 7: Ensuring Expectation and Performance

• Part 8: Demonstrating Long Term Durability

• Part 9: Various (Impressive) Local Projects

 Types of Retaining Structures
• Mass gravity structures e.g. Gabions

± 0.7 x H
Gabions
Gabions are flexible cages made of
hexagonal double twist heavily
galvanised mild steel woven wire
mesh with an additional polymer
coating if required. These units are
laced together, packed with selected
stone and act as building blocks. They
are used in the construction of
retaining walls, weirs, culvert
inlet/outlet and other civil structures.
 Types of Retaining Structures
• Reinforced soil systems (walls greater than
70°) e.g. Terramesh

± 0.8 x H
 Terramesh
Gabion Terramesh is a mechanically stabilised
Facing earth system comprising of a Gabion
facing with woven steel mesh or high
Woven Mesh and/or strength geogrid soil reinforcement.
Geogrid Soil The Gabion facing prevents erosion on
Reinforcement the front face and the soil
reinforcement increases the shear
parameters of the backfill material.

Geotextile
 Types of Retaining Structures
• Reinforced soil systems (slopes less than 70°)
e.g. Green Terramesh

± 0.8 x H
Green Terramesh
Green Terramesh is a reinforced soil
system (reinforced slope at 45°, 50°,
60° or 70°) comprising of a preformed
woven mesh+ECB facing with integral
woven steel mesh and/or high
strength geogrid soil reinforcement.
The facing can either be vegetated or
packed with a rock veneer.
 Types of Retaining Structures
• Anchored or tied-back systems e.g. Gabion
faced soil nailed structure

H
Gabion Faced Anchored Structures
Gabions are commonly used as a
flexible facing to soil nailed/anchored
structures. They offer all the inherent
benefits of a traditional Gabion
/Terramesh structure
 ‘Low Tech’ Systems?
Can they only be used for low height walls/slopes and non-critical structures?
The Engineering Behind Them
Compression Test: UNICAMP, Brazil
 The Engineering Behind Them
Tensile Strength Test As Per EN 10223-3:2013

• Fixed elongation speed: 6mm/min

• 4000 N preload to tension the wire

 The Engineering Behind Them
Durability Tests

Before salt spray test (ISO 9227) After 6000 h exposure in salt spray
Test temperature 35° No sign of Dark Brown Rust (EN10223-
Test solution 5% NaCl 3:2013)
The Engineering Behind Them
Full scale monitoring and soil interaction tests
The Engineering Behind Them
Full scale deformation analysis
MARIKANA - CUMULATIVE SETTLEMENTS

0.14

0.12 T8
T7

SETTLEMENT (m)
0.1
T6
0.08 T5
0.06 T1
T2
0.04
T3
0.02 T4
0
Dec (Datum) Feb June

TIME (MONTH)

Targets

MARIKANA - CUMULATIVE MOVEMENT

0.05

0.045

0.04
T8
T7
MOVEMENT (m)

0.035
T6
0.03
T5
0.025
T1
0.02
T2
0.015
T3
0.01
T4
0.005

0
Dec (Datum) Feb June

TIME (MONTH)
 The Engineering Behind Them
We now have the parameters and ability to design massive structures

H = 37 m

Sikkim Airport – International Project of the Year 2012

60m High Reinforced Soil Structures
Applications
 Individual System Components
Woven Mesh

Gabions and Terramesh:

Mesh Type 80 (80 x 100 nominal)
2,7mm mesh wire (3.7mm o/d with 80mm
polymer coating). Double twist for stress
transfer around a wire breakage
 Individual System Components
Woven Mesh

Mesh selection tools are available

depending on the required working
life: BBA certificate, EN 10233-3,
ASNZS 4534 technical specification,
HITEC report and independent test
certificates
 Individual System Components
Geotextile Separator

A geotextile will not perform its function if

it is damaged and it’s proven that they
incur the most damage during installation

If they can withstand installation damage,

they generally withstand the in service
stresses

We recommend a minimum strength class

C (e.g. Bidim A34) be used with mesh
systems. It has the required energy
absorption (installation damage resistance),
permeability and is sufficiently abrasion
resistant
 Individual System Components
Rock Fill

Rock must be clean, sufficiently durable,

non friable and not show any signs of
weathering (AS 2758.4 – 2000)
The rock should be evenly graded between
1.5D to 3D (Between 100mm and 250mm
normally suffices) and be angular to
provide interlock
Type of rock kg/m3 Suitability
Basalt 2900
Granite 2600
Considered
Hard Limestone 2600
Acceptable
Calcareous Pebbles 2500
Dolerite 2400
Hard Sandstone 2300 Needs
further
Soft Limestone 2200
checks
 Individual System Components
Foundation

The foundation should be:

• Stripped of topsoil/organic material

• Level and compacted
• Sloped if constructing an angled wall
• If on smooth bedrock or concrete,
advisable to incorporate shear keys to
minimise sliding issues

We want to ensure:

• Uniform foundation pressure

• Minimal differential settlement
 Individual System Components
Backfill

Compacted in lifts to the required effort as

per the specification

• Heavy compaction equipment not

closer than 1-1.5m to back of structure
• Walk behind compaction equipment
directly adjacent to structure
• Take care not to damage the mesh or
geotextile
• Backfill immediately after completing
one layer of Gabions/Terramesh
 Why Consider Gabion Systems?
• Flexible – Unlike welded mesh, concrete blocks, concrete mats or reinforced
concrete, double twist woven mesh Gabions & Terramesh systems are able to
accommodate substantial differential settlement
• Monolithic – the fastening (lacing) procedure ensure the units act as one
homogeneous structure
• Permeable – pore water pressures are easily dissipated through the structure
• Durable – Double twist mesh and heavily galvanised (can have an additional
polymer coating) with 45 year old local installations disprove the fallacy that
Gabion type structures are temporary solutions
• Adaptable – Gabion systems can be stepped, vertical or angled to suit specific
project requirements. They can be filled in-situ or prefilled depending on site
conditions using various mechanical means to assist with the packing process
• Economical – Generally, Gabion installation does not require any special
equipment (pliers, temporary formwork, lacing tool etc.)
• Environmentally friendly – Vegetation easily establishes, eventually re-creating
the pre-existing environment. The added use of bio-degradable coir logs and
Jute blankets will accelerate the vegetative process if required
Why Consider Gabion Systems?
Speed of installation Foundation issues

Bad access Energy Absorption

 Experienced Gained
Failures happen, HOWEVER the majority of
them are avoidable

Failures are typically as a result of:

• Incorrect products/materials
• Poor designs & inadequate design
information
• Sub-standard installation/construction
techniques
• Inexperienced supervision
• System misconceptions
Issues With System Components
Welded Mesh
Issues With System Components
Poor Quality Woven Mesh

Approved “equivalent”?

Structure designed using the parameters associated with this mesh

Issues With System Components
Wrong grade / type of geotextile
Issues With System Components
Incorrect Rock Fill Grading – too small and too big
 Issues With Design Details
Inadequate scour protection
 Issues With Design Details
Outflanking
 Issues With Design Details
Insufficient embedment
 Issues With Design Details
No geotextile separator
 Issues With Design Details
Poor foundation preparation
 Issues With Design Details
Drainage behind the reinforced block
 Issues With Design Details
Poor construction techniques and lack of experienced site supervision

Make sure the tender specification states that the contractor must have
the necessary experience to carry out the installation
 Ensuring Expectation & Performance
Check all Possible Failure Modes
 Ensuring Expectation & Performance
Take Drainage Seriously

• Water = Reduction of cohesion

• Water = Increase in pore water pressure

• Water = Possible scour/erosion at the toe

The AS4678 (Appendix G) states:

As drainage is perhaps the most important

consideration in the design of earth-retaining
structures, it is very important that the
drainage systems are carefully designed and
specified with sufficient detail to ensure that
the system can be correctly constructed
 Ensuring Expectation & Performance
Quality Control – Sample Units
A series of Gabions (quantity and location to
be determined by the Engineer) are to be
constructed on the site close to the proposed
structure. These units will be used for quality
control purposes throughout the duration of
the Gabion works. The superintendent shall
inspect these Gabions in the company of the
contractor’s representative and the Gabion
manufacturers representative with a view to
establishing the acceptable standard to which
all subsequent Gabions must be constructed.
Under no circumstances shall any further
Gabion construction take place until this
“Quality Control Test Gabion” has been
deemed by the superintendent to have been
constructed to the acceptable standard.
 Ensuring Expectation & Performance
Performance Based Specifications

Rather than:
2x1x1 Galvanised Gabions with PVC and 2.7mm mesh wire

Ideally:
Gabions shall be manufactured according to EN 10223-3:2013 from
double twisted, hexagonally woven wire mesh of nominal 80x100
mesh, with 3.4mm o/d frame wire and 2.7mm o/d mesh wire,
complete with diaphragms at 1m centres. The nominal tensile strength
of the wire mesh shall be 50kN/m; test done as per EN 10223-3:2013.
The punch strength of the wire mesh shall be 67kN; test done as per
UNI 11437. All wire is mild steel, Galmac coated (Zinc-Al5% alloy) to
the requirements of EN 10244-2 (Table 2 – Class A) and heat bonded
through extrusion with an additional 0.5mm heavy duty grey PVC
coating. Gabions must have a valid British Board of Agrément (BBA)
certificate for zinc-aluminium alloy & polymer woven mesh. The
Gabions must be manufactured in a ISO 9001 certified factory. The
BBA, ISO 9001 and tensile strength certificates must be provided by
the contractor for the materials they intend using.
Demonstrating Long Term Durability

2015– 41 Years
Later
Demonstrating Long Term Durability

Great Ocean Road Galvanised +

27
PVCYears OldTerramesh
Coated – in Excellent
Condition
Installed 1988
Demonstrating Long Term Durability
Cobbler Creek Adelaide
Galvanised +PVC Coated
Terramesh
1989

26 Years Old – in Excellent

Condition
Demonstrating Long Term Durability

Bilgola Beach, NSW

Galvanised+PVC Coated
Inspected 2015 – 18 years Rockfall Netting
After Installation Installed 1997
Demonstrating Long Term Durability
Rowville Weir, VIC
Installed 1971

Rowville Weir, VIC

Inspected in 2015
Structure is 44 years old
National Examples
Thank You