Although it is known that gabions construction material in civil ‘Tho wire 's woven into an hexagonal have been used from ancient times, engineering. Modern technology has pattern, with doAdvantages of Maccaferri gabion and Reno mattress structures 1987 Flexibility ‘An outstanding advantage of the gabion is its flexibility, its double-twist hexagonal mesh construction permits it to tolerate differential settiement without fracture, fig. 6. This property is especially important when a structure is on Lunstable ground or in an area where scour from waves or currents can undermine it Strength The strength and flexibility of the steel wire hexagonal mesh from which gabions and mattresses are mace is Utiized to withstand and absorb the forces generated by retained earth or flowing water, Permeability Hydrostatic heads do not develop behind gabion structures because of their permeable nature Their ability to combine drainage and retention functions make thom ideal structures for slope stabilization, fig. 7 Durability ‘A Maccaferti gabion or Reno mattress is @ heavy monolithic gravity unit able to withstand earth thrust Its efficiency increases instead of decreasing witn age since further consolidation takes place as silt and Soil collect in the voids and vegetation establishes itself (fig. 6-9) Economy Gabion installations are more economical than rigid or semi-rigid structures for a number of reasons The following are the most important Little maintenance is required, © Gabion construction is simple, does not require skilled labour. ‘© Suitable stone fil is available normally on site or from nearby quarries. ‘© Minimum foundation preparation is required, the surface needs to be only reasonably plane. '* No costly drainage provision is required, as gabions are permeable, Ecology Because gabions permit the growth of vegetation and maintain tho existing environment, they provide attractive and natural building blocks for decorative landscaping,Description of the Maccaferri box gabion Zine coated box gabions Box gabions consis of rectangular unis, fabricated rom a double swt hexagonal mesh of sah anneal, heavy ine Coated vate The wre qualty and he zine coating ‘moat al international spacteations. Tho mesh panels ate reivorced ata edges vn res of alargor samote than that Used for manutacturng tne mesh to Strengthen them anda facitate onatusion. Gablans may be Sided into cals by ting depivagme wich have ne funcion of roercing the structure and ‘making assembly and erecion easier Zine coated box gabions with PVC sleeve ‘The characteristics ofthese products are similar to those ofthe 2ne-coated gabions; however the wie, prior to manufacturing, the mesh, Is coated wih a .4 to 0.8 mm thick special PVC (potyinyi chloride) Continuous sheath. A complete protection ‘Sgainst possible corrosion'is thus obtained ‘aking the gabions sutable for use in ‘ane or paluted environments Diaphragms are always recommended Wien gabions are subject to continuous Sess caused by wave motion, or high water velocty, etc. Filed with stone, ‘abions become a large, flexible and permeable building block from which a Broad range 0! structures may be bul. PIEApplications EEE PSR = EES DMDescription of the Maccaferri Reno mattress Zine coated Reno mattress ‘The Reno mattress is a special form of gabion with a large plan areafhickness rato, itis fabricated from a similar but smaller double- twist hexagonal mesh fo that used to manufacture the gabions, The vite charactoristes are the same. Diaphragms aro spaced usually a1 1.00 m centres, and a continuous panel of mesh forms the base, the side and the’ end walls of the unit to obtain an opentopped ‘muttcel container. ‘The same is used for the base, diaphragms, and the separate li (made up with mesh panels - fg. 21a or mesh rols «fg. 21b). Al panel edges are seivedged with a wire of larger diameter than that Usedtorthe mesh, soasto strengthen the structure Zine coated Reno mattress with PVC sleeve ‘The wire of the Reno mattress can be coated with PVC in the same manner as thatfor gabions. 6Applications CIITerramesh® System Terramesh" System The Terramesh® System isa soll reinforcement whieh consists of panels ‘of couble-wist hexagonal woven heavy 2ine and PVC coated wire mesh in orger to strengthen the suture, the ‘external face fs provided wih ste! zinc ‘and PVC coated reinforcing wos, it O34. ext. 0 44 mochancally inserted nia the double twst ‘Tho extetnal face, 0.50.00 m thick can consist either of stones (Forramost?” System) or vogetatve sol (Reinforced Green Terramest) The Terramesh units are supplied already cut to measure without requiring fo be cuton sit, The Reinforced Green Terramesh” units are provides with a geotabric to retain the fines connected tothe wire mesh during the manutacturing process: the ‘exter face is provided with an ‘tional mesh panel land two triangular steel brackets, @'1omm, to notease tne unt strength and or an easier erection of ine unt ‘Tho Reinforced Green Terramesh* «soi REINFORCED GREEN {ype unts are provided with a geomet ‘TERRAMESH® SYSTEM vinereas the water type ones are : = reinforced wih a polypropylene geogra or | [MseregGver Toren Sm urs monyrantreameim | R complete «greenings of ihe external en Ko aoterenberaciam 9 = umecetae ah faco can be achioved by hydrosceding $ emivonscmee Tere ne according to the real environmental local 5 ator 9 = Noaicerorg eee ‘StuaionDescription of the Maccaferri sack gabion The Maccaferri sack gabions are mainly Usedrorverand stream raining works, © They are made up ofa single sheet of mesh and’ are ‘suppiiea with stool wire spirais, @ inserted during production to facilitate losing during the nstalaon procedure, © The characteristics of mesh. whe, zine and PVC coating are identical to those of box ‘abions. ApplicationDescription of the Maccaferri Wire mesh netting is often used to prevent racks and debris From falling on to roads and railways. This solution can also nelp to fstabish vegetation Maccaferti rockfall mesh has the same characterstic as that used for gabons ang Ronomatyosses, ‘Thanks to the double-wist weaving, i ie strong enough to withstans the force of the faling rocks and unk chainink mesh, dows rotunravel should some ofthe wires break. 10Gabions and Reno mattresses installation procedures Assembly Gabions and mattresses are shipped folded and packed together in bundles, in order to occupy less space and make transporilion to sites economical and easy (fg. 4) ‘Onsite, they are opened and assembled as olows: comers are wired together and diaphragms are fixedto the side panels (ig. 44) Empty unis are subsequently joined tagather along all adjacent edges, bathhorizontaly and verticaly (9 44) Fring ‘This is usually carried out by mechanical means (fig. 45, 46) using rounded rver shingle or quarry stone having a size slighty larger than that oftre mesh, so.as to have minimum percentage of voids ‘The use athard material thigh specifi gravity recommended open ClosedExample of works carried out in Far East territoriestataio meceatrn com