Republic of the Philippines

ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
City of Ilagan, Isabela

PERFOMANCE OF GABIONS
A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Civil Engineering
Isabela State University – City of Ilagan, Isabela
in Partial Fulfillment to the Degree
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

ARIANNE JOYCE DEGRACIA

 Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Philippines is prone to tropical cyclones due to its geographical location which

generously produces heavy rains and flooding that has brought environmental concerns and its

consequences were severe. Such is the case in Isabela in the locality of Camunatan, City of

Ilagan where an atypical rain caused destruction to the crops and properties. Implementing soil

and water conservation such as using gabion in riverbanks, has proven to be suitable option in

mitigating these effects.

Gabions are rectangular baskets fabricated from a hexagonal mesh of heavily galvanized

steel wire. Gabions are considered to be an economical construction solution without

compromising on the aesthetics. Efficiency in gabion structures, rather than decreasing with age,

actually increases.

Gabions come in three basic forms, the gabion basket, gabion mattress, and sack gabion.

The difference between a gabion basket and a gabion mattress is the thickness and the aerial

extent of the basket. A sack gabion is, as the name implies, a mesh sack that is filled with rock

material. The benefit of gabions is that they can be filled with rocks that would individually be

too small to withstand the erosive forces of the stream.

Statement of the Problem

Specifically, this study sought to accomplish the following aspects:

a. Technical aspect

1. What are the design criteria to be used in the design of the infrastructure?

2. How may meters long is the proposed slope protection to be built?

3. How long is the construction period?

4. What is the total cost of the project?

b. Social aspect

1. Are the residents of Brgy. Camunatan willing to have slope protection?

c. What is the funding source of the project?

Objective of the Study

 To explore the possibility of the use of any locally available materials instead of the

costly rock pieces inside gabion boxes to bring down the cost of construction

 To conduct parametric studies to examine the effect of variation of geometric and

materials properties on the load – deformation behaviour of gabions

 To conduct economic studies to prove the cost effectiveness of gabions over conventional

type concrete walls

 To describe the mode of failure

 Chapter II

REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE

Gabions is a rectangular steel wire mesh basket which filled with a hard-durable stone.

Set in a Segment that can be sort into a manmade wall. Large number of Gabions can be locked

and piled together. Gabions Serves as a Barrier to a Slow Erosion Caused by water or Extreme

Seepage on steep. Gabions have several Salutary Advantages, while also make Disadvantages.

Gabions was refined by Gaetano Maccaferri in the 19th Century in Sacemo. Gabions is widely

accepted and selected as a structural wall which offers a sustainable alternative construction.

The important element is unlike the other rock walls, the wall performance of the gabion

is not requiring a highly skilled installation of stones, high-embodied energy concrete footings or

its binding agents (Dernie,2003). According to Heselden (2015) There is a need for an improved

gabion because it also has a certain disadvantage through its longevity and construction.

Gabion wall protects landslide and river training works

The essential and significance of an adaptable gabion walls for landslide of a highway

construction and river training work was researched by Ferriolo F in the year of 1997. Due to its

capability and elasticity property, the gabion mattresses or crates plays a significant role in the

flooding areas including the ground sliding areas. The usage of gabion structure has its key

characteristics such as high resistant weight and its permeability. Also, according to the

researchers it also listed that the interior details of values properties and structure such as

diameter of wire gauge, open and double twisting, mesh size including galvanizing extent plays

an important role during the gabion structure implementation.

TYPES OF GABIONS

The form of gabion to be used in the field shall decide the specifications of the method in

the construction field or building in terms of efficiency and function. It is essential to analyze the

correct type of gabion. Types of Gabion commonly used today are gabion baskets, mattresses,

gabion wire mesh. Lastly, gabion sacks.

GABION MATTRESSES

Gabion mattresses are mostly used in the channel coating for obviate erosion. Gabion

height is shorter than the others types of measurement.

GABION SACK

This type of gabions is commonly used in hydraulic works in clutch situations and in

functional way and they formed quickly. Gabion sack has a penetrable and flexible structure.

GABION BASKET

Net wire mesh produced commonly in a box-shaped and different sizes. Gabion baskets

are often used in highway and railway works. Especially, Supplying the filling material form a

quarry close to worksite is an economical discretion.

GABION WIRE MESH

Gabion wire mesh are used for guiding the possible rock fall and stones on the highway

and railway surfaces and for conducting the material to toe area to keep stability of the slope

close to highway and railway.

Advantages

Endurance

Gabion walls oppose breakage and separation, Due to the Resilient of their wire mesh

Construction. It can endure constant wave pounding and slide flow without break down. The

gravel and rocks used in Gabion construction are essential to the environment and can endure

years of wear through water erosion.

Application

Gabion walls can be in the formation of pond and damn walls, as well as cladding for

buildings structures. Cement caps can be sort on the top of the gabion walls, corresponding to the

way sidewalks cap the top of the wall structures. Gabions can be used to acclimate compound

beds for slope stabilization, riverbanks and drainage channels.

Drainage

Due to the pebble and gravel constructions of gabions walls, the penetrable remain good,

allowing sufficient natural drainage of cast out, while lessen the speed of water be breaking it up

and clearing out the pressure over an extended area.

Aesthetics

Gabions structures have experienced a character for being an unsightly and unnatural in

river, pond and beach environment. The front-facing walls set in gentle and mechanical in

design, rather than form natural-looking rock barriers. Gabions where very thick and long walls

must be used to secure beach areas.

Disadvantages

Maintenances

For very tall gabion piles, any damage to the lower areas needs the removal of the upper

wall prominences, which can be extravagant and time-consuming.

Wall assembly and cost

Although gabion walls propose a good economic choice for most employments, they

remain more extravagant to invest than natural vegetated slopes. Gabion walls require heavy

equipment to make up, since mechanical lifting is required to set heavy walls portions in place.

Endurance

In specimen of high velocity streams and wave interaction, gabion wall wore mesh

baskets can erode and tear open, spilling the rock fill.

Inspection

Gabion walls must be inspected daily basis to guarantee their integrity. They must also be

inspected right away and evaluated after any storm, which has created heavier than normal water

flow.
 Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

Construction

Making of Gabion Mattresses

Assembly Installation,
Foundation
of Filling and
Fastening preparation
mattresses Closing

Assembly of mattresses

At first, open and unfold the folded units of the gabions into their original shape from the

initial bundle and placed on the hard-rigid surface. To form an open box shape, lift up the front,

back and end panels in a vertical position. The end panel should be folded and cover he mattress,

and all the edges and diaphragms of the panels are tied by either using lacing wire or ring

fasteners.

The assembly of gabion mattresses is usually, done close to the site, for example in a

local home or a clear space by the river, and transported to the installation location.

Fastening

Tying the edges of gabion mattress, ring fasteners should be installed at a maximum

spacing of 100mm apart. First, start or loop the lacing wire with the wire mesh, and looping can

be done through a single twist or double twist in an alternative way in approx. every 100mm.
second, pulling each loop tightly till the end of the edge of the panel and finally securing the end

with a proper twist with the wire mesh

Foundation preparation

The foundation where gabion mattresses are to be placed should not have irregularities on

its surface, loose material, or any vegetation and the location and slope elevation should follow

the project drawing.

Installation, filling and closing of mattress

After the assembly, the mattresses should be placed in the proper location and connected

to each other, as well as lined up before filling them with stones. The edges of empty cells should

be connected with lacing wire and ring fasteners. It is important to make sure that all adjacent

gabions are well laced together to protect the structure from failure due to loss of a compartment.

Appropriate size of stones is to be filled after. The stones have to be hard, round or

angular in shape, long lasting, and of a quality that can withstand the pressure of water

throughout the life of structure.

Stones are placed by hand. In slope areas, the stones are placed from bottom up. The

stones can range from 75mm to 150mm. small stones are also used to fill the spaces or gaps

between large stones.

In the closing section, level up the top uniformly. Fold the lid cover and pull the edges,

then tie strongly the edges to the top mesh of the diaphragm by using lacing wire. The cover

should be tightly laced all the edges, ends, and diaphragm of the mesh.
Analysis

Any analysis incorporates the field of mechanics along with the failure theories. To

perform an accurate analysis, we must gather information such as deformation calculation and

compressive strength test.

TESTING CONFIGURATIONS

Compressive Strength Test

The specimen we will use in this compression test will be a 20 x 20 x 20mm Gabion Box.

Three specimen will be use in the compression strength test for every batch.

Deformation Calculation

Determination of the change in length that have been produce by external forces and

changes in boxes as all.

The compressive strength machine does not calculate the deformation so we will use a

dial gauge. We will take the reading of the gauge every 5 seconds and we will record the results.

Procedure of experiment

1. Preparing all boxes

2. Filling the boxes by different aggregate size

3. Installing and fixing dial gauge

4. Placing the gabion box into compaction machine

5. Compressing the gabion box

6. Taking the measurements of load and dial gauge

7. Recording the data to analysis

References

Stevenson (2017) Advantages and Disadvantages of Gabions

https://healthfully.com/advantages-disadvantages-gabions-8496485.html

Baram Toprak, Ilker Kalkan, et al. (2016) Gabion walls and their use
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320564121_Gabion_Walls_And_Their_Use

Hamakareem. Gabions Type, Application and Advantage

https://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/gabion-types-uses/24459/

Kairl and Soebarto (2015) Limitations of Building Performance Simulation: Modelling Building
with Gabion walls
http://www.ibpsa.org/proceedings/BS2015/p2502.pdf

Heselden (2012) Gabions

http://www.ibpsa.org/proceedings/BS2015/p2502.pdf