Introduction to Gabion Construction

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Introduction to Gabion Construction
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This training was prepared by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) team of Otto Gonzalez-USDA
Foreign Agricultural Service (Team Leader), Jon
Fripp (Civil Engineer) and Chris Hoag (Wetland
Plant Ecologist)-USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (Civil Engineers). Fripp and
Hoag were the primary authors of this material.
The U.S. AID provided funding support for the
USDA team.
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Gabions are also good to use if1 - A required
stone or riprap size is larger than what is
available.2 - A vertical wall is needed

• Check Dams can be built with many different types
  of materials
• Rock
• Logs
• Metal
• Concrete
• Gabions
• others

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What is a gabion?
Answer A gabion is a big wire box full of small
stone.
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The wire baskets can be purchased or locally
constructed
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• The Basket is construct so it can be folded into
  a box
• Edges need thicker wire (hem)

Hem
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The hem is used to tie the box together
Hem
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• Woven wire should be 0.3 cm (0.115 inch) thick
• Woven opening should be 8 to 12 cm
• Hem should be 0.4 cm (0.153 inch) thick
• Should not exceed 1 m without an inside wall

Inside wall
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Straight edges
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Assembly of the baskets includes fastening the
edges and inside wall before placing
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Lace the hems on the sides with wire
Double half-hitches at spacing between 8 to 15 cm.
Lacing wire is 0.2 cm
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HITCH SPACING
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LACING WIRE
The hems must be tightly held together
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DOUBLE HALF HITCH
Double Half Hitch
Clove Hitch
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LACING BASKETS WITH WIRE
NOT this!
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Can use rings to quickly assemble
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Use a machine to close ring
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A cheaper way is to use a Clute
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It is not as strong so use more
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Unless you have a big crane, it is best to place
the basket then fill with stone
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Stone Size
The stone must be larger than the opening of the
wire mesh
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These stones are too small
The basket may not hold them
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Can use smaller stone in middle

• But the stones on the outside must larger than
  the opening
• Workers may mix this up so be careful. Need good
  supervision

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Fill in layers

• Place internal wires every 0.5 meter

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Place Stones carefully on the outside so that the
face is uniform.Basket should be full but not
buldging
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Assemble Gabions Like a Brick Wall
Like this
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Not like this
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Plants can be placed between gabions
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Test time!
Do you see anything wrong in this picture?
Answer lacing
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Do you see anything wrong in this picture?
Answer Rock size too small on surface
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What is the problem here?
Answer not filled completely, also some rocks
are too big and some too small
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Do you see anything wrong in this picture?
Answer Nothing, but joints are close, but
overlapping joints are hard to achieve
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Do you see anything wrong in this picture?
Answer Nothing, good joints, rock size, fill
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Do you see anything wrong in this picture?
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The End