Whether you’re looking for erosion control at your project or want to use them as other architectural elements in the building, gabions have a lot to offer. They not only prevent soil erosion on coasts but are also best in preventing slides or washouts. You can use different types of gabion baskets to eradicate stream-bank stabilization or road bank erosion problems. You can also use them as a building fence in civil or military applications.
They can easily blend with the local environment. Because they can drain water readily, they are highly stable as a retaining structure. Because of the easy availability of rocks and soils as infill, designers rely on them for high quality urban and landscape architecture. By designing and constructing gabion baskets properly, they can meet technical and architectural design criteria associated with a retaining wall.
But for effective use of gabions, you must select the right type of materials for gabion supply depending on the area of application and project-specific requirements. Most common materials include galvanized steel, stainless steel, raw steel, PVC coated steel, and copolymer plastic.
Below are different types of gabions and their specific applications in different environments:
Galvanized Steel Gabions
These gabions are of pre-galvanized welded steel wire mesh. They show excellent results for protection against harsh elements and is thus the most common type. Galvanic protection on gabion wires has proven to be more serviceable with its inherent corrosion control and high resistance to extreme UV atmosphere. They tend to have a useful life of 10 to 25 years. However, it depends on many factors that include the time it remained covered by water, salt in water, and pollution in the air.
Because of the plethora of benefits, you can use them in typical as well as specialized applications. Experts prefer this type for shelving and partitions, agriculture, wall décor, and custom onsite gabion construction.
PVC coated steel Gabions
They are woven gabions in which the steel core wires are fuse bonded with PVC coating after hot-dip galvanizing and applying primer. They make solid and rigid structure wire that can be double or triple twisted depending on the application. The PVC coating layer provides added protection for use in environments where soil or water is acidic or polluted. Protective coating prevents the risk of corrosion and is ideal for retaining application both in salt or freshwater.
PVC coating can be made into different colors and are also beneficial for various decorative applications.
Stainless Steel Gabions
Without the need for any extra process, stainless steel gabions have great natural features. Their looks are easily compatible with architectural designs and are available in a range of mesh sizes depending on the material used as a fill. They’re fire-resistant and don’t require extensive care. Other advantages include; no splitting, cracking, and termites.
They are resistant to corrosion or rust. For applications around the ocean or highly corrosive soil, marine-grade stainless steel gabion materials can improve the project life cycle.
Polypropylene Plastic Gabions
In contrast to conventional steel wire gabions, these UV-stabilized polypropylene gabions are a more affordable option that gives you long-term strength while allowing for flexibility in rough or uneven areas. They are an eco-friendly option and are non-reactive for the marine environment. Such a gabion can act as an armor layer for the infill structure.
They are ideal for water bodies where wave energy dissipation is needed for protection across coastal areas. They also help in scour-protection and the integrity of the structure protected. Their flexibility allows adjustment of the placed gabion with any movement or displacement of the underlying structure.
Raw Steel Gabions
If you need an original rustic look like in a specialized architectural element, raw steel gabions are cheap and readily available. But they may only have a lifespan of 5 years or less depending on the severity of the environmental conditions. You can apply paint or powder coating to increase the lifespan.
