Gabions

Maccaferri gabions are rectangular wire mesh baskets assembled and filled with stone on site. Once filled and connected, the units become large, flexible building blocks that can be used to construct retaining walls, bank protection systems, channel linings, weirs, erosion control structures, and other civil works.

The strength of the system comes from the combined mass of the stone and the structural integrity of the wire mesh units. At the same time, the baskets remain flexible enough to accommodate differential settlement and deformation without fracturing.

The open, rock-filled construction allows water to pass through the completed structure. This prevents hydrostatic pressure from building behind the gabion units and allows the structure to perform both drainage and retention functions.

GETSCO supplies Maccaferri gabion systems for commercial, industrial, transportation, drainage, and infrastructure projects. Our Geo Product Specialists can help evaluate basket dimensions, wire coating, stone selection, geotextile filtration, connection requirements, and installation conditions.

Gabion gravity walls are used for bank stabilization, erosion control, slope protection, and earth-retaining structures. Their stability relies on the structural integrity of the wire units and the mass of the stone fill to support or contain unstable soil.

Unlike rigid walls, gabion retaining structures can absorb differential settlement and deformation without cracking or losing their ability to perform. This flexibility makes them particularly useful where foundation conditions, erosion, or long-term settlement may create movement.

The open stone construction also provides natural drainage through the wall. Water can move through the completed structure instead of creating hydrostatic pressure behind an impermeable surface.

Gabion walls can be stepped, terraced, battered, or configured to match site geometry and loading conditions. They are commonly used along roadways, waterways, commercial sites, industrial facilities, slopes, and infrastructure corridors.

Gabion systems are used for permanent erosion control in channels, streambanks, spillways, and stable slopes exposed to surface runoff, concentrated flow, and hydraulic stress.

By confining stone within interconnected wire mesh units, gabion channel linings provide greater shear resistance and stone stability than loose riprap. The wire containment limits individual stone movement and helps the lining perform as a connected system.

Gabion linings are free draining and highly flexible. These characteristics allow the system to perform well where uneven foundations, settlement, erosion, or changing channel geometry could create problems for rigid lining systems.

Depending on the application, channel protection may use standard gabion baskets, lower-profile gabion mattresses, or a combination of both.

Gabion weirs are used for river training, stream grade control, water diversion, and the formation of reservoirs or controlled water levels.

Because gabion units combine mass, permeability, and flexibility, gabion weirs can withstand significant water velocities and erosive forces while adapting to limited settlement or foundation movement.

Vertical gabion weirs are among the simplest configurations and are often used for smaller hydraulic structures. A series of weirs can also be installed along a stream reach to reduce slope, control grade, dissipate energy, and manage flow conditions over a longer distance.

The configuration of a gabion weir should account for flow velocity, water depth, foundation conditions, downstream scour, energy dissipation, and anticipated hydraulic loading.

Green TerraMesh is an environmentally focused modular system designed for reinforced soil slopes, mechanically stabilized earth structures, and embankments where structural performance and a vegetated face are both project priorities.

The system incorporates an integrated formwork and facing assembly that creates a reinforced earth structure in combination with polyester geogrids and compacted structural backfill.

Green TerraMesh units include a factory-fitted biodegradable facing layer that retains quality topsoil at the face of the structure. This soil layer acts as a nutrient reservoir and supports vegetation establishment across the exposed surface.

The result is a reinforced slope or embankment that combines geosynthetic reinforcement with a more natural, green-faced appearance than conventional hard retaining structures.

GETSCO supplies welded wire baskets and support struts for temporary fabric wall and reinforced fill applications.

The welded wire mesh provides a consistent facing framework for temporary wall construction, while support struts help maintain the required face angle and geometry during placement and compaction of backfill.

Available configurations include 4-inch by 4-inch welded wire mesh panels measuring approximately 1.5 feet by 1.5 feet by 10 feet and bent to a 90-degree angle.

Baskets may be supplied in black or galvanized wire depending on the application and project requirements.

Gabions and reinforced soil systems should be evaluated as complete applications rather than isolated products. Long-term performance depends on proper coordination of wire units, reinforcement, stone or backfill, geotextile filtration, foundation preparation, drainage, connections, anchoring, and construction sequencing.

GETSCO helps contractors and engineers evaluate the complete system and identify the materials needed to support constructability and long-term performance.