1. 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. 9 Introduction to Gabion Construction

2. Gabions are also good to use if: 1 - 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

3. What is a gabion? Answer: A gabion is a big wire box full of small stone.

4. The wire baskets can be purchased or locally constructed

5. The Basket is construct so it can be folded into a box Edges need thicker wire (hem) Hem

6. The hem is used to tie the box together Hem

7. 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

8. Straight edges

9. Assembly of the baskets includes fastening the edges and inside wall before placing

10. Lace the hems on the sides with wire Double half-hitches at spacing between 8 to 15 cm. Lacing wire is 0.2 cm

11. HITCH SPACING

12. LACING WIRE The hems must be tightly held together

13. DOUBLE HALF HITCH Double Half Hitch Clove Hitch

14. LACING BASKETS WITH WIRE NOT this!

15. Can use rings to quickly assemble

16. Use a machine to close ring

17. A cheaper way is to use a “Clute”

18. It is not as strong so use more

19. Unless you have a big crane, it is best to place the basket then fill with stone

20. Stone Size The stone must be larger than the opening of the wire mesh

21. These stones are too small The basket may not hold them

22. 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

23. Fill in layers Place internal wires every 0.5 meter

24. Place Stones carefully on the outside so that the face is uniform. Basket should be full but not buldging

25. Assemble Gabions Like a Brick Wall Like this

26. Not like this

27. Plants can be placed between gabions

28. Do you see anything wrong in this picture? Test time! Answer: lacing

29. Do you see anything wrong in this picture? Answer: Rock size too small on surface

30. What is the problem here? Answer: not filled completely, also some rocks are too big and some too small

31. Do you see anything wrong in this picture? Answer: Nothing, but joints are close, but overlapping joints are hard to achieve

32. Do you see anything wrong in this picture? Answer: Nothing, good joints, rock size, fill

33. Do you see anything wrong in this picture?

34. The End