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Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 3:33 pm
by orson
I've got a personal project starting and what started out as simply clearing a "relief channel" for a tiny brook is turning into a significant task. We need to build a retaining wall on both sides of a tiny brok that flows through a property we are renovating. Having gone through all the possibilities, we have opted for using Gabion cages. Has anyone on here ever constructed a retaining wall using this method. On the surface this looks simple, "fill a steel mesh cage with rocks, put the next cage on top and fill that up". I would be glad to hear any tips or pitfallls that people have come across.
Regards
Orson
Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 3:39 pm
by higgness
Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 3:54 pm
by orson
Hi Higgness, thanks for the info. I've had a good look online, there's even a couple of cage suppliers that will provide a "free" design, calculation and checking service, presumably if you then buy the cages from them! What I really want is info from people that have built this type of retaining wall, what to be mindful of etc. I'm really going way outside my comfort zone on this job.
Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 5:32 pm
by msh paving
its not as easy as it looks , the mesh cages need making up in situ, they fold up and then are wire tied together,the biggest issue is keeping them in shape or box shape,
the stone need to be put in carfully to avoid missshape no over filled hand packed then fold top over and wire tie, once stone is in you cannot lift them about,if laid well they can look very good straight and tru with a nice local stone in them,
for a brook you would not need a very big cage , but dont for get you need to control the water flow while working digging out to fit them and stopping the bank falling in all the time
i would consider damming the water and over pumping it so its easy to work
MSH 
Edited By msh paving on 1377880425
Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 10:31 pm
by GB_Groundworks
done loads of them easy once you know what you are doing. if seen hand stack the front/visable sides then fill, if only functional then just fill them,
get teh welded ones not the woven ones,
we now use our rebar tying guns to tie them but a trick we found, wear some good work gloves and thread in and out of the edge you are stiching and thread and yank and if you do it quickly the wire warms up and makes it easier to work
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 3:01 pm
by henpecked
We had a big spring on the last job to tie them. You line it up over the corners, then twist it and it links the two corners all the way down. The tieing is cheaper, not sure if the 'spring' is still available.
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 3:02 pm
by henpecked
We had a big spring on the last job to tie them. You line it up over the corners, then twist it and it links the two corners all the way down. The tieing is cheaper, not sure if the 'spring' is still available.
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:01 pm
by GB_Groundworks
you can make your own spirrals wrapping around a broom handle
Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 5:35 pm
by orson
MSH and GBG, thanks for the info. This job is starting to have a life of its own!!! Having fully cleared the channel, we now have three land drains that empty into it. My latest calculation show around 60 cages of various sizes required and around 80/90 ton of stone. Plus one side of the channel needs another solution to Gabions. I'm going to post some pictures of the "before" phase of the job for suggestions.