While traveling around or by passing through someplace, we often notice that there are boxes of wires that are often piled up against the slopes that are located beside the river. We also see that they are being used to create a division of space separating the greener spaces from the roads. These boxes of wire with the piles of stone in them are also known as the Gabion boxes that are used in order to make the Gabion walls that are seen to be quite famous nowadays as we see that there is increased use and increased demand for these gabion boxes all around the world as they have been used for different purposes. For instance, the military has used them for solid walls and check posts. Engineers and constructors have used them in order to add strength to the structures. They are added to the river banks to create a partition as they are considered reliable structures that have various benefits.
The name itself is derived from the Italian word ‘gabion’, which means ‘a big cage.’ Thus, the name exactly describes what these Gabion boxes are. They are cage-like structures that have the filling of inorganic materials within them. These materials could be in the form of bricks, stones, and even concrete. Back in times, they were only used for the purpose of the protection of the structure and to add strength; thus, mainly, only the engineers, constructors, and military people used these. However, now we see that the transformed way in the form of Galvanized gabion boxes is being used to add decoration to the gardens and houses as it adds beauty.
Applications of Gabion Boxes
Nowadays, we get to see that gabion boxes are being used for various practical reasons. We see people adding them to the gardens to add to the beauty and aesthetics of the garden, in the landscaping of the urban spaces, towns, etc., and the areas around us.
They are also seen to be used for the formation of walls and pillars in the houses. This is because of the fact that people are admiring the beauty of natural things more now, and the addition of the natural substances in the gabion baskets add to the aesthetic look of the place.
They are used in construction for the formation of walls and division of area as they are an excellent source of the walls that are well strengthened and strong as these walls are highly durable.
They are used at the banks of the river and to partition the water bodies as these gabion boxes add to the beauty and make sure that there is no erosion of the land serving as the buffer for water features.
The military uses them to create protective and strong boundary walls built around sensitive areas and check posts.
Benefits of Using Gabion Boxes
Flexibility
ONE of the primary reasons the gabion walls are preferred to be used for a very long time is that they are incredibly durable and highly flexible. Even in the case of high stress, the maximum that could happen to a gabion box is that they can deform or compress, but it is significantly less likely to break. Being flexible in nature, they can lose the integrity of the structure, keeping it in its original shape.
Strength
Though the gabion boxes might not seem very strong and durable, they are powerful and can resist the changes that could be caused due to the effect of tension. And by the passage of time, they become even stronger based on the fact that by the passage of time, there comes a deposit of vegetation and silt between these gabions, which makes it even stronger by the time, forming a permanent structure. Thus, people also sometimes use them as tables and benches.
Permeability
The way the material is set inside a gabion box often leaves various spaces in between, especially in the case of the stone filling. This allows both the air and the water to pass from it. This allows the structure to breathe.
Cost-Effective
Gabion boxes that are made up of the galvanized mesh of wire are considered to be a very pocket-friendly option in terms of the factor of affordability. Most of the material that is filled in these gabion boxes is usually the material that is significantly cheaper and can be purchased locally as well thus. People often prefer using these gabion boxes in almost every place, ensuring stability in almost every place with a meager price.
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