This steel wire woven is made with a double twisting technique that forms a hexagon-shaped hole. This webbing is tied tightly between the sides so that it is not easily damaged. This woven bond makes the gabions able to hold the soil so that landslides or erosion do not occur. The wire used is made of galvanized steel so that the wire doesn't rust easily.
The function of the gabions that occurs is to protect and strengthen the soil structure around the cliffs so that they do not slide, river banks and embankments. Gabions can also be used as dam formers to increase the volume of river water.
The riverbanks can experience erosion due to the heavy and continuous currents. Here, gabions will function as guardians of the riverbank area from the river flow so that the riverbanks will not be easily destroyed.
This galvanized wire has anti-rust material. The material resembles chrome so it will be strong against erosion. Another wire is a wire made of PVC material. This wire is coated with a semi-plastic material on the outside so that it looks more attractive and can add aesthetic value.
Compared to galvanized coated wire, wire made of PVC material is far superior. In addition to a more attractive color, this wire has 2 layers so it is stronger than galvanized coated wire. In addition, the resistance to rust and acid content is high enough so that it is suitable to be built on the edge of the sea and durable for a long time. Just like when choosing the type of brick in a building, the choice of wire material is very important.
When you want to choose wire for making gabions, you can use wire that is fabricated using a machine with Indonesian National Standard wire material or SNI with maintained quality. You can also adjust the wire size, the size of the webbing, the type of winding, and the type of wire you need.
Compared to other retaining constructions such as those made of concrete, gabions have several advantages. First, gabions are flexible so they can follow the movement of the soil underneath without destroying the basic construction.
Second, the pile of stones in the gabion allows air to flow between them, which reduces soil pressure and reduces the risk of landslides. Especially for buildings that are around the cliff. Third, the price of gabions is much more economical than concrete supports. The wire was easy to find, as were the filling stones. This economical price is also based on manufacturing techniques and shipping costs because it is very light in weight compared to concrete.
The next advantage is that it is simple to work with without the use of high-tech machines, only simple woodworking tools such as pliers and craftsmen's craftsmanship. The weight of the wire is relatively light so it is easy to carry anywhere through any terrain.
In addition, easy-to-make wire is easier to apply anywhere in any form. It is straight or circular, it doesn't matter. The size can be adjusted according to the needs in the field. Lastly and most importantly, gabions are very environmentally friendly because of the natural stone used as the main ingredient.
In this world nothing is perfect, including gabions. The drawback of gabions is that if you use wire made of galvanized steel, then gabions are not suitable for use in areas that have air with high salt content or high acid levels such as the seaside. The next drawback is the construction of gabions which sometimes have to be made in wide areas because if they are made in small sizes, gabion lines cannot function properly to withstand landslides or erosion.
