Abstract
This study considered the possibility of using steel gabion baskets made of welded mesh for a soil-strengthening function. Examples of such applications are known for meshes made of wires with diameters from 6.3 to 12.7 mm and mesh openings from 125 to 225 mm. In the case of a welded grid, the pulling resistance of fine-grained soil consists of two factors: frictional resistance and bearing resistance. Therefore, for the purposes of this issue, a simplified laboratory pullout test was carried out with four types of welded steel grid (common in Europe) embedded in the fine sand. The geometry of the grid (opening size: 76.2 × 76.2 mm), the type of steel (low carbon steel, tensile strength from 500 to 700 MPa), the diameter of the wire (2.7–4.5 mm) and its cover (ZN + PVC or ZnAl) were taken into account during the analysis. It was unequivocally stated that as the stiffness of the steel grid itself increases, its strength increases during the pullout test, which is not so obvious in the case of popular steel woven meshes. In addition, it has been shown that steel welded meshes with wire diameters less than 6 mm are suitable for soil reinforcement in structures with gabion facing, and the determined apparent friction coefficient (μk = 0.39–1.47) takes values similar to the friction coefficient given in references for welded meshes of larger diameters. This is a positive premise for starting further research on the use of wires of smaller diameters for welded mesh production used as soil reinforcement.
Highlights
Retaining structures are used in the case of construction of buildings where there is a difference in ground level
Retaining structures made of gabion baskets, i.e., cuboidal steel mesh baskets filled with ballast material, constitute a method of direct reinforcement for the mechanical protection of slopes [2]
Soil reinforcement with steel welded meshes identical or similar to those used for gabion structures is a field for discussion among researchers dealing with these issues
Summary
Retaining structures are used in the case of construction of buildings where there is a difference in ground level. Another innovative solution is the use of gabion baskets in the design of a highly sustainable agricultural building (with a cellar), located in a farm in the south of the Tuscany region, Italy. Retaining structures made of gabion baskets, i.e., cuboidal steel mesh baskets filled with ballast material, constitute a method of direct reinforcement for the mechanical protection of slopes [2]. The history of their use in construction dates to the time of the pharaohs
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