EDITORIAL

ZAF / ED / 045: Eng - Rev. 03, Nov 2007

GABION SOFTWARE USED FOR WEIR DESIGN

ELANDS RIVER, MACHADODORP, MPUMALANGA
HYDRAULIC & EROSION CONTROL
Weirs & Groynes
Editorial published in:
Construction World, March 2004
SAICE Civil Engineering, May 2004
Civil Engineering Contractor, July 2004

GMH/TSWELEO Consulting Engineers were recently

appointed by Nkangala District Municipality to
design and supervise the construction of a weir
structure across the Elands River in Machadodorp home to Mpumalangas renowned trout fishing
village.
The main reason for the installation of the weir was for water
extraction with, as the secondary objective, the creation of a
pristine environment in which trout anglers could revel.
GMH/TSWELEO
Consulting
Engineers
approached
Maccaferri/African Gabions to assist with the preliminary
design of a 45m long gabion weir with a 1,5m high crest
elevation. Maccaferri/African Gabions Macra 2 software was
used to carry out the initial analysis.

PVC coated gabion weir structure with Reno mattress scour

protection

This programme was developed by Maccaferri/African Gabions

to provide engineers with a rapid and efficient tool in
conducting hydraulic and static analysis of different weir types
built with the companys manufactured products.
Adriano Gilli, Maccaferri/African Gabions sales and marketing
manager, says that the decision to opt for a gabion solution
was based on a number of important considerations. In the
first instance, the gabion option proved to be by far the most
cost-effective solution. Design flexibility was also achieved as
the double twist hexagonal mesh configuration allowed the
structure to tolerate differential settlement without fracture.

Primary and Secondary

Crest Elevations

500
Compacted Backfill

4000

6x2x0.3 PVC Coated

Reno Mattress

2000
PVC Coated
Gabion Units

Cross section

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Concrete Capped Gabions

300

Gilli says that the smaller mesh aperture provided greater

security of confinement for the broad spectrum of gabion rock
encountered and thereby reducing wastage.

PVC Coated Gabion

Crest Walls

500

All wire products supplied by Maccaferri/African Gabions for

this project were manufactured using double twist hexagonal
woven mesh, which complies locally with SANS 1580:2005,
thereby ensuring the structures durability. The wire used to
manufacture the mesh is Class A zinc-galvanised,
manufactured according to SANS 675:1997, and is heat
bonded with heavy duty grey PVC coating of nominal 0,5mm
wall thickness. For the Reno mattresses 60 x 80 nominal
mesh (2,2mm wire) was used.

Vertical weir used for water extraction purposes and creating a

trout fishing paradise

1000

Permeability was another key consideration since hydrostatic

heads do not develop behind gabion structures because of
their permeable nature. Maccaferri/African Gabions AG 150
polyester, non-woven compact needle-punched geotextile was
used as the separation and filtration medium behind and below
all gabions and Reno mattresses.

Gabion AG 150 Geotextile

(Compact, needle-punched)

In addition, the PVC coating provided complete protection to

the zinc-galvanising, minimising the risk of abrasion
sometimes caused by sediments being carried in suspension
in the water. All construction methods were covered by
SANS 1200DK and COLTO specifications.
Hands-on installation training was provided by Maccaferri/
African Gabions during the construction phase of the project
to familiarise the site staff with construction methods adopted
by SANS 1200DK, COLTO and Maccaferri/African Gabions.

As for fauna, gabion structures do not significantly change an

ecosystem in which they are constructed. They do not stop
natural flows of water or the flourishing of native vegetation. So
they do not harm biological communities ranging, in rivers, from
plankton to fish - in this case, trout - or on land, ranging from
decomposing micro-organisms to larger animals, Gilli explains.
The contract for the construction of the weir was awarded to
DD Gama Ndlovu Construction who completed the 146m of
PVC coated gabion and Reno mattress installation in just five
weeks.

As time passes, the gabion structures will integrate with the

environment, and empty spaces between the rocks will be
filled with soil and seeds. These will in turn foster vegetation
growth, recreating the pre-existing environment.

Corresponding advert

Maccaferri SA (Pty) Ltd

HEAD OFFICE - DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

P O Box 15777, Westmead, 3608 Tel: +27-31-700 8456 Fax: +27-31-700 8469 e-mail: dbnsales@maccaferri.co.za
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

P O Box 2285, North Riding, 2162 Tel: +27-11-704 0160 Fax: +27-11-704 0159 e-mail: jhbsales@maccaferri.co.za
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

P O Box 22150, Fish Hoek, 7974 Tel: +27-21-702 1416 Fax: +27-21-702 2977 e-mail: cptsales@maccaferri.co.za
MADAGASCAR

BP 168 Antananarivo 101, Madagascar Tel: +261-20-22-231 02 Fax: +261-20-22-553 90 e-mail: maccaferri@moov.mg

www.maccaferri.co.za

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