How Does a Gabion Work

The purpose of a gabion revetment is to provide short term (5-10 years) protection from backshore erosion by absorbing wave energy along the dune face. Their application is restricted to the upper part of sandy beaches, since they are not sufficiently durable to withstand regular direct wave action.

What are the disadvantages of a gabions?

Disadvantages/Problems Gabions are more expensive than either vegetated slopes or riprap. The wire baskets used for gabions may be subject to heavy wear and tear due to wire abrasion by bedload movement in streams with high velocity flow. Difficult to install, requiring large equipment.

Will a gabion wall fall over?

Despite following all of the advice above, if the gabions are of poor quality it is inevitable that the gabion wall will fail over time.