Gabion footings

[balerboy]

Hello all,
This is my first post and any advice would be great!
I am a small contractor and have been asked to quote for a retaining wall on a private caravan site next to a lake floodplane, silt at the foot of the proposed wall is some 5 feet deep and the area is always 1 foot deep in water, customer likes the gabion idea but i am unsure how to proceed with footings?
Thanks

 

[GabionGuy]

balerboy,

The footing will depend upon a number of factors (grading, surcharge loading, water levels, etc.)

I would contact the local Maccaferri office. They will be able to provide you some design and construction assistance.

 

[LHA]

Careful, though. Gabion, segmental block wall, package pump station and site lighting vendors - and other vendors, I'm sure - will readily give you "...design and construction assistance." They will also not charge you for this "assistance". I have never, however, gotten any of them to seal and calcs or details they have provided me. It will still be up to you to seal the design, and take on the liability. So, make sure what they give you is in a format/uses procedures you are comfortable reviewing and sealing. It is not a problem if the design is in your discipline; I have review pump station calcs provided, agreed or editted to my liking and sealed them. But. I am not a Structural or Geotech Eng, so I could not seal a structural gabion or its footing.

Engineering is the practice of the art of science - Steve

 

[GabionGuy]

lha,

Some, but not all vendors, can address this request. The vendor can retain an outside consultant to review and seal the required drawings and calculations. It will typically be an extra cost, but it can be done when requested.

Be very careful if the vendor is not prepared to do this. What are they trying to hide?

 

[blueoak]

I have seen good stuff from maccaferi, but then I have had others review it also.

I am not sure of your wall height, but if it is silty or sandy I have seen plastic sheetpiles work really nicely.

http://www.seasafe.com/literature/Korlock.pdf

Typically in municipalities near little ponds and lakes, but the project I was on they went in very nicely. I like gabions, but if kids are around you have to remember all the wires.