Flexible gabions fix flood-affected Brisbane boardwalk

The Project

Due to the recent widespread flooding throughout Brisbane, a boardwalk that joins the Arcare retirement complex in Springwood to several adjoining streets was severely undermined. 

The boardwalk, owned by Logan City Council, features a creek that runs alongside it, and this had become swollen and flooded in the recent rain events in early 2022. The concrete piers were exposed and the surrounding bank was at risk of further erosion. 

The Council needed to find a repair solution that would stabilise the boardwalk and prevent future erosion of the bank.  

The Challenges

The site angled down towards the creek making it steep and very difficult to access. This meant that traditional gabions baskets could not be used, as they could not be filled or installed on the site. A creative solution was required and Polyfabrics was able to assist with Fastrock Flexible Gabions. 

Our Solution

Fastrock bags are flexible net gabions made from polymer ropes for outstanding strength. These bags were filled with rock off-site and then craned into position from a vacant block adjoining the retirement village.

The 2T fast rock bags were positioned on the downward slope forming a retaining barrier which was then filled with concrete to help stabilise the exposed piers. 

Fastrock gabion bags are ideal for underwater and coastal protection works and can be filled with rocks or boulders in-situ, or the gabions can be prefilled and installed in place with the help of suitable equipment. 

Stacked adjacent to each other, the gabion bags are available in 2T or 4T variants, and they form a continuous structure that offers in excess of 25 years design life. 

Fitted with an SWL-rated lifting ring, the FRN gabion bags are easy to handle with a single-point lifting arrangement and can be installed along river banks and streams to control erosion and promote vegetation growth in the surrounding environment.

The fast rock bags will assist with managing future flood events, minimising erosion caused by large volumes of water.