Project: Northern Expressway Detention Basin
Location: South Australia
Client: Ecodynamics / T&J Constructions
Product: TerraStop® Gabion and Mattress
Project Overview
In March 2017, Polyfabrics Australasia was contracted to supply the TerraStop Gabion and Mattresses for installation on a spillway on the Northern Expressway Detention Basin. The project was the first large-scale implementation of both products, which utilised 528 of Gabion Baskets and 253 of mattresses.
Key Challenges
The gabion baskets and mattresses were installed in a runway which was 85m long and had 3 meters of high stepped embankments. The key challenge of the project was working in a “live” creek for the first six weeks, with limited access for machinery in the creek invert. The pre-existing structure also had significant differences in widths and levels where the products had to be tied-in. The project also required custom shaping of the structure around 1.5m and 300mm stormwater pipes.
The Solution
Despite the above obstacles, Ecodynamics successfully completed the task ahead of the stipulated 9-week schedule, within budget and without incident. Their success can be attributed to the brilliant workmanship and the ease of applying such a well-designed and well-constructed material.
The evolutionary TerraStop® Gabion and Mattresses create flexible, durable and permanent structures that resist erosive forces. These materials work together by resisting large pressures that can cause overturning. These hexagonal steel-wire mesh cages are typically heavily galvanized and can also come with a superior, PVC coating with an estimated design life of 120 years on the PVC extruded coating. The TerraStop® can also be zinc-galvanized which assists in reducing chances of corrosion in highly corrosive conditions such as those experienced in marine environments.
The Outcome
The team at Ecodynamics were impressed with the superior quality of the TerraStop® Gabion and Mattresses, given this was the first major implementation of the products.
Chris Francis, Site Project Manager at Ecodynamics said, “The TerraStop® range of Geotextiles and Gabions were readily accepted by the client. The ease of application of the gabions made the construction process as streamlined as possible. In addition to the full added certificate of conformance for the product range offered, it was easy for our customer to see we were using the highest performing product available.”
