In the thriving city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, a significant project is taking shape to fortify and protect an area that suffered damage from last year’s floods. Michael Thom, the esteemed Branch Manager of Gabion Baskets in Pinetown, KZN, took us through this river wall construction, which is being erected for National NDT Services. In this blog post, let’s walk through the details of this vital project that Gabion Baskets is proudly contributing to.

A Protective Solution

While Gabion Baskets has not engaged in the actual construction, it has played an essential role by supplying top-quality materials for the project. Specifically, Gabion Baskets provided 80 x 100 x 2.7-millimetre Class-A galvanized baskets, which are crucial in building the river wall. These galvanized baskets ensure resilience and durability, which are imperative for construction that has to withstand the forces of nature.

The Structure

The river wall, situated upstream, is an impressive structure extending 80 metres in length and towering at 7 meters tall. This colossal wall is constructed to retain grounds that endured substantial damage following the floods in April last year.

The construction team is actively working on building a manhole at one end of the site. This manhole is essential as it will channel down through the gabion and then into the river. Moreover, the team has plans to implement a reno mattress at the base for the pipe to drain efficiently.

The Road Ahead

As Michael Thom guides us downstream, he points out that a passageway is formed. This pathway is essential for trucks to cross the river to transport fill. Moreover, it facilitates the movement of machinery such as TLBs for loading trucks with backfill.

Once the filling process is completed, the wall will extend further and will be keyed into the embankment. This strategic move is designed to thwart scour around the gabion and prevent it from collapsing into the river.

The height of certain sections of the wall is expected to be raised by an additional metre or half, ensuring it is level with the adjacent fencing.

Gabion Baskets’ contributions to this project highlight the critical role of high-quality materials in construction, especially in projects as significant as this. The incorporation of Gabion Baskets’ galvanized baskets ensures that this structure will remain steadfast and continue to protect the lands and properties for many years to come.