Gabion
rating: 0+x

Basic Information

A gabion1 is a basket like object used as a military engineering tool. Generally the gabion is either built where required or transported to site empty (and folded flat in some cases), where it is then filled with earth, stones or sand.

The filled gabion can then be used as an obstacle, as cover or to help reduce an obstacle such as a moat or ditch. Alternative uses include re-inforcement for earth walls and cuttings or as the basis for an escalade ramp. They can also be used for flood control or erosion protection, protecting river banks, docksides and bridge piers from water damage. In some ways, the gabion is essentially a giant sandbag.

The typical historical gabion was a cylindrical basket 3'-5' in height and open at at least one end. Until the very recent past, gabions tended to be made of wicker or woven branches although modern versions - such as the Hesco used by HM Forces - are made of plastic or metal and can be quite large in size, usually being designed to be handled and filled by heavy plant. These modern designs are more regularly shaped and generally stackable, allowing relatively complex constructions to be made from them. A typical Hesco might consist of a two meter cube of metal mesh, closed at the sides and bottom and lined with heavy duty sackcloth to help contain the contents.

Sources

Bibliography
1. full source reference

Game and Story Use

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License