What You Need to Know
Since gabions and revet mattresses are commonly used in civil engineering practices, there are established standards for their manufacturing and use. The two most common sources for standards are from the European Committee for Standardization and ASTM International.
EN 10223-3
EN 10223-3 is the European standard focused on hexagonal mesh products, published by the CEN. It covers rolls of mesh, gabion boxes, revet mattresses, and gabion sacks. Mesh characteristics are described and test methods, in particular for tensile strength, are given. A major difference between this standard and the North American standard is that no puncture test is required. A second standard is available for welded wire mesh gabions as EN 10223-8.
ASTM A975
In North America, the standard covering the wire properties and manufacturing of gabions and mattresses is ASTM A975-11. As previously mentioned, it closely resembles the European standard but has an additional puncture test of the mesh. What it does not cover are rolls of hexagonal mesh or gabion sacks, though it is often applied in for these products where applicable. Other standards relating to gabions are also available for welded wire gabions (A974), standard practice for assembly and placement (D7014) and standard practice for specifying fill materials (D6711).
References
● CEN (2013) EN 10223-3: Steel wire and wire products for fencing and netting. Part 3 – Hexagonal steel wire mesh products for civil engineering purposes. European Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium.
● CEN (2013) EN 10223-8: Steel wire and wire products for fencing and netting. Part 8 – Welded mesh gabion products. European Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium.
● ASTM (2010) ASTM D7014 Standard Practice for Assembly and Placement of Double-Twisted Wire Mesh Gabions and Revet Mattresses. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA.
● ASTM (2015) ASTM D6711 Standard Practice for Specifying Rock to Fill Gabions, Revet Mattresses, and Gabion Mattresses. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA.
● ASTM (2016) ASTM A975 Standard Specification for Double–Twisted Hexagonal Mesh Gabions and Revet Mattresses (Metallic-Coated Steel Wire or Metallic-Coated Steel Wire With Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Coating). ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA.
● ASTM (2016) ASTM A974 Standard Specification for Welded Wire Fabric Gabions and Gabion Mattresses (Metallic-Coated or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Coated). ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA.