An articulated concrete block system that includes a gabion mattress drainage layer. The two major components of the system reduce the effects of erosion and increase the hydraulic stability in areas that experience high velocity water flows, hydraulic jumps, and will dissipate wave energy action for shoreline and coastal erosion. Geosynthetics are first placed on the ground surface, followed by a gabion mattress drainage layer, a smaller aggregate layer for fine grading, another optional geosynthetic layer, and then the articulated concrete blocks overlie the system.

An erosion prevention system, a cell assembly and a kit of parts for such a system, and methods of making and installing such an erosion prevention system is disclosed. A cell assembly (2501) may comprise a plurality of cells (2520a, 2520b, 2520c) for containment of rock pieces, each cell having a bottom, sides/ends and a top each formed from wire mesh. A continuous length of wire mesh may wrap around and defines the upper, lower (2502) and end faces (2503a, 2503b) of the cell assembly (2501), the ends of the length being fastened together at an overlapping join positioned on the upper and/or end of the cell assembly. The continuous length of chain-link wire mesh may extend beyond at least one side face (2503d) of the cell assembly, thereby being configured to overlap at least a portion of the lower, upper and end faces of a corresponding second cell assembly when positioned side by side. The wire mesh may be chain-link wire mesh.

A hexagonal wire netting (7), a process for manufacturing such a wire netting and a device for manufacturing a hexagonal wire netting (7), the device comprising an assembly of tubes (5) for leading the wires (I) of which every other is twisted into a spiral shape, a spindle (6) assembly and a drum (8) receiving the wire netting (7), the drum (8) being provided with detent elements (21). Between each tube (5) leading the spirally twisted wire (I) and the cooperating spindle (6) a straightening guide (IO, IO′) is located having an inlet opening (13, 15) cooperating with the tube (5) and an outlet opening (12, 20) cooperating with the spindle (6). The detent elements (21 are arranged on the drum (8) in such a way that the produced wire netting (7) has meshes in which the proportion of the width (A) to the length (B) is less than 0.75.

An erosion prevention system, a cell assembly and a kit of parts for such a system, and methods of making and installing such an erosion prevention system is disclosed. A cell assembly (2501) may comprise a plurality of cells (2520a, 2520b, 2520c) for containment of rock pieces, each cell having a bottom, sides/ends and a top each formed from wire mesh. A continuous length of wire mesh may wrap around and defines the upper, lower (2502) and end faces (2503a, 2503b) of the cell assembly (2501), the ends of the length being fastened together at an overlapping join positioned on the upper and/or end of the cell assembly. The continuous length of chain-link wire mesh may extend beyond at least one side face (2503d) of the cell assembly, thereby being configured to overlap at least a portion of the lower, upper and end faces of a corresponding second cell assembly when positioned side by side. The wire mesh may be chain-link wire mesh.

A free-standing bracing tie is used for reinforcing a mattress type structure constructed with a metal mesh and intended for civil protection works. The bracing tie includes a main structure having a lower portion for connection to a base sheet of mesh of the mattress type structure and an upper portion for connection to a covering sheet of mesh of the mattress type structure. The lower portion and the upper portion are connected to each other by one or more bracing tie branches located in a main plane of the main structure. At least one support member is connected to the main structure so as to extend out of the main plane to produce a three-dimensional bracing tie structure capable of standing alone. The bracing tie can be closed for storage and transport and can be opened at the location for positioning the mattress type structure.

A hexagonal wire netting (7), a process for manufacturing such a wire netting and a device for manufacturing a hexagonal wire netting (7), the device comprising an assembly of tubes (5) for leading the wires (1) of which every other is twisted into a spiral shape, a spindle (6) assembly and a drum (8) receiving the wire netting (7), the drum (8) being provided with &tent elements (21). Between each tube (5) leading the spirally twisted wire (I) and the cooperating spindle (6) a straightening guide (IO, IO′) is located having an inlet opening (13, 15) cooperating with the tube (5) and an outlet opening (12, 20) cooperating with the spindle (6). The detent elements (21) are arranged on the drum (8) in such a way that the produced wire netting (7) has meshes in which the proportion of the width (A) to the length (B) is less than 0.75.

A vegetation partition wire mesh, for use in the vicinity of shores, coasts or roads, includes an outer wire mesh formed by upwardly bending left and right ends of a planar wire mesh, first partition wire meshes formed by upwardly bending front and rear ends of the planar wire mesh, and inner barriers. The first partition wire meshes are fixed inside the outer wire mesh while forming outer walls at front and rear ends thereof. Outer wire mesh nonwoven fabric along the inner surface of the outer wire mesh covers the outer wire mesh. A first partitioning nonwoven fabric along inner surfaces of the upwardly bent portions of the first partition wire meshes covers the upwardly bent portions of the first partition wire meshes. A mixture of soil and seeds is spread at high pressure to fill the inside of the outer wire mesh divided into a plurality of spaces.

A metal net having entwined metal wires defining the meshes of the metal net comprises at least one elongate sensor element fixed integrally to the metal net, inserted into the net during the production thereof. The elongate sensor element may comprise a wire of a material having a low coefficient of variation of the resistivity and a high gauge factor, preferably formed from constantan, or else may be of the optical fibre or composite fibre type.

A bag assembly for repairing a receded bank includes a fabric bag having a closable opening; and a mesh cover surrounding the bag. The bag assembly is filled with a fill material and has an end portion that is fastened to remain closed. The mesh cover can be applied over and around the bag after the bag is filled. The mesh cover is resistant to penetration by burrowing animals, such as muskrats. A method is described for restoring a bank on a body of water that is resistant to burrowing animals and includes the steps of: stacking a plurality of courses of bag assemblies to form a wall spaced from a face of a receded bank, wherein each bag assembly comprises a fabric bag filled with fill material and surrounded by a mesh cover; and filling the void between the wall and the receded bank with fill material. The method can include the further step of before the step of stacking bag assemblies, placing a blanket of mesh over the face of the receded bank.

A ground stabilisation system, a cell assembly and a kit of parts for such a system, and methods of making and installing such cell assemblies are disclosed. A cell assembly (1701) comprises a rock containment cell having a bottom, first and second sides, first and second ends and a top each formed from chain-link wire mesh, wherein a first continuous sheet of mesh (1710) wraps around and defines the upper, lower and end faces of the cell assembly and is joined end to end by an overlapping join. The first side face is defined by a continuous length of chain-link wire mesh that at least partially wraps around another adjacent face of the cell assembly, and the second side face of the cell assembly is defined by a continuous length of chain-link wire mesh that at least partially wraps around another adjacent face of the cell assembly. The mesh defining the first and second side faces may be a single continuous sheet (1720).