COMPARISON NOTE

Ref: INT / CN_DT_004 - Rev. 00, Nov 2018

GABIONS AND MATTRESS vs. RIPRAP

1- PREFACE
This Technical Note is aimed to compare RenoTM mattresses to loose stone rip rap revetments.

The study called “Hydraulic Tests to Develop Design Criteria for the Use of Reno Mattresses” is the
reference study for the application of Maccaferri Reno mattress/gabion in the river engineering. It gives
indeed the reference knowledge about the behavior of mattresses under hydraulic loads and gives
reference design criteria for mattresses and gabions as well. The tests have been conducted at the
Hydraulics Laboratory of the Engineering Research Center, Colorado State University in USA.

These tests, conducted in 1984, covered the following points:

• The distribution of speed and pressure in the current section and under the Reno mattresses.
• The determination of roughness coefficient.
• Analysis of the turbulence phenomena.
• Evaluation of the stability of revetments subjected to different flow conditions.
• Identification of incipient motion of mattresses as well as understand mattresses deformations when
subjected to very high flow currents.
• Development of design criteria suitable to mattress protection designs.

The structures tested are gabions and RenoTM mattresses manufactured by the Maccaferri factories in
accordance with the European standard EN 10223-3.

2 – CARRIED OUT TEST

The tests were performed on RenoTM mattresses having double diaphragms obtained by folding a
continuous hexagonal double twist wire mesh, whereas the tested gabions (50cm and 1m thick) had a
single diaphragm.

Gabions and Reno mattresses

The tests were conducted on a test bench to vary:

• The flow rate through the structures
• The angle of the longitudinal slope

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For each test, the hydraulic speeds and stresses applied to structures were reported.
It was then possible to distinguish two states: Critical conditions for which there is a triggering in the motion
of the stones and a limit condition for which the movement of the stones inside the revetment is no longer
allowed and for which the revetment fulfills its protective role. This limit state occurs for speeds and flow
rates about 20% higher than those for the critical state.

The diagram below defines the thickness Dz for which the limit state is reached.

3 – RESULTS
The results of these tests are presented in the two tables below which provide speeds and allowable
stresses depending on the thicknesses of the structures.

Stone filling Limit velocity

Type Thickness (m)
Dimension [mm] D50 (m) (m/s)
0.17 70 to 100 0.085 4.2
0.17 70 to 150 0.110 4.5
Reno 0.23 70 to 100 0.085 4.5
mattress 0.23 70 to 150 0.110 4.9
0.30 70 to 120 0.100 4.7
0.30 100 to 150 0.125 5.0
0.50 100 to 200 0.150 5.8
Gabions
0.50 120 to 250 0.190 6.4
Table 1 - Gabion and Reno mattress performances in terms of allowable velocities

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 Allowable shear stress
Type Thickness (m)
(N/m2)
0.17 224
Reno
0.23 268
mattress
0.30 336
Gabions 0.50 470
Table 2 - Gabion and Reno mattress performances in terms of allowable shear forces

4 – COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO SOLUTIONS IN TERMS OF REVETMENT THICKNESS

Tests have established a comparison chart of thicknesses depending on the velocity. The thickness of a
gabion revetment is 3 to 4 times lower than a loose stone rip rap revetment.

Comparative example for a flow rate of 5 m/s

5 – HORIZONTAL EXTENSION AND DEPTH INCREASE AT TOE BASE

The stability at the toe can be guaranteed either by increasing the lining depth (Δy) or by extending it
horizontally (Δx), depending on scour depth (Δz). Standard design practice for rip-rip requires a minimum
thickness of 0.30 m and a thickness/d50 ratio equal to 1.5-2. In permanent underwater conditions the
thickness of loose revetment must be doubled. Unlike rip-rap linings, Reno mattress and gabion linings can
be very thin (0.17 m).

Toe protection for riprap (above) and mattresses (below)

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6 – CARBON FOOTPRINT AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION
Double twist steel wire products have shown an extraordinary capability for regeneration of the natural
environment, since gabions and mattresses are filled with stones, soil and roots which eventually provide
favorable developmental conditions. At the same time vegetation uses these structures as shelter during
the initial growth phase, thus allowing these solutions to provide adequate structural and hydraulic
performances even when plants are not fully developed yet.
A recent study has demonstrated how the use of gabions and Reno mattresses is a solution which reduces
the impact on climate change, having a lower carbon footprint than the one of the equivalent traditional
engineering solutions in terms of CO2 emissions.
Another important aspect for gabion and mattress solutions is related to their capability to offer a good
substrate to the vegetation, eventually playing the role of carbon sinks: by capturing atmospheric CO2
through photosynthesis (biosequestration), plants store large amounts of organic C in above and
belowground biomass.

6.1 Evaluation of carbon footprint of DT products

A comparison (APMC, 2012) has been made between a bank lining with 0.3 m thick mattress filled in with
local river stones and a riprap lining 1 m thick: mattresses lead to savings in terms of emissions up to 80%
of the riprap emissions. Further details can be found in the TN-DT-018.

Emissions of CO2 for riprap and mattresses

6.2 Evaluation of the CO2 sequestered with wire mesh solutions

The research (Sauli, 2014) has evaluated the absorption of CO2 by the vegetation grown on soil-bio
engineering structures made with gabions and mattresses. The absorption rate values are similar to those
found in natural plant formation comparable to the average value of a high beech forest or a beech forest
coppice or to a high turkey oak forest. The positive results in terms of both a reduced carbon footprint and
of a high carbon sequestration are a clear evidence of the capability of wire mesh solutions to contribute to
the reduction of CO2 emissions. Further details can be found in the TN-DT-019.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
APMC, 2012. Carbon Footprint dei Gabbioni e Materassi Maccaferri e confronto con soluzioni tradizionali”
(Unpublished).
Sauli G., Pellizzari L. 2014. Assorbimento del carbonio da parte della vegetazione arboreo-arbustiva presente su
strutture in rete metallica (Unpublished)

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 COMPARATIVE TABLE

ITEM

RIP-RAP RENO MATTRESSES & GABIONS

Rock Dimensions Because of the low value of Shield’s coefficient, With the same hydraulic conditions, the
the stone to be used is very large even at small average dimension of the rocks to be used
values of Hydraulic forces. in the Reno mattress or in the Gabions is
half that of rip rap lining.
Thickness of For works under water, the thickness must be There is no need to increase the depth or
revetment increased by 50% causing considerable increase to reduce the slope of the banks
in the material at the toe and careful design and (permissible slope is 1:1.5, nor it is
execution. The slope should not be steeper than necessary to increase the revetment
1:2 which leads to more space consumption. thickness at the toe)
Thickness of For Scouring depth of “d”, horizontal extension For Scouring depth of “d” horizontal
lining based on will be ‘2d’ to ‘3d’ and increase in depth will be extension will be ‘1.5d’ to ‘2d’ and increase
stability at the (d+2t) in rip rap; where t is thickness of rip rap. in depth will be ‘d’ in case of Reno
base of the toe mattresses.
International The international regulations governing the The Reno mattresses lining can be as thin
regulations on design of rip rap provide for a minimum depth as 0.17m.
thickness of of 0.3m and the relationship between this
lining and size of depth and the average dimension of the rocks is
stones 1.5 to 2.
Behavior of The condition for initial movement for rip rap is After the “initial movement” the
lining against a limit condition. A small force beyond this may containment offered by the mesh
forces higher cause the destruction of lining progressively. continues. The mesh may deform slightly,
than the design but it will allow more severe conditions
forces without compromising the resistance.
Effect on The large stones will reduce the channel The possibility to use smaller stones will
capacity of capacity. Also the increase in roughness will enhance higher discharge capacity of the
channel reduce the efficiency to carry high discharges. channel.
Differential Rip rap system do not tolerate any deferential Due their flexibility, Gabions and
settlement settlement. Mattresses tolerate differential settlement
without undergoing a failure.
Economy This system tends to be expensive as it requires Cost effective in most of the cases as it can
the need of very heavy stones which will be be filled with locally available good stones
seldom available in most of the sites. with moderate sizes.
Solid transport Practically not affected by solid transport Large sized solid materials carried by the
stream may eventually abrade the wire
mesh
Carbon footprint Characterized by high emission CO2 emissions Leads to savings in terms of emissions up
and to 80% of riprap emissions and allow for
sequestration the vegetation growth (biosequestration)

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