Gabion

Abstract

The invention relates to a gabion module (1) having three metal wire panels (2a, 2b) and to a gabion (3) having metal wire panels (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) connected to one another to form at least one first compartment (4). The compartment (4) may be filled with a filling material and may have a textile and/or a metal gauze (6) fastened to the wire panels (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) and extending at least partly onto the outer circumference of the gabion (3) to form second compartments (5). Second compartments (5) may be filled with a filling material and is delimited by the textile and/or metal gauze (6) and by wire panels (2, 2a, 2b, 2d). A gabion module (1) and a gabion (3) of this type provide a gabion (3) which can be erected more easily to be provided over the same area, requiring less metal without forgoing sturdiness.

Description

This application claims priority to European patent application EP08158716,4 filed Jun. 20, 2008 and to European patent application EP09157752.8 filed Sep. 4, 2009, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference by their entirety herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a gabion module that includes a number of metal wire panels connected to one another, and to a gabion that includes a number of metal wire panels connected to one another to form at least one first compartment that may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil an/or any other filling material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The term “gabion” refers to baskets made of interconnected metal wire panels which in the open position define a block form which may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. When filled, these gabions form sturdy blocks which can be used as building material. Gabions of this type are used in a broad range of constructional applications in roads, railways, rivers and canals, buildings, etc. as an embankment, dam, bank protection, bedding and the like. They were designed to shore up soil or other materials, in the event of opposing elemental forces such as flood waters, erosion, avalanches, etc., and are also used as free-standing walls, sound barriers, etc.

GB 845,863 describes a gabion which is constructed from woven metal wire panels comprising a bottom panel and side panels, the side panels being hingeably connected to the bottom panel. On site, these gabions are brought from a closed position to an open position in which they can be filled. For this purpose, the side panels are rotated relative to the bottom panel until they stand perpendicularly to the bottom panel and these side panels are joined together.

The gabions as described in EP 0 466 726 and WO 2007/060476 were developed to simplify the erecting of gabions. These gabions comprise a number of welded metal wire panels which are hingeably connected to one another, so that they can be folded open in a concertina-like manner from a closed position to an open position in which they form side and end panels of a series of successive compartments. These compartments are provided to be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material.

U.S. 2005/0284080 discloses gabions made as a foldable multi-cell structure, conformed by hinged welded wire panels lined with knitted wire or expanded metal mesh, which together form cells which are pivotally connected at their comers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a gabion module according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the metal wire panels of an embodiment of a gabion according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a gabion according to the invention with textile;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a gabion according to the invention with metal gauze;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the metal wire panels of an embodiment of stacked gabions according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the metal wire panels of an embodiment of a gabion according to the invention forming an obtuse angle;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the embodiment of a gabion in FIG. 6, with textile and/or metal gauze;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the metal wire panels of an embodiment of a gabion according to the invention forming an oblique angle;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the embodiment of a gabion in FIG. 8, with textile and/or metal gauze;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the metal wire panels of an embodiment of a gabion according to the invention in zigzag formation;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the embodiment of a gabion in FIG. 10, with textile and/or metal gauze;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the metal wire panels of an embodiment of a gabion according to the invention that can be folded open in a zigzag-like manner and into a folded position;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a gabion according to the invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a gabion according to the invention as illustrated in FIG. 3 that is provided with a textile;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a gabion according to the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 3, that is provided with a textile and metal gauze; and

FIGS. 16 to 18 are top views of a gabion that show schematically how a gabion according to the invention can be folded open in a concertina-like manner from a closed position to an open position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a gabion and a gabion module with which such a gabion can be erected. The gabion as sturdy or even sturdier than the gabions of the art and employs the same number of metal wire panels or even less metal wire panels for a given area. Also, additional functions such as being soundproof, having an esthetical appearance, being sturdy, etc. can easily be integrated.

The invention provides a gabion module that includes a number of metal wire panels connected to one another. The module can include three wire panels wherein one end of a first inner wire panel and one end of a second inner wire panel are each connected to an outer wire panel. The ends of the first and second inner wire panels may be connected substantially within the surface of the outer wire panel and substantially perpendicular to the outer wire panel. The end of the second inner wire panel may be connected to a center part of the outer wire panel.

The opposite ends of the connected ends of the inner wire panels of a first such gabion module can be connected in known ways to the outer wire panel of a second gabion module on the opposite side of the side of the outer wire panel where the inner wire panels of the second gabion module are connected. The outer wire panels of the first and second gabion modules, together with the inner wire panels of the first gabion module, form a first compartment that may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. In this way, a gabion is obtained with a plurality of the gabion modules. In this gabion, at least at the side of the inner wire panel, one end of the outer wire panel of the first gabion module extends from the first compartment to form an extending part. The extending part provides additional sturdiness. The gabion can, at least partly on its outer circumference, be provided with a textile such as geotextile and/or a metal gauze to form at least one second compartment. The second compartment may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material and is delimited by the textile and/or metal gauze and by the wire panels. This can be done by connecting the textile and/or metal gauze to the extending part and also to another part of the gabion modules. The first and second compartments can then be filled with different materials to provide a gabion with desired functions.

Preferably, the end of the first inner wire panel of a gabion module according to the invention is connected to a center part of the outer wire panel. Even more preferably, the wire panels are connected so that in at least one position of the gabion module the panels form a configuration in the shape of the mathematical symbol π. In a specific embodiment of a gabion module according to the invention, the wire panels are hingeably and/or detachably connected to one another. In another embodiment, the wire panels are identical.

The invention further provides a gabion that includes a number of metal wire panels connected to one another to form at least one first compartment that may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. The gabion may include a textile, such as a geotextile, and/or a metal gauze fastened to the metal wire panels and that extends onto the outer circumference of the gabion to form at least one second compartment. The second compartment also may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material and the second compartment is delimited by the textile and/or metal gauze and by the wire panels.

Preferably, the gabions will be filled with locally available filling material such as locally available rocks or sand or soil, etc. The first and the second compartments of the gabion can be filled with the same material or different materials. Thus, the first compartments can be filled with inexpensive filling material to function as ballast, whereas the second compartment may be filled with more expensive decorative material, soundproofing material, etc. Thus, various materials can be added in such a way that desired properties are obtained in the successive compartments.

The metal wire panels of a gabion according to the invention are preferably welded metal wire panels since sturdier gabions can be obtained with welded metal wire panels than with wire panels that employ a metal frame filled in with woven or knotted metal gauzes.

A gabion according to the invention can include a textile such as a geotextile. With such a textile, the gabion can be made permeable to water while preventing seepage of solid particles through the textile. As an alternative to textile such as where the filling material into the gabions is larger than the mesh size of the metal gauze, or where additional sturdiness of the second compartments of the gabions is required, or where it is desired to protect the textile from becoming torn or cut to pieces, a gabion according to this invention may include a metal gauze in addition to the textile.

Suitable metal gauze is preferably woven from metal wires and offers the necessary flexibility to be folded up or rolled up, and even more preferably is formed from a double-twisted woven gauze. The metal gauze can also be configured as gauze knotted from metal wires.

As an alternative to the metal gauze, it is possible to provide, for example, a textile in which metal wires have been woven, or a textile which is strengthened differently while remaining sufficiently flexible to be able to be folded up or to be able to be folded open together with the gabion.

The gabions form a better buffer to stem water than known comparable gabions. When known gabions are damaged, a breach in a compartment of the gabion means a breach in the gabion as a whole. In the gabions according to the invention, however, second compartments are provided so that in the event of a breach in one compartment, then a following compartment may function as a buffer. Thus, a breach in a compartment does not necessarily mean a breach of the gabion as a whole.

In a specific embodiment of a gabion according to the invention, at least one wire panel extends at least partly from the first compartment to form at least one extending part. Textile and/or metal gauze is fastened to the extending part to form the second compartment. The first compartment is delimited by four metal wire panels of the gabion.

The first compartment is preferably delimited by two inner wire panels and by two outer wire panels that are connected to opposite ends of the inner wire panels so that at least one end part of the outer wire panels extends from the first compartment to form an extending part.

Gabions as described herein that take up the same volume as known comparable gabions require over the same length less metal to achieve the same strength and stability. These gabions are even sturdier than the known gabions, and thus the gabions of the invention may be stacked higher than known gabions.

In a preferred embodiment, the metal wire panels are hingeably connected to one another.

In a specific embodiment of a gabion with hingeably connected metal wire panels, the wire panels are connected to one another along hinge lines so that they can be folded open in a zigzag-like manner from a closed position of the gabion to an open position of the gabion to form successive first compartments.

In a still more preferred embodiment of a gabion according to the invention, the textile and/or the metal gauze can be folded open together with the metal wire panels from the open position of the gabion to the closed position of the gabion and, conversely, may be folded out from the closed position of the gabion to the open position of the gabion.

The metal wire panels of gabions according to this invention are preferably connected to one another to form successive first compartments which are placed in respect to one another in a zigzag formation. With such a zigzag formation, extra stability and sound reduction is obtained.

In a further embodiment of a gabion that has hingeably connected metal wire panels according to the invention, the metal wire panels are connected to one another along hinge lines so that they can be folded open in a concertina-like manner from a closed position of the gabion to an open position of the gabion in which the panels form successive first compartments and where metal wire panels of first compartments that are adjacent to one another have a common hinge line. In this way, a gabion according to invention can be folded open in a scissor-like manner from a closed position of the gabion to an open position of the gabion and, conversely folded back from the open position to the closed position.

More specifically, the first compartments of such a gabion are each delimited by four metal wire panels that form the side panels of the first compartments. At least one side panel of a first compartment lies in the extension of a side panel of a first compartment positioned adjacent to it. Even more specifically, the at least one side panel of a first compartment and the side panel of a first compartment which is positioned adjacent to it that lies in the extension can pertain to the same metal wire panel.

Gabions according to the invention preferably have inner hinge lines that hingeably join together side panels of adjacent first compartments. The outer hinge lines hingeably connect side panels of the same first compartment and the textile and/or the metal gauze is at least partly fastened to the outer hinge lines of the gabion.

An even more specific embodiment of a gabion according to the invention includes at at least one end, an end compartment that is delimited by the textile and/or metal gauze, by a side panel of a first compartment positioned on the end of the gabion and by a wire panel positioned in the extension of the side panel. The end compartment may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. The metal wire panels are preferably detachably connected to one another.

A particular embodiment of a gabion according to the invention has one or more gabion modules as described above. This embodiment preferably has two or more such gabion modules where the opposite ends of the connected ends of the inner wire panels of a first gabion module are connected to the outer wire panel of a second gabion module at the opposite side of the side of the outer wire panel where the inner wire panels of the second gabion module are connected. The outer wire panels of this first and second gabion module, together with the inner wire panels of the first gabion module, form a first compartment where at least at the side of the second inner wire panel, an end of the outer wire panel of the first gabion module extends from the first compartment to form an extending part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described in greater depth based on the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of a gabion module and gabions according to this invention. The purpose of this description is to give illustrative examples and to indicate further advantages and special features of embodiments of a gabion module and gabions according to the invention, and should not be interpreted as a limitation of the scope of application of the invention or of the patent rights requested in the claims. This detailed description employs reference numerals to refer to the appended drawings.

An embodiment of a gabion module (1) according to the invention as illustrated in FIG. 1 includes three identical wire panels (2a, 2b). One end of a first inner wire panel (2a) and one end of a second inner wire panel (2a) are each connected to a center part of outer wire panel (2b). Wire panels (2a, 2b) are hingeably and detachably connected to each other by helical rods. These panels could equally be fastened to each other with the aid of other fastening methods. The first and second inner wire panels (2a) are connected within the surface of the outer wire panel (2b) and are perpendicular to the outer wire panel (2b). Together, wire panels (2a, 2b) can be configured in the form of the mathematical symbol “π”.

Wire panels (2a, 2b) of the embodiments of gabions (3) illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 12 are connected to one another to form a least one first compartment (4) that is delimited by four metal wire panels (2a, 2b) and which may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. These embodiments are obtained by hingeably and detachably interconnecting gabion modules (1) as illustrated in FIG. 1 by helical rods and by hingeably and detachably connecting one or more additional identical wire panels (2b) to the outer ends of the interconnected gabion modules (1), also by using helical rods. To interconnect these gabion modules (1) and to connect the additional identical wire panels (2b) other connecting methods could equally well be used. To interconnect the gabion modules (1), opposite ends of the connected ends of inner wire panels (2a) of a first gabion module (1) are connected to the outer wire panel (2b) of a second gabion module (1) at the opposite side of the side of the outer wire panel (2b) where the inner wire panels (2a) of the second gabion module (1) are connected. The outer wire panels (2b) of the first and second gabion module (1), together with the inner wire panels (2a) of the first gabion modules (1), form a first compartment (4). This is repeated for interconnecting additional gabion modules (1) with the two interconnected gabion modules (1).

At two opposite sides of the first compartments (4), one end of the outer wire panels (2b) of the gabion modules (1) extend from the first compartments (4) to form extending parts (7).

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 12, textile and/or metal gauze (6) is connected to the extending parts (7). For clarity reasons, the textile and/or metal gauze (6) is not shown in all figures. The connections can be done with clamps, but could equally well be done using other fastening methods. The textile and/or metal gauze (6) extends at least partly onto the outer circumference of gabion (3) to form at least one second compartment (5). Second compartments (5) may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material and are delimited by the textile and/or metal gauze (6) and by hand wire panels (2a, 2b).

The embodiments of a gabion (3) as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 has successive first compartments (4) which are built from five interconnected gabion modules (1) as illustrated in FIG. 1, and by connecting an additional identical wire panel (2b) at the free ends of the inner wire panels (2a) of the last interconnected gabion module (1).

In FIG. 3, a textile (6) such as a geotextile is attached to extending parts (7) of the outer wire panels (2b). Textile (6) extends at least partially onto the outer circumference of the gabion (3) to make the gabion (3) permeable to water while preventing seepage of solid particles through the textile (6).

In FIG. 4 a metal gauze (6) is attached to extending parts (7) of the outer wire panels (2b). Metal gauze (6) offers additional sturdiness to the second compartments (5). Metal gauze (6) is woven or knotted from metal wires and offers the necessary flexibility to fold open or to fold back up in a zigzag manner together with gabion (3) as a whole.

Metal gauze (6) can also be attached to the gabion (3) of FIG. 3 in addition to the textile (6) on the outside of the textile (6). In that case it is less easy for the textile (6) to become damaged since the metal gauze (6) prevents the textile (6) from becoming easily torn out or cut to pieces.

As an alternative to the metal gauze (6), it is equally possible to provide a textile (6) in which metal wires have been woven or to provide a textile (6) which is strengthened differently while remaining sufficiently flexible to be able to be folded up or to be able to be folded open together with the gabion (3).

In FIG. 5 two gabions (3) as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 are stacked by placing a second gabion (3) on top of a first gabion (3). To obtain a gabion (3) as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, two gabions (3) as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 are placed adjacent to one another to form an obtuse angle, and are interconnected using a corner wire panel (2c).

To obtain a gabion (3) as illustrated in FIG. 8 an 9, two gabions (3) as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 are placed adjacent to one another to form an oblique angle, and are interconnected using helical rods (8). They could equally well be connected using other connection methods.

The gabion (3) as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 is formed in the same way as the gabions (3) illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, but where successive first compartments (4) are placed in respect to one another in a zigzag formation. With such a zigzag formation, extra stability and sound reduction is obtained.

FIG. 12 shows a gabion (3) according to this invention wherein the metal wire panels (2a, 2b) are hingeably connected to one another along hinge lines. The panels can be folded open in a zigzag-like manner from a closed position of the gabion (3) to an open position of the gabion (3) to form successive first compartments (4). The panels also may be folded back in an inverse zigzag-like manner to a closed position. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the metal wire panels (2a, 2b) of a gabion (3) in a folded position.

Gabion (3) as illustrated in FIG. 13 includes first compartments (4) that are each delimited by four metal wire panels (2, 2d). Metal wire panels (2, 2d) are hingeably connected to one another with the aid of helical rods along hinge lines (9) so that gabion (3) can be folded open in a scissor-like manner from a closed position to the illustrated open position to form the first compartments (4). These first compartments (4) may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. First compartments (4) positioned adjacent to one another have one hinge line (9) in common. The hinge lines (9) could equally well be produced in a different manner other than with the aid of helical rods. Hinge lines 9 could for example be produced by fastening the wire panels (2, 2d) to one another with the aid of clamps that allow hinging of the wire panels (2, 2d) relative to one another, or with the aid of resilient elements which are attached between the respective wire panels (2, 2d), etc.

The gabion (3) illustrated in FIG. 14 is the same gabion (3) as in FIG. 13 which is provided with a textile (6) to make the gabion (3) permeable to water while preventing seepage of solid particles through the geotextile. The aforementioned hinge lines (9), which have in common first compartments (4) positioned adjacent one another, are the inner hinge lines (9) of gabion (3). Furthermore, the gabion has outer hinge lines (10) which hingeably connect side panels (2) of a first compartment (4). Textile (6) is fastened to the outer hinge lines (10) with the aid of clamps. Textile (6) could equally be fastened to the wire panels with the aid of other fastening methods. Owing to the textile (6), the gabion (3) includes in its illustrated open position second compartments (5) which are delimited by the textile (6) and by other hand wire panels (2) of two first compartments (4) positioned next to each other. These second compartments (5) may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. Furthermore, illustrated gabion (3) has end compartments (11) which are delimited by textile (6) and by panels (2) of first compartments (4) which are positioned on the end of the gabion (3) and by wire panels (2d) which are positioned in the extension of side panels (2). End compartments (11) may be filled with stones and/or sand and/or soil and/or any other filling material. End compartments (11) of this type are however not necessary to obtain a gabion (1) according to the invention. The textile (6) is provided so that it can be folded open or can be folded back up in a concertina-like manner together with gabion (3) as a whole.

FIG. 15 shows a gabion (3) like that of FIG. 14 but additionally provided with a metal gauze (6) on the outside of gabion (3). Metal gauze (6) offers additional sturdiness to the second compartments (5). Also, as a result of the fact that the metal gauze (6) is attached to the outside of textile (6), it is less easy for textile (6) to be damaged since metal gauze (6) prevents textile (6) from becoming easily torn or cut to pieces. Metal gauze (6) is woven or knotted from metal wires and offers the necessary flexibility to be able to fold open or to be able to fold back up in a concertina-like manner with the gabion (3) as a whole.

As an alternative to metal gauze (6), it is equally possible to provide for example a textile (6) in which metal wires have been woven, or to provide a textile (6) which is strengthened differently while remaining sufficiently flexible to be able to be folded up or to be able to be folded open together with the gabion (3).

FIGS. 16 to 18 are views from above that show schematically how a gabion (3), such as that in FIGS. 14 and 15, can be folded open in a concertina-like manner from a closed position (not shown) to the open position shown in FIG. 18. The metal wire panels (2, 2d) of this gabion (3) fold in this case in a scissor-like manner relative to one another.

Claims

1. Gabion module (1) comprising a plurality of metal wire panels (2a, 2b) connected to one another, wherein module (1) comprises three wire panels (2a, 2b), wherein an end of a first inner wire panel (2a) and an end of a second inner wire panel (2a) are each connected to an outer wire panel (2b), the ends of the first inner wire panel (2a) and second inner wire panel (2a) being connected within the surface of the outer wire panel (2b) 10 wherein and the end of the second inner wire panel (2a) is connected to a center part of the outer wire panel (2b).

2. Gabion module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the end of the first innerwire panel (2a) is connected to a center part of the outer wire panel (2b).

3. Gabion module (1) according to claim 1 wherein the wire panels (2a, 2b) are connected together to form a shape in the form of mathematical symbol π.

4. Gabion module (1) according to claim 1 wherein the wire panels (2a, 2b) are hingeably connected to one another.

5. Gabion module (1) according to claim 1 wherein the wire panels (2a, 2b) are identical.

6. Gabion (3) comprising a plurality of metal wire panels (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) connected to one another to form at least one first compartment (4), wherein the gabion (3) comprises a textile wherein the textile is fastened to the metal wire panels (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) and extends at least partly onto the outer circumference of the gabion (3) to form at least one second compartment (5) delimited by the textile and by other hand wire panels (2,2a, 2b, 2d).

7. Gabion (3) according to claim 6 wherein the at least one wire panel (2,2b) extends from the first compartment to form at least one extending part(7), and the textile is fastened to the extending part (7) to form the second compartment (5).

8. Gabion (3) according to claim 6 wherein the first compartment (4) is delimited by four metal wire panels (2, 2a, 2b) of gabion (3).

9. Gabion (3) according to claim 7 wherein the first compartment (4) is delimited by two inner wire panels (2a) and by two outer wire panels (2b) connected to opposite ends of the inner wire panels (2a) whereby at least one end part of the outer wire panels (2b) extends from the first compartment (4) to form an extending part (7).

10. Gabion (3) according to claim 6 wherein the metal wire panels (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) are hingeably connected to one another.

11. Gabion (3) according to claim 10 wherein the metal wire panels (2a, 2b) are hingeably connected along hinge lines to enable the panels to fold open in a zigzag-like manner from a closed position of the gabion (3) to an open position of the gabion (3) whereby the panels form successive first compartments (4).

12. Gabion (3) according to claim 6 wherein the metal wire panels (2a, 2b) are connected to one another to form successive first compartments (4) are placed in respect to one another in a zigzag formation.

13. Gabion (3) according to claim 6 wherein the metal wire panels (2, 2d) are connected on hinge lines (6) to enable the panels to unfold in a concertina-like manner from a closed position of the gabion (3) to an open position of the gabion (3) to form successive first compartments (4), wherein metal wire panels (2, 2d) of first compartments (4) are positioned adjacent one another and have in common hinge line (6).

14. Gabion (3) according to claim 13 wherein the first compartments (4) are each delimited by four metal wire panels (2) that form the side panels of the compartments (4), and wherein at least one side panel (2) of a first compartment (4) lies in the extension of a side panel (2) of another adjacent first compartment (4).

15. Gabion (3) according to claim 14 wherein the at least one side panel (2) of a first compartment (4) and the side panel (2) of the adjacent first that lies in the extension pertain to the same metal wire panel (2).

16. Gabion (3) according to claim 14 wherein gabion (3) comprises inner hinge lines (9) to hingeably join side panels (2) of adjacent first compartments (4) and also comprises outer hinge lines (10) which hingeably connect to side panels (2) of the first compartment (4), wherein the textile is at least partly fastened to the outer hinge lines (10) of the gabion (3).

17. Gabion (3) according to claim 13 wherein gabion (3) comprises at at least one end one an end compartment (11) that is delimited by the textile and by side panels (2) of a first compartment (4) positioned on the end of the gabion (3) and by wire panels (2d) that are positioned in the extension of the side panels (2).

18. Gabion (3) according to claim 6 wherein the metal wire panels (2a, 2b) are detachably connected to one another.

19. Gabion (3) according to claim 6 wherein the gabion (3) comprises one or more gabion modules (1) according to claim 1.

20. Gabion (3) according to claim 19 wherein the gabion (3) comprises a plurality of gabion modules (1), wherein opposite ends of the connected ends of the inner wire panels (2a) of a first gabion module (1) are connected to the outer wire panel (2b) of a second gabion module (1) at the opposite side of the outer wire panel (2b) where the inner wire panels (2a) of the second gabion module (1) are connected, wherein the outer wire panels (2b) of the first and second gabion modules (1) together with inner wire panels (2a) of the first gabion module (1) forms a first compartment (4), whereby at least at the side of the second inner wire panel (2a) an end of the outer wire panel (2b) of the first gabion module (1) extends from the first compartment (4) to form an extending part (7).