EnZar^®

How to Maintain & Repair Defensive Barrier?

Maintaining and repairing a defensive barrier is critical to ensuring its effectiveness, safety, and longevity. Regular inspections, maintenance routines, and prompt repairs help maintain the integrity, deterrence, and overall functionality of the barrier.

Maintenance Methods

Covering

When defensive barrier structures with a long expected service life are located in wind-affected areas or adjacent to aircraft operating surfaces, loss of filling materials must be prevented. This can be done by a variety of methods:

• Set and compact filling materials well to prevent moisture loss.
• Cover with tarpaulin or other waterproof membrane.
• Use a lean mix of concrete or cement-bound material as the final layer.
• Use slightly thicker aggregate to cover the baskets (Fine sand is easily blown away by the wind).

UV Radiation Prevention

Geotextiles used in defense barriers are susceptible to long-term exposure to UV radiation. They generally have a design life of five years, with no planned maintenance required for the first two years. The effects of UV radiation vary widely from one area to another, and may actually vary in the same area, which is not easy to predict.

There are other issues that can affect the severity of degradation that may occur:

• Filing materials
• Filling degree
• Orientation to the sun

Repair Methods

Defensive barrier structures may require repair as a result of an attack or accidental damage. The type and extent of the damage will determine the appropriate repair techniques. Once repairs are completed, the barrier wall is usually restored to its previous level of effectiveness.

There are 3 general types of repair for damage to defensive barriers, partial repair with small patches and complete panels, and complete replacement for an entire basket. The complete replacement of the basket will normally only be required if substantial damage has been caused. It is uncommon for the entire basket to require replacement.

Preparation List

• Welded mesh panels
• Coils
• Pins
• Geotextile
• Hog rings
• Pliers

Partial Repair

When the exterior mesh panel incurs damage, a repair mesh panel or small section of mesh from an unused unit can be applied to fix the damage. To determine the appropriate repair, measure the required mesh patch size and choose between patching over the damaged area or applying a full mesh panel replacement.

Measure the mesh damage size.

Small Mesh Repair

Step 1

Cut a small mesh from an extra panel as a patch for the damaged part.

Step 2

Find 2 coils according to the mesh patch length.

Step 3

Cut a piece of geotextile with a pair of shears.

Step 4

Fix the mesh patch and basket on the left with a coil.

Step 5

Fold the 150 mm (6") long and wide edges of the geotextile inward.

Step 6

Close the mesh patch, then wind in the right coil.

Step 7

Refill the defensive barrier basket with stones.

Complete Mesh Panel Repair

Step 1

Measure the whole size of the damaged mesh panel with a tape measure.

Step 2

Cut a piece of geotextile with a pair of shears.

Step 3

Wind coils to both sides of the new mesh panel.

Step 4

Fix the new mesh panel and basket on the left with a coil and pin.

Step 5

Fold the 150 mm (6") long and wide edges of the geotextile inward.

Step 6

Close the new mesh panel, then wind in the right coil and fix a pin.

Step 7

Refill the defensive barrier basket with stones.

Complete Replacement

Step 1

Cut off all mesh panels from the damaged basket with pliers.

Step 2

Remove all fill from the damaged basket.

Step 3

Put new baskets in defensive barrier.

Step 4

Insert pins and fit hog rings to secure the new baskets.

Step 5

Refill the defensive barrier basket with stones and compact it.