CH721200A1 - Deployable dike and system comprising a plurality of deployable dikes - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a deployable dike (10) arranged to contain the rise in the level of a body of water, in particular a river or a lake, in the event of a flood. The deployable dike (10) comprises a frame (12) comprising a housing and a leaf (16) pivotally mounted on the frame (12) to move from a folded position against the frame (12) above the housing to a raised position, and flotation means (20a, 20b, 20c) secured to the leaf (16) and arranged inside the housing when the leaf (16) is in said folded position. The dike further comprises a supply pipe (30) arranged to convey the water inside the housing of the frame (12) when the level of the body of water rises. The flap (16) comprises at least one proximal panel (16a) mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the frame (12) and a distal panel (16c) mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the proximal panel (16a). The flotation means comprise at least a first and a second float (20a, 20c) arranged inside the housing and secured respectively to the proximal and distal panels (16a, 16c). The invention further relates to a system comprising a plurality of deployable dikes.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a deployable dike and a system comprising a set of deployable dikes making it possible to protect inhabited areas in the event of flooding of a body of water, in particular a river or a lake.

State of the art

[0002] Deployable dike systems already exist in the state of the art.

[0003] By way of example, GB2450875 discloses a deployable dike system comprising one or more barriers. The or each barrier comprises a tank and a wall, movable between a first position in which the wall is substantially contained within the tank and a second position in which the wall extends substantially vertically from the tank. The wall comprises a flexible barrier membrane having a first portion secured at or vertically adjacent to the tank and one or more buoyant members that cooperate with the flexible barrier membrane such that the flexible barrier membrane is under tension when the wall is in the second position.

[0004] Another example of a deployable dike is disclosed in publication CH718746. The dike comprises a frame having a housing, a leaf pivotally mounted on the frame to move from a folded position against the frame above the housing to a raised position, and a float arranged within the housing and secured to the leaf. The float is arranged to push against a lower portion of the leaf, under the action of the increase in the amount of water in the housing, to move the deployable dike from a first configuration, in which the leaf rests on the frame, to a second configuration in which the leaf is in the raised position to contain the rise in the water level.

[0005] A major drawback of these systems lies in the limited height of the dike in its deployed configuration, which may prove insufficient to contain the rise in the water level of a body of water, in particular a river or a lake, in the event of a significant flood.

[0006] Another disadvantage lies in the significant stresses exerted on the hinges connecting the leaf to the frame, which can cause premature wear impacting the operation of the dike. It is therefore necessary to provide regular maintenance to ensure the proper operation of the dike.

Brief summary of the invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a deployable dike which addresses the drawbacks of the state of the art.

[0008] More particularly, an aim of the present invention is to propose a deployable dike which requires little or no maintenance.

[0009] Another aim of the present invention is to propose a deployable dike making it possible to contain a greater rise in the water level during flooding phenomena.

[0010] An additional object of the present invention is to provide a system comprising a deployable dike assembly.

[0011] These aims are achieved in particular by means of a deployable dike arranged to contain the rise in the level of a body of water, in particular a river or a lake, in the event of a flood, and comprising a frame comprising a housing and a leaf pivotally mounted on the frame to move from a folded position against the frame above the housing to a raised position. The dike comprises flotation means secured to the leaf and arranged inside the housing when the leaf is in said folded position. The dike further comprises a supply pipe arranged to convey water inside the housing of the frame when the level of the body of water rises. The leaf comprises at least one proximal panel mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the frame and a distal panel mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the proximal panel. The flotation means comprise at least a first and a second float arranged inside the housing and secured respectively to the proximal and distal panels.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the leaf further comprises an intermediate panel, two opposite edges of which are pivotally mounted respectively on the proximal panel and on the distal panel. A third float is arranged inside the housing and is secured to the intermediate panel.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the intermediate panel is connected to the proximal and distal panels by hinges.

[0014] According to one embodiment, an edge of the proximal panel is connected to an edge of the frame by hinges.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the dam further comprises a first and a second leaf support mounted in the housing in order to support an intermediate portion of the leaf in its folded position.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the pivot axis of each panel of the leaf is substantially perpendicular to the direction of progression of the rise in the water level during a flood phenomenon.

[0017] According to one embodiment, each float is in the form of a block of cork or polystyrene or in the form of a buoy.

[0018] According to one embodiment, an upper side of each panel comprises a non-slip coating.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the dike further comprises a cleaning system connected to a water inlet and comprising conduits opening into the housing in order to clean the housing by evacuating various debris and/or sediments brought by the flood through the intake pipe.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the dike further comprises a grid arranged upstream of the supply pipe in order to prevent certain debris and/or coarse sediment brought by the flood from ending up in the housing after the level of the body of water has fallen.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the dike further comprises a net fixed on the one hand to the distal panel and, on the other hand, to the frame. The net is arranged to deploy when the leaf moves from the folded position to the raised position in order to prevent certain debris and/or coarse sediment brought by the flood from ending up in the housing after the level of the body of water has receded.

[0022] Another aspect of the invention relates to a deployable dike system comprising a plurality of deployable dikes according to one of the aforementioned embodiments. The frames of the dikes are juxtaposed with respect to each other in order to form a set of deployable dikes arranged along a body of water and arranged between said body of water and an inhabited area.

Brief description of the figures

[0023] Examples of implementation of the invention are indicated in the description illustrated by the appended figures in which: – figure 1 illustrates a perspective view with a partial section of the dike mounted in a terrain near a body of water, when the dike is in a non-deployed configuration; – figure 2 illustrates a side view of figure 1; – figure 3 illustrates an enlarged side view of the frame and panels of the dike of figure 2; – figure 4 is a view similar to figure 1 when the dike is partially deployed caused by the rise in the water level during a moderate flood phenomenon; – figure 5 illustrates a side view of figure 4; – figure 6 illustrates an enlarged side view of the frame and panels of the dike of figure 5; – Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4 when the dike is almost fully deployed caused by the rise in the water level during an extreme flood event, and – Figure 8 illustrates a side view of Figure 7;

Examples of embodiments of the invention

[0024] The dike 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is configured to limit the stresses at the hinges connecting the leaf 16 to the frame 12, in particular by absorbing the kinetic energy of torrential floods, in particular from a river. The frame is preferably made of concrete and can be either prefabricated or cast directly on site using, for example, formwork. The upper edges of the frame 12 are leveled at the level of a flat area 50b so that the leaf 16 is also at this level in a folded configuration. The dike 10 is also preferably mounted near a sloping area 50a extending between the river bed and the flat area 50b.

[0025] In order to absorb, at least in part, the kinetic energy of torrential floods, the leaf 16 of the dike comprises, in the example illustrated, three panels 16a, 16b, 16b connected to each other in an articulated manner. More precisely, the leaf 16 comprises a proximal panel 16a comprising an edge pivotally mounted on an edge of the frame 12, for example by means of a first series of hinges 18a. An intermediate panel 16b is pivotally connected by one of its edges to an opposite edge of the proximal panel 16a, for example by means of a second series of hinges 18b. The leaf 16 further comprises a distal panel 16, one of its edges of which is pivotally connected to the opposite edge of the intermediate panel 16b, for example by means of a third series of hinges 18c.

[0026] As can be seen more precisely in Figures 2 and 3, three floats 20a, 20b, 20c are arranged in the housing 13 of the frame 12 and are fixed on a lower face respectively of the proximal panel 16a, of the intermediate panel 16b and of the distal panel 16c. Each float 20a, 20b, 20c is preferably in the form of a block of cork or polystyrene or in the form of a buoy.

[0027] The dike 10 further comprises a supply pipe 30 arranged to convey the water inside the housing 13 of the frame 12 when the level 42 of the body of water 40 rises due to the flood. Since the dike 10 is located at a height relative to the river bed, this pipe is preferably inclined and extends from a region close to the river bed to the housing 13 of the dike. A waterproofing membrane 15 is applied to the lower side of the leaf covering the three panels 16a, 16b, 16c as well as the two interfaces between the intermediate panel 16a and respectively the proximal panel 16a and the distal panel 16c. This membrane also covers the interface between the proximal panel 16a and the frame 12.

[0028] The dike 10 further comprises a cleaning system connected to a water inlet and comprising conduits 14 opening into the housing 13 in order to clean the housing by evacuating through the supply pipe 30 various debris or other items brought by the flood, for example coarse sediment. The dike 10 further comprises a grid 32 arranged upstream of the supply pipe 30 in order to prevent certain debris or other items which are carried by the flood, for example a mixture of blocks, earth and water, from ending up in the housing 13 after the flood has receded. With reference to FIG. 7, the dike also comprises a net 24 fixed to the distal panel 16c and to the frame 12 to deploy when the leaf 16 moves from the folded position to the raised position. This also makes it possible to prevent debris or other items brought by the flood from ending up in the housing 13 after the flood has receded.

[0029] Still according to Figure 7, the dam comprises one or more leaf supports 22a, 22b arranged in the housing 13 in order to support one or more parts of the leaf when the latter is folded against the frame. These supports 22a, 22b can for example be positioned in order to support the leaf at the hinges located on either side of the intermediate panel 16b. These supports can be positioned to directly support the intermediate panel 16b according to an alternative configuration.

[0030] Advantageously, each panel 16a, 16b 16c of the leaf may include a non-slip coating 17 as illustrated in particular by FIG. 1. The structure of each panel is thus adapted to form part in particular of a path or a road where one can walk or travel by bicycle or car in normal times.

[0031] Figures 1 to 3 illustrate the dike in a configuration in which the leaf 16 is folded against the frame 12 in normal times when the water level 42 of the river is not high, that is to say when the river has not left its bed. According to this configuration, the housing 13 is not filled with water. The proximal panel 16a and the distal panel 16c thus rest on two opposite edges of the frame 12. It can be seen in particular in Figure 3 that the net 24 is folded inside the housing 13.

[0032] According to Figures 4 to 6, the dike 10 is in a partially raised configuration in the situation of a modest flood phenomenon or at a first stage of a more significant flood phenomenon. According to this configuration, the rise in the water level makes it possible to fill the housing 13 with water via the supply pipe 30. This has the effect of tilting the distal panel 16c under the action of the water on the float 20c, which exerts a force on the lower side of the panel, while the intermediate panel 16b only partially lifts relative to the distal panel. At this moment the stresses exerted on the main hinges 18a connecting the proximal panel 16a to the frame 12 are reduced compared to the stresses exerted on the hinges of the leaf of the dike of the state of the art described previously since the forces are distributed over the three series of hinges 18a, 18b, 18c.

[0033] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the dike in a configuration raised to a much greater height in the situation of an extreme flood phenomenon. For such a case, the elevation of the leaf 16 of the dike is done initially by the advance of the water in the supply pipe 30 in order to fill the housing 13, which causes the tilting mainly of the distal panel 16c as explained previously with reference to Figures 4 to 6. In a second step, the rise of the water causes the flood to advance on the sloping ground 50a then the flood pushes against the raised distal panel 16c. This has the effect of tilting the three panels at an increasingly large angle as the water level rises as illustrated in particular by Figure 8.

[0034] The dike 10 thus has the advantage of being able to adapt its height according to the rise in the water level by absorbing and partially decomposing the energy of the flood on the articulated panels of the dike, which makes it possible to deploy the dike more efficiently by reducing the forces on the structure. This makes it possible, among other things, to reduce maintenance work on the dike. The articulated panels also make it possible to design dikes whose maximum height is greater than the dikes of the state of the art.

[0035] The dike 10 can also be installed near an ocean in order to protect an inhabited area by deploying at high tide. At low tide, the panels 16a, 16b, 16c can be arranged to form an integral part of a path or road as mentioned above.

[0036] Several dikes can be arranged so that their respective frame is buried next to each other to form a set of dikes bordering a part of a river near a built-up area. Each dike has its own supply pipe and are oriented so that the pivot axis of each panel of the leaf is substantially perpendicular to the direction of progression of the rise in the water level during a flood phenomenon.

[0037] It will be understood that various modifications and/or improvements obvious to a person skilled in the art can be made to the dike according to the embodiment which is the subject of the present description above without departing from the scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims. For example, the leaf of the dike may comprise only two hinged panels or more than three hinged panels, for example four or five panels.

List of references

[0038] 10 Deployable dike 12 Frame 13 Housing 14 Conduits 15 Waterproofing membrane 16 Batten 16a, 16b, 16c Articulated panels 17 Anti-slip coating 18a, 18b, 18c Hinges 20a, 20b, 20c Floats 22a, 22b Batten support 24 Net 30 Supply pipe 32 Grate 40 Body of water 42 Water level 50a Sloping ground 50b Flat ground

Claims (12)

1. Deployable dike (10) arranged to contain the rise in the level (42) of a body of water (40), in particular a river or a lake, in the event of a flood, the deployable dike (10) comprising a frame (12) having a housing (13) and a leaf (16) pivotally mounted on the frame (12) to move from a folded position against the frame (12) above the housing (13) to a raised position, and flotation means (20a, 20b, 20c) secured to the leaf (16) and arranged inside the housing (13) when the leaf (16) is in said folded position, the deployable dike (10) further comprising a supply pipe (30) arranged to convey the water inside the housing (13) of the frame (12) during raising the level (42) of the body of water (40), characterized in that the leaf (16) comprises at least one proximal panel (16a) mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the frame (12) and a distal panel (16c) mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the proximal panel (16a) and in that said flotation means comprise at least a first and a second float (20a, 20c) arranged inside the housing (13) and secured respectively to the proximal and distal panels (16a, 16c). 2. Deployable dam (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the leaf (16) further comprises an intermediate panel (16b) of which two opposite edges are pivotally mounted respectively on the proximal panel (16a) and on the distal panel (16c), and in that a third float (20b) is arranged inside the housing (13) and is integral with the intermediate panel (16b). 3. Deployable dam (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the intermediate panel (16b) is connected to the proximal and distal panels (16a, 16c) by hinges (18b, 18c). 4. Deployable dam (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an edge of the proximal panel (16a) is connected to an edge of the frame (12) by hinges (18a). 5. Deployable dike (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a first and a second leaf support (22a, 22b) mounted in the housing (13) in order to support an intermediate part of the leaf (16) in its folded position. 6. Deployable dike according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axis of each panel (16a, 16b, 16c) of the leaf (16) is substantially perpendicular to the direction of progression of the rise in the water level. 7. Deployable dike (10) according to one of the claims, in which each float (20a, 20b, 20c) is in the form of a buoyant block of polystyrene cork or in the form of a buoy. 8. Deployable dike (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an upper side of each panel (16a, 16b, 16c) comprises a non-slip coating (17). 9. Deployable dike (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a cleaning system connected to a water inlet and comprising conduits (14) opening into the housing (13) in order to clean the housing by evacuating various debris brought by the flood through the supply pipe (30). 10. Deployable dike (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a grid (32) arranged upstream of the supply pipe (30) in order to prevent certain debris brought by the flood from ending up in the housing (13) after the level of the body of water has fallen. 11. Deployable dike (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a net (24) fixed on the one hand to the distal panel (16c) and, on the other hand to the frame (12), the net being arranged to deploy when the leaf (16) passes from the folded position to the raised position in order to prevent certain debris brought by the flood from ending up in the housing (13) after the level of the body of water has receded. 12. Deployable dike system comprising a plurality of deployable dikes according to one of the preceding claims, the frames (42) of said plurality of deployable dikes being juxtaposed relative to each other in order to form a set of deployable dikes arranged along a body of water and arranged between said body of water and an inhabited area.