GB2399375A

GB2399375A - A buoyant self-erecting flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2399375A
Application number: GB0305608A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Youngman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-11
Filing date: 2003-03-11
Publication date: 2004-09-15
Also published as: GB0305608D0

Abstract

A self erecting flood barrier 3, which may be formed from buoyant material or may have buoyant material 8 attached to it, is adapted to rise from an out of use horizontal position (Fig 2) to a vertical in use position, without human intervention, by floating up on the flood water 10. The barrier may be hinged (5, Fig 2) at a lower edge to a base 1 embedded in the ground 9, while flexible straps 11 attached between the barrier and the base help to keep the barrier vertical when in use. The barrier may be waterproofed by a single membrane 4 along its entire length and may be formed from modular sections. When not in use the barrier may be disguised to fit in to its surrounding environment.

Description

SELF-ERECTNG FLOOD BARRIER

This invention relates to a self-erecting flood barrier.

Flood barriers of many types already exist. They fall into two main types: permanent, which are not relevant to this application, and temporary, which are. A common feature of all temporary barriers that are at presently available is that they need manpower to erect them in the time of need. That whilst there are in existence other flood protection devices that are automatic, namely drain non-return valves and air- brick closures, that are operated by the forces inherent in the arriving waters, this principle has not so far been applied to large-scale flood barriers.

The present invention provides for a flood barrier that is permanent in the sense that it is always 'in situ', but at that lays in the horizontal plane, in which orientation it can be disguised as a landscape feature but is not active as a flood barrier.

The barrier is so designed that it acts as a simple mechanism that converts the forces of gravitational lift and lateral thrust inherent in the arriving flood waters into the directional mechanical forces required to erect said barrier into to its vertical flood retaining orientation. The necessary vertical stiffness required for the barrier to resist the lateral pressure exerted by the retained flood waters is to be provided by a system of flexible tension ties, normally hidden beneath the barrier in its horizontal state, that loecolle taut once tee barrier is erected. At 'this tlle-j provide a tilal;"lation Lie from the "front" E "flood side" of the base to the top of the erected barrier. This then is a barrier that can run for any length required without the need of any permanent vertical above ground ointments. Many mechanisms can be designed to this criteria, one such is described below.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example.

As this is a self-erecting barrier having two states, this description will use the terms waiting' and 'active' to define said states. 2/4

Fig. 1 shows in three-quarter view a sketch of the barrier 3, in its waiting position, i.e. horizontal and, in this instance, disguised as paving slabs. The barrier as shown terminates at both ends abutting to sections of vertical brickwork 14 with rendered faces 15. The waterproofing of these terminations will be detailed later. As shown, this length of self-erecting barrier 3 joins at one end into rising ground 16 and at the other end joins into a permanent flood wall 17.

In practice, any considerable length of 'self-erecting barrier' would be comprised of a plurality modules, one of which will be now described.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through one such modular unit. The unit is shown set into the ground, the ground level being shown by the line 9. This modular unit consists of a concrete base 1. The heavy line delineates the profile of this base. At 2 is shown a length of: standard reinforcing rod shaped to strengthen the proflie. This complete concrete casting 1 acts as the base of the flood barrier and provides the weight and rigidity needed to anchor the barrier to withstand the pressures of flood water when the barrier is in its erected state. At 3 is shown the main barrier member that will form the barrier when in the active state and provides the necessary lateral strength. This member is essentially a flat, oblong plate of any material possessing the required characteristics and qualities, such as rigidity, strength and resistance to the corrosion and the elements in general. At 5 is shown a hinge, possibly of the 'piano' type, that fixes the barrier plate to the base 1 in such a manner as to allow the barrier member 3 to rotate vertically through a 90 arc to take up its 'active' vertical orientation as shown in Fig 4.3. At Fig 2.4 is shown a flexible, waterproof membrane with dimensions chosen to fit the barrier system. As in practice a barrier would comprise a plurality of modular units, the flexible membrane would pass unbroken from one to the other until terminating at the end of the barriers Fig. 1.14 in a manner to be described. Such flexible membrane 4 being fixed to the barrier 3 by the fasteners 12. At 6 is shown a mass of suitable sealant which seals in a waterproof manner the bottom of the flexible membrane 4 to the concrete base l. At 7 is shown a second plate that provides a support means for the buoyant mass 8, which is affixed to it by means of the spike 13. The buoyant mass is an oblong mass of any suitable material which has a density significantly less than that of water. In practice, it will 3/4 probably be a medium-density foam plastic of a type that was resistant to destruction by exposure to the elements. The buoyant mass would extend the whole length of the modular unit on the profile shown in Fig. 2. At appropriate intervals the buoyant mass 8 will have cut into it diagonal recesses to allow for the operation of the triangulation ties Fig 4.1 l. Such a tie is shown at Fig. 2.1 l in its folded form, which is taken when the barrier is not active. When the barrier erects to its active state this ties comprised of any flexible but not extensible material, becomes taut and at such provides a diagonal tension member to ensure that the weight of the base 1 is applied to keep the erect barrier plate 3 in a vertical orientation and at that resist the lateral force of the flood waters Fig. 4. 18.

That completes the description of the central components of the selferecting flood barrier module. Its operation will now be described with references to Figs. 3 and 4.

The oblong recess in the module base I provides at Fig. 3.19 a normally dry and empty chamber. The profiles of the base 1 and the barrier member 3 being such as to ensure that rainwater cannot enter said chamber.

Approaching flood water can, however, enter the chamber via the recesses 20 in the tip of the base. As incoming floodwater fills the chamber 19 the natural buoyancy of the buoyant mass 8 will cause said mass to rise and thus lift the barrier member upwards to an extent that it ensures that its upper or forward lip is always above the level of the rising floodwaters and thus expose the underside of the barrier member 3 to the lateral force of the rising water. Fig 3\4.18 The combined forces provided by the buoyancy of the mass 8 and the lateral force 18 will now complete the erection of the barrier once these combined forces are greater than the inertia of the device.

Once the barrier member 3 is vertical and the flexible ties 11 become taut the self- erecting flood barrier is now vertical and in the active state.

Figs 5 and 6 show the detail of one possible method of achieving a waterproof seal between the above described moving mechanism and the fixed brickwork end components Fig. 1.14. 4/4

Fig 5 shows in elevation the terminating brickwork 14 with its face totally covered by the flexible membrane 4. It shows the actual barrier 3 in the erect "active" position and the membrane 4 emerging from said barrier. It shows, by the line 21 the position at which the membrane 4 is sealed by any suitable sealant to the rendered face of the brickwork 14. At this the barrier and the brickwork comprise a continuous waterproof system.

Fig 6 differs from Fig 5 in one respect only. The Barrier 3 now being in the horizontal, "waiting state". The flexible membrane 4 is shown folded, pleated, about the imaginary line 22. It will be seen that at this the membrane 4 still seals against encroaching water. In practice a small lateral gap needs to be left between the barrier module 1 and the terminating brickwork 14 for the membrane to have the space to fold.

It should be noted that whilst this description talks of"brickwork" any vertical surface could be used for this system of terminating the barrier system and further that many other systems of achieving this termination are possible.

It should also be noted that whilst in this description the modular units are considered as laying in a straight, flat line it is possible to achieve changes of direction and elevation by utilising the strength and flexibility of the membrane to achieve direction changes between modules as required. End.

Claims

I A flood barrier, normally found in a horizontal waiting state, that utilises the energy inherent in arriving flood waters to erect itself to a vertical active state without the need of any human intervention or presence.
2 A flood barrier as claimed in claim I that rises on the rising water due to being constructed entirely of buoyant materials.
3 A flood barrier as claimed in claimed in claim I that is not of itself buoyant but is lifted by attached buoyant floats or materials.
4 A flood barrier as claimed in claims 1,2 and 3 that is, on the side away from the flood threat, effectively hinged to a base of any nature suitable to be embedded in a waterproof manner into the local terrain.
A flood barrier that has a base as in claim 4 that contains a pit or trough suitable to contain a buoyant float as in claim 3.
6 A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim that once vertical is held vertical by flexible straps suitably attached to the barrier and the base.
7 A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim that is additionally waterproofed by a single waterproof membrane along its entire length.
8 A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim that in its plan of construction can incorporate curved sections and right angle corners in both hands.
9 A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim that in its horizontal waiting state is disguised as any other feature natural to that location.

A flood barrier as claimed in all preceding claims that is manufactured in modular sections.