FLUTSCHUTZ Impoundment
To secure dike sections that are at risk of breakage, structures made entirely of sandbags or sandbags in combination with fascines (cylindrical bundle of brushwood or similar material) or geotextiles are commonly used. The sandbags can be deployed either on the waterside or, most commonly, on the crest or on the landside dike slope. In case of an increased local seepage in the lower regions of the landside slope of a dike, the seepage flow must be stopped or at least hampered to prevent piping. For this, conventionally a sandbag impoundment is built around the leakage in which the water or water/ sediment mixture is collected. The resulting hydraulic counter pressure reduces or prevents further seepage. For construction of a conventional sandbag impoundment with a height of 0.80 m 800 to 1,000 sandbags are required. Therefore, many hands as well as material and transports are needed to install and dismantle such a protection system.
The innovative FLUTSCHUTZ Impoundment is a non-stationary water-filled tube systems made of reinforced plastic membranes. It can be used for strengthening an endangered dike line during long lasting high water levels. Its purpose is to rapidly reduce and confine locally increased seepage flows.
Actual system proven in operational environment (competitive manufacturing).
The solution is used successfully in a structurally operational environment. The user can and wants to recommend the solution to others.
The solution is used successfully in a structurally operational environment. The user can and wants to recommend the solution to others.
The FLUTSCHUTZ Impoundment was developed within the research project HWS-Mobile, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. Different prototypes of such water-filled tube systems for emergency flood control were developed and tested in laboratory as well as in situ. In 2012, the FLUTSCHUTZ Impoundment was tested and certified by the German Technical Inspection Agency TUV Nord for deployment in emergency flood control.
The system was used successfully during the severe Elbe flooding in 2013. Since 2013, the FLUTSCHUTZ Impoundment is included in the training courses for flood agents at the College of the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief in Hoya, Lower Saxony in Germany.
How does it work?
The innovative dike protection system FLUTSCHUTZ Impoundment is made of flexible, water-filled membranes. The empty membrane system can be brought easily to the endangered dike section to stop or hamper the locally increased seepage flow. First, the membrane will be filled with air using a gasoline-driven booster. After proper placement of the air-filled construction at the landside dike slope or at the dike toe the air fill is replaced by water using a gasoline-driven pump. For filling the on-site available flooding water can be used directly.
By logging in you can access to more detailed information on the innovation