Hydraulic and earth engineering – Fluid control – treatment – or containment – Flow control
Patent
1998-02-10
2000-10-17
Lillis, Eileen Dunn
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Fluid control, treatment, or containment
Flow control
5216914, 405 90, 405102, 405107, E02B 310, E02D 1900, E02D 1902
Patent
active
061321400
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to control flood waters and to reduce the damage caused by flooding, it is known to build dams and barriers to contain the flood waters in different ways and with different devices. Most widely known is the use of sandbags, but this requires a great amount of work and also requires access to a sufficient amount of sand and bags. Furthermore, it is known to fill tube-like structures with water and anchor them on site. This will achieve damming relatively fast since water can quickly be pumped into the tube-like devices. These devices however are comparatively expensive. Furthermore, since the water-filled tubes (in comparison to the sandbags) are not heavier than the water, the barrier might be altogether removed by the lifting force exerted by the flood waters. It has been presumed therefore, that flood protection requires a great weight, even if this necessitate excessive time and work and consequently result in limiting one's ability to fight floods.
To sum up, one can say that the ways that are available today for the damming up and containment of water and controlling floods are not satisfactory. They are either too expensive or require too much time and work to be effective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above there is a need of a more practical way to achieve the damming of flood waters in catastrophic situations, that is fast and that does not require large investments.
The invention has as its objects to provide an extremely stable low cost protection from flood waters which can be constructed quickly, in large lengths, by placing loading pallets side by side in such a way that they are inclined outward from the water. A suitable membrane, tarpaulin or the like, is applied on the waterside of the inclined loading pallets. The bottom edge portion of the membrane or tarpaulin is preferably weighted down by stones, sandbags or even loose dirt or sand, in order to secure the bottom edge portion of the membrane to the ground. The water pressure exerted by the arriving flood waters will help to keep the membrane pressed down against the ground and against the loading pallet. The loading pallets are held in place at the intended angle by supporting means preferably triangular in shape. The water force exerted on the loading pallets atop the supporting means as well as laterally hold the structure in place.
The inclination of the loading pallet to the ground must be chosen so that the force exerted by the water pressure will not cause the structure to tilt over as the water level rises. Also, in order to utilize sufficient vertical force to enable the dam to obtain sufficient friction grip with or on the ground. The inclination must not be too steep. However, the inclination must be steep enough to provide an effective dam height. A inclination angle of 45.degree. has been found to be a good choice.
In order to cope with the vertical loads and to prevent the supports from sinking down through the ground which has been softened by the penetration of water, additional loading pallets preferably turned up side down on the ground may be used as a brace for the supports.
In order to cope with the horizontal forces of the water, spikes or the similar anchoring device pushed into the ground at the outward edge of the support, or, if used, the loading pallet lying upside down on the ground, may be used if the friction generated by the vertical forces are insufficient to keep the barrier in place. Often, there will be curb stones, trees or other objects against which the supports may be braced. Also, the membrane itself will contribute to keeping the loading pallets in place, since the membrane is pressed by the water against both the ground and the loading pallets respectively with considerable force. In particular, with a broad contact area of the membrane against the ground, large forces are achievable.
The support means for the loading pallets are preferably designed in such a way as to be foldable or collapsible in some other way so that they are easily transp
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Lillis Eileen Dunn
Mayo Tara L.
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