Water-retaining element, system and method for forming a temporary water-retaining structure

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Patent Center

Netherlands © 1034103

C PATENT²⁰ (21) Application number: 1034103 © Submitted: 05.07.2007 © Int.CI .:

E02B3 / 10 (2006.01)

<td>© Registered:</td><td>© Patent holder (s):</td>

<td> 06.01.2009</td><td>Royal BAM Group NV in Bunnik.</td>

<td></td><td>Movares Nederland BV in Utrecht.</td>

<td>(47) Granted:</td><td></td>

<td> 06.01.2009</td><td>(72) Inventor (s):</td>

<td></td><td>Jan Sebastiaan Reedijk in Gouda.</td>

<td>(45) Issued:</td><td>Erik ten Oever in Leiden.</td>

<td> 02.03.2009</td><td>Joachim Matthijs van Gaaien in Gouda.</td>

<td></td><td>Peter Gerardes van Duijnen in Culemborg.</td>

<td></td><td>Herke Gerrit Stuit in Hoofddorp.</td>

<td></td><td>(74) Authorized representative:</td>

<td></td><td>Ir. HV Mertens et al. At 2280 GE Rijswijk.</td>

© Flood defense element, system and method for forming a temporary flood defense.

© A flood defense element (2) is intended to form a temporary flood defense (1) and comprises a bottom (6), several side walls (8, 10), and coupling means (20). The multiple side walls extend upward from the bottom to form a water-fillable tray (12). The coupling means are adapted for coupling the water-retaining element in a water-retaining manner to at least one adjacent water-retaining element. The flood defense element comprises at least one cutting plate (30), which cutting plate extends downwards from the bottom.

NL C 1034103

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This patent has been granted regardless of the enclosed result of the prior art research and written opinion. The patent corresponds to the documents originally filed.

The Netherlands Patent Center is an agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Short designation: Flood defense element, system and working method for forming a temporary flood defense

The invention relates to a flood defense element according to the preamble of claims 1.

EP-A1-1.614.811 discloses dam construction elements for building a temporary flood defense, which can be built up in case of impending floods. The dam construction elements comprise a flexible bottom, side walls extending perpendicularly upwards from the bottom and a lid with one opening. The side walls each consist of several rigid panels, which are flexibly connected to each other. The element is provided with a waterproof inner lining, in the form of a foil. There are studs at the bottom of the bottom, with which the element rests on a surface. The space between the studs forms a network of channels, for draining water that could get under the element.

The known flood defense element has the drawback that it requires a large width in various circumstances, in which in some cases even several elements have to be placed one behind the other.

The present invention aims to at least partially overcome the above-mentioned drawback, or at least to provide a useful alternative. In particular, the object of the invention is to provide a flood defense element for forming a reliable temporary flood defense, at a relatively small width.

The invention achieves this object by means of a flood defense element according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the subclaims.

A flood defense element for forming a temporary flood barrier comprises a bottom, a plurality of side walls, and coupling means. The multiple side walls extend upward from the bottom to form a water-fillable tray. The coupling means are adapted for coupling the water-retaining element in a water-retaining manner to at least one adjacent water-retaining element. The flood defense element comprises at least one cutting plate, which cutting plate extends downwards from the bottom.

In use, the flood defense element will be placed on a surface. The cutting plate will penetrate into the substrate and thus provides the flood defense element with a high

- 2 resistance to lateral forces that exert water on the flood defense element. In addition, such inserts provide tilt resistance. The water-retaining element according to the invention can thus be made narrower than the elements of the prior art, which, on the basis of friction with the substrate, must provide resistance to lateral forces and, on the basis of their weight and width, must offer resistance to tipping.

The invention further relates to a flood defense element for forming a temporary flood barrier, which comprises a bottom, a plurality of side walls, and coupling means. The multiple side walls extend upward from the bottom to form a water-fillable tray. The coupling means are adapted for coupling the water-retaining element in a water-retaining manner to at least one adjacent water-retaining element. The flood defense element comprises a water-permeable cover, which water-permeable cover rests on at least two of the side walls and is adapted to damp waves.

Due to the wave-damping effect of the water-permeable cover, the water-retaining element can be made narrower than in the prior art. This measure can be applied on its own or in combination with an insert. Waves will enter the trough at least partially through the water-permeable cover, thereby reducing or even avoiding the impact of waves over the water-retaining element. In the prior art, the same degree of wave overtopping can only be achieved with higher and / or wider elements.

The invention also relates to a flood defense element for forming a temporary flood barrier, which comprises a bottom, a plurality of side walls and coupling means. Viewed from the bottom, the side walls diverge from one another in such a way that the flood defense element is nestably stackable in a substantially uniform flood defense element.

Thanks to the divergent shape and the resulting nesting stackability, the flood defense elements can be stored compactly. This measure can be applied on its own or in combination with a cutting plate and / or a water-permeable cover. The compact storage option is achieved with a more robust water-retaining element than is known from the prior art. After all, the element from EP-A1-1.614.811 is foldable for storage, with various rigid parts being flexibly connected to each other. In addition, this known element requires an inner lining.

The invention also relates to a system for forming a temporary flood defense, as defined in an independent claims.

The invention further relates to a temporary flood defense, built up from the system for forming a temporary flood defense.

Finally, the invention relates to a method for forming a temporary flood defense, as defined in an independent claims.

Advantageous embodiments of the method are defined in the subclaims.

The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the annexed drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a spatial view of a flood defense element and two coupling pieces;

fig. 2 shows a spatial view of two coupled flood defense elements; fig. 3 shows a corner coupling piece; and Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment in use.

A temporary water barrier according to the invention is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 1 in Figures 1 and 2. The temporary flood defense 1 comprises several flood defense elements 2 and several coupling pieces 4. For the sake of clarity, in Fig. 1 one of the coupling pieces 4 is shown separately from the flood defense element 2. Also for the sake of clarity, in Fig. 2 a flood defense element 2 in openwork condition shown.

The water-retaining element 2 comprises a bottom 6 and side walls, in particular along side walls 8 and transverse side walls 10. The side walls 8 and 10 extend upwards from the bottom 6 to form a water-fillable tray 12. The water-filled container fillable tray 12 is covered by a lid 14. The lid 14 is provided with holes, in this embodiment oval holes 16. The holes 16 make the lid 14 permeable to water. The lid 14 rests removably on the edges 8 and 10 of the water-retaining element 2.

The side walls 8 and 10 diverge from the bottom 6 upwards. As a result, it is possible to stack several flood defense elements 2 nested in each other after the cover 14 has been removed. By nested it is meant that an upper flood defense element 2 is not completely located on an underlying flood defense element 2, but that it is mainly located in the lower flood defense element 2. It will be above

- 4 weir element 2 with the outside of its side walls 8 and 10 and / or the bottom of its bottom 6 resting on the inside of side walls 8 and 10 and / or the inside of the bottom 6 of the underlying weir element 2, respectively.

The flood defense element 2 further comprises coupling means 20, which in this exemplary embodiment are provided on the transverse side walls 10. The coupling means 20 are designed for coupling a first flood defense element 2 in a water-retaining manner, to a second flood defense element 2, in this exemplary embodiment via a coupling piece 4, as shown in fig.

2. The coupling means comprise first and second protruding wall parts 22, 24. The first protruding wall part 22 extends substantially parallel to the respective transverse side wall 10. The projecting wall part 24, seen in plan view, forms an obtuse angle with respect to the transverse side wall 10 and the first protruding wall part 22. The coupling means 20 further comprise rubber sealing strips 26 which extend substantially vertically and are provided on the second projecting wall parts 24 and on the transverse side wall 10.

The weir element 2 is provided with two cutting plates 30 on a bottom side of its bottom 6. In this exemplary embodiment, the cutting plates 30 lie in the same plane as the longitudinal side walls 8 and in this case form an integral part thereof. The part of the longitudinal side wall 8 which extends below the level of the bottom 6 is regarded as the cutting plate 30. The cutting plate 30 is water-permeable, in this exemplary embodiment because it is provided with water-permeable openings 32. Although in this exemplary embodiment both cutting plates 30 are provided with such openings 32, it may suffice to provide only one cutting plate 30 with such openings. A drainage mat 34 extends between the two cutting plates 30 under the bottom 6 of the flood defense element.

The coupling piece 4 comprises a bottom (indicated indicatively by reference numeral 36, but in fact not visible in the spatial views). The coupling piece 4 further comprises longitudinal side walls 38 and the transverse side walls 40. The longitudinal side walls 38 and the transverse side walls 40 extend from the bottom 36 to form a water-fillable tray 42. The longitudinal side walls 38 diverge with respect to each other as seen from each other. the bottom 36.

The transverse side walls 40 converge relative to each other when viewed from the bottom 36.

In this exemplary embodiment, the coupling piece 4 is provided with a cover 44, provided with oval water-permeable openings 46. The cover 44 rests removably on the edges of the side walls 38 and 40.

The coupling piece 4 is provided with coupling means 50, which are complementary to the coupling means 20 of the flood defense elements 2. The coupling means 50 of the coupling piece 4 comprise recessed wall parts 52 and 54. The recessed wall parts 52 and 54 are complementary to the protruding wall parts 22, 24 of the weir element 2. The coupling means 50 of the coupling piece 4 further comprise grooves 56, which are complementary to the rubber strips 26 of the weir element 2.

The side walls 8 and 10 of the weir element 2 make an angle of substantially 96 ° with respect to the bottom 6. More generally, the side walls 8 and 10 of the weir element 2 make an angle of 90 plus x degrees with respect to the bottom 6, where x is more than 0 and preferably less than 25 °. The longitudinal side walls 38 of the coupling piece 4 make the same angle with respect to the respective bottom 36 of the coupling piece 4 as the longitudinal side walls 8 of the watering element 2. The transverse side walls 40 of the coupling piece 4 make an angle of 84 ° with respect to the respective bottom 36 of the coupling piece 4. More generally, the transverse side walls 40 of the coupling pieces 4 make an angle with respect to their bottom 36 which is complementary is at the angle that the transverse side wall 10 of the flood defense element makes. Where the transverse side walls 10 of the flood defense element 2 form an angle of 90 plus x degrees with the bottom 6, the transverse side walls 40 of the coupling piece 4 form an angle of 90 - x degrees.

The flood defense elements 2 and the coupling pieces 4 together form a system for building up a temporary flood defense. The temporary flood defense 1 is built up by placing a first flood defense element 2 on a substrate and placing a coupling piece 4 against one or both transverse side walls 10. The coupling piece 4 is herein provided with a transverse side wall 40 against a corresponding obliquely formed transverse side wall 10 with a water-retaining element 2. In the assembled state, the respective transverse side walls 10, 40 thus lie substantially parallel to each other. Likewise, the projecting wall parts 20 lie against the projecting wall parts 52 and the projecting wall parts 24 against the projecting wall parts 54. Furthermore, the rubber strips 26 are received in the correspondingly shaped grooves 56. A water-sealing seal is thus achieved between a water-retaining element 2 and a coupling piece 4.

Subsequently, a next water-retaining element 2 is placed against a coupling piece 4 thus placed, wherein the transverse side walls and recessed and protruding wall parts come to abut in the manner described above. After placement of this next water-retaining element 2, the coupling piece 4 can no longer be removed, because it is in one

- direction 6 transversely to the longitudinally extending flood defense elements 2 is bounded by the protruding wall parts 24 and 54. In a direction upwards the coupling piece 4 is bounded by the transverse side wall 10 and the protruding wall parts 22 and 24 of the flood defense element 2.

After several, preferably all, flood defense elements 2 and coupling pieces 4 have been placed, the respective trays 12 and 42 are at least partially filled with water. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the bins 12 and 42 can also be filled with other heavy material, such as sand. Due to the combined weight of the flood defense elements 2 and the water, the cutting plates 30 will cut into the substrate. Preferably, these cutting plates 30 cut into the substrate so far that the water-retaining element 2 with its bottom 6 also presses against the substrate. It is noted here that the pressure in question is exerted via the drainage mat 30. The cutting plates 30 provide a resistance to the transverse displacement of the flood defense elements 2 with respect to the ground. This resistance, in combination with the weight of the filled container 12, ensures that a temporary flood barrier thus formed can withstand water pressure exerted on one side of the temporary flood barrier 1. This is schematically shown in Fig. 4 for an otherwise slightly different embodiment of a flood defense element according to the invention.

Thus, a temporary flood defense 1 can for instance be placed on the crest of a dike, which is expected to be insufficiently high to withstand a predicted water level. However, a temporary flood defense 1 can also be placed around an area that is intended as temporary water storage. The temporary flood defense 1 can even be provided on a substantially horizontal surface, but of course also on an already existing ring dyke to increase this ring dyke. In order to form a temporary water storage, the temporary flood defense 1 preferably forms a closed contour, whereby a part of this closed contour can optionally also be formed by other water-retaining means, including permanently present structures. The temporary flood defense 1 can also form a closed contour around objects, such as buildings, for example houses or farms in a floodplain. Instead of protecting the entire object, the temporary flood defense 1 can also be used to close water-permeable openings of such an object.

The cutting edge 30 preferably extends so deeply into the substrate that it prevents, or at least partially prevents seepage water from flowing under the temporary flood defense 1. In order to prevent seepage water from exerting an upward force on the water-retaining elements 2, the water-permeable openings 32 are provided in at least one of the cutting edges. As a result, a limited amount of seepage water can flow out from under the water-retaining element 2, whereby overpressure is avoided. The drainage mat 34 is provided to prevent locally seepage water from accumulating under the water-retaining element 2. Seepage water can flow away to the water-permeable openings 32 via this drainage mat 34.

In use, water may be located on a water side of the temporary flood defense 1. This should thereby prevent this water from flowing over, through or under the temporary flood defense 1 to a land side of the temporary flood defense 1. The longitudinal side wall 8 which the water side will be referred to below as the first longitudinal side wall. The longitudinal side wall 8 located on the land side will hereinafter be referred to as the second longitudinal side wall.

It is quite conceivable that the temporary flood defense 1 is not only loaded by a static water pressure, but that there are also waves on the water. If such waves strike the first longitudinal side wall 8, the relevant wave part will come onto the water-permeable cover 14. This wave part will at least partially pass through the openings 16 in the tray 12. Likewise, a portion of a wave may also get into the box 42 of the coupling piece 4, although this is not essential for proper operation of this aspect of the invention. Thanks to the water-permeable cover 14, a large part of the wave energy will already scatter before the water enters the container 12 through the openings 16. Residual wave energy from the water flowing into the tray 12 can lead to local wave formation in this tray. The water-permeable cover 14 then ensures that at least most of this water does not flow over the second longitudinal side wall 8.

This effectively prevents, or at least reduces, waves from hitting the temporary flood defense. This effect is achieved with a weir element 2 which can remain narrower than a weir which is not provided with a water-permeable cover. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that water, which comes from waves, can increase the permanent water level in the tank 12. In order to prevent the tray 12 from becoming so full that it still threatens to overflow on the inside, run-off facilities (not shown) are provided on the water side of the temporary flood defense 1. Such a run-off facility can simply be formed by the relevant longitudinal side wall 8 finish at a lower level than the opposite longitudinal side wall 8.

- 8 Alternatively, the relevant longitudinal side wall 8 can be provided with outflow openings at the desired maximum water level.

Figure 3 shows a special form of a coupling piece, which is indicated here with reference numeral 60. The corner coupling piece 60 has transverse side walls 40, and coupling means 50 which are comparable, in particular equal, to the respective parts of the coupling piece 6. The respective transverse side walls 40 and associated coupling means 50 are provided in plan view at an angle to each other, in this case an angle of 90 °. Alternatively, other angles in the range from 0 to 180 ° can be used. By using such corner coupling pieces 60, a temporary flood barrier can make corners, for example for following a contour of an existing dike, or for forming a closed contour. It is advantageous to have several corner coupling pieces in stock, the transverse side walls 40 of which are at different angles to each other. In a variant (not shown) such an angle coupling piece can also take a wedge shape, i.e. the relevant corner coupling piece has a longitudinal side wall which is longer than one opposite longitudinal side wall.

Figure 4 shows schematically in cross section an alternative water-retaining element 70. The water-retaining element 70 is provided with more than two, in this case seven cutting plates 30. At least six of the cutting plates 30 are provided with water-permeable openings (not shown). In this exemplary embodiment, the cutting plates 30 are not in line with the longitudinal side walls 8. They do, however, extend downwards from the relevant bottom.

Figure 4 further generally shows schematically how a temporary flood defense 1 is formed. On a water side 72 of the temporary weir 1, water is turned with the respective first side side wall 8 of the weir element 70 facing the water side. To resist the water pressure of the water, the cutting plates 30 are located in a ground 74.

Flood defense elements according to the invention can be manufactured in various sizes and from different materials. Preferably, the flood defense elements are mainly manufactured from a plastic, such as a fiber-reinforced plastic. A metal tube can be attached along a top edge of the longitudinal side walls 8 for stiffening. Such stiffening may be necessary to prevent the waterproofing element from deforming under the water pressure. The metal tube can advantageously be provided with lifting eyes. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 4, this is a steel tube, schematically indicated by 75. The steel tube 75 in this exemplary embodiment has a cross section

- 9 of 0.10 by 0.05 m. An exemplary embodiment of a lid (not shown) is hingedly connected at one longitudinal edge to a top edge of one of the two longitudinal side walls. The opposite longitudinal edge of the lid is positively detachably connected to the other longitudinal side wall, for instance with a snap connection. Alternatively, the hinged connection can also be replaced by a positive fit releasable connection. An advantage of these connection methods is that the lid stiffens the longitudinal side walls, so that the resistance to bending under water pressure increases and a metal sleeve is not necessary, or can be made lighter.

In one embodiment, the bottom 6 can have a size of 4 by 2 m, whereby the water trough has a size of 4.4 by 2.4 meters as a result of the divergence of the side walls. A suitable height is, for example, 1.1m. An alternative container can have a length of 6 meters, a width of 1.2 meters and a height of 0.7 meters. More generally, the longitudinal dimension of the bottom will be between 1 and 10 meters, preferably between 2 and 8 meters. The width measure will generally be between 0.5 and 4 meters, preferably between 1 and 3 meters. The height will generally be between 0.5 and 2 meters.

The plastic of the water-retaining element is preferably 5 to 15 mm, in particular 5 to 10, more in particular 8 mm thick. Instead of a combination of plastic with metal, a water-retaining element according to the invention can of course also be manufactured entirely from plastic, or entirely from a metal, such as steel, or from other materials, such as wood. The flood defense elements of the exemplary embodiments shown are rectangular in top view. Alternatively, the flood defense elements can be curved or polygonal, including triangular, hexagonal.

The cutting plate of the invention extends downward. From the exemplary embodiments shown, it already appears that below a substantially completely vertical orientation should suffice, as well as an orientation of a few degrees relative to the vertical. This orientation is such that the cutting plate can penetrate into the substrate. The orientation for this purpose is expediently less than 30 degrees, in particular less than 15 degrees, more particularly less than 10 degrees relative to the vertical. The cutting plate does not have to extend uninterruptedly over the full length of the flood defense element, but can also comprise one or more shorter plates. The water permeability of the cutting plates can also be realized in a manner other than through the openings shown, for instance with the aid of membranes and / or by providing flow openings in the bottom of the water-retaining element, above the cutting plates.

The side walls can extend substantially vertically upwardly, or extend upwardly from 0 to 45 degrees at an angle to the vertical. Furthermore, coupling means other than the shown can also be used, which also need not be integrated from the transverse side walls. For example, mechanical coupling means, such as bolts, can be attached to the longitudinal walls, or a tongue and groove connection, or fully form-fitting connecting means can be used. A coupling based on friction or suction force can also be provided. It is also possible to couple the flood defense elements directly, so without the coupling piece. This coupling piece is extra advantageous in combination with nestable flood defense elements, to connect two sloping transverse side walls in a water-resistant manner.

The water-permeable cover can also be water-permeable in alternative ways, such as using a membrane. The lid can also be provided with additional wave-dissipating means, such as ridges on the top and / or bottom of the lid. The cover does not have to rest on all longitudinal walls, but can for instance also rest on a part of the longitudinal side walls, or on parts of the longitudinal walls.

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