Inflatable Flood Defense Unit with Buttress Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flood defences are permanent, time-consuming to build, and susceptible to erosion, while existing inflatable defences lack strength and require permanent fixing, making them unsuitable for quick deployment and emergency use.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable flood defence structural unit with parallel front and rear walls, buttresses for support, and a fastening arrangement to create a watertight seal, allowing for rapid deployment and self-supporting rigidity without the need for permanent grounding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rigid flood defences are used, then strength and stability are improved, but deployment time and site preparation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the defence structure from rigid to inflatable, allowing rapid deployment while maintaining structural integrity through air pressure. The inflatable chambers can be quickly inflated to provide the necessary strength and stability without requiring extensive site preparation or assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The defence structure is divided into multiple modular inflatable units that can be independently transported and quickly assembled. Each unit contains its own inflatable chambers and can be deployed separately, then connected to form a complete flood defence barrier, significantly reducing overall deployment time.
2Productivity
If inflatable defences are used, then deployment speed is improved, but structural strength and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic pressure from inflatable chambers to provide structural strength and rigidity. The air-filled chambers create internal pressure that maintains the shape and stability of the defence structure, enabling it to resist flood forces while remaining quickly deployable.
Solution Approach 2:
The defence structure combines inflatable chambers with reinforcing elements and interconnecting members to create a composite structure. This combination provides both the rapid deployability of inflatable materials and the structural strength needed to withstand flood pressures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If inflatable defences are used, then adaptability and quick removal are improved, but water sealing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible inflatable chambers with integrated sealing flanges and gaskets to create water-tight barriers. The flexible nature of the inflatable structure allows it to adapt to different terrain and installation conditions while the sealing components ensure water tightness at joints and connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate sealing components such as gaskets, seals, and bonding agents at the interfaces between inflatable chambers and buttresses. These intermediary elements bridge the gaps between components to prevent water leakage while maintaining the flexibility and adaptability of the overall structure.
4Ease of operation
If inflatable defences without permanent fixing are used, then ease of deployment is improved, but stability against flood water deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the buoyant force of the inflatable chambers as a counterweight to resist flood water forces. The air-filled chambers provide upward and lateral support that stabilizes the structure without requiring permanent anchoring, allowing easy deployment and removal while maintaining stability during use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables quick, flexible, and effective flood protection without the need for permanent installation, providing a robust and watertight barrier against floodwaters.
Implementation Method 1
an inflatable flood defence structural unit comprising: at least one inflatable chamber comprising a front wall and a rear wall which extend in a substantially parallel orientation
Implementation Method 2
The bonding of the buttresses to the chamber provides a water seal therebetween and thus prevents any water passing between the buttress and the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable flood defence structural unit is described for creating an inflatable flood defence arrangement. The unit comprises at least one inflatable chamber comprising a front wall and a rear wall which extend in a substantially parallel orientation. At least one of the front and rear walls provide a water barrier, and a first and second end wall are arranged to couple the front and rear walls together at a respective first and second end of the front and rear walls. The unit further comprises a first inflatable buttress which is rigidly bonded at a proximal end thereof to the rear wall of the chamber, proximate the first end of the chamber and which extends in a direction which is away from the chamber, and a second inflatable buttress which is rigidly bonded at a proximal end thereof to the rear wall of the chamber, proximate the second end of the chamber, and which similarly extends in a direction which is away from the chamber. The unit further comprises a fastening arrangement disposed upon at least one of the first or second buttress for fastening the first and second buttress to a second and first buttress respectively, of a further structural unit to create the flood defence arrangement.