Modular Water Barrier Segmentation and Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional flood control barriers are often expensive, time-consuming to install, and inadequate for managing flood waters, as they are not reusable, adaptable to terrain, and can be damaged by debris or contamination, leading to significant costs and labor inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, versatile, and cost-effective water management barrier system composed of modular, hollow barriers made from materials like low-density polyethylene, which can be easily assembled and disassembled by one or two people, filled with a pourable material to increase weight for effective flood control, and designed for easy storage and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sandbags are used to control flood waters, then the barrier can be made at relatively low material cost, but the total cost including labor, sand, and cleanup becomes extremely high (over a million dollars for a one-mile levee)
Solution Approach 1:
The flood barrier is divided into multiple modular segments that can be independently manufactured, transported, and assembled. Each segment is a self-contained unit with standardized dimensions and connection interfaces, allowing parallel assembly by multiple teams and reducing overall labor requirements while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs reusable plastic barriers instead of disposable sandbags. Although the initial material cost is higher, the barriers can be deployed, retrieved, cleaned, and reused across multiple flood events, eliminating the need for continuous production and disposal of single-use materials, thereby reducing long-term costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If sandbags are used to control flood waters, then the barrier can be constructed with simple materials, but the time required to fill and place 400,000 sandbags becomes prohibitive
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier segments are pre-manufactured to exact specifications before deployment. Connection interfaces, reinforcement elements, and sealing components are integrated during manufacturing rather than assembled in the field, allowing rapid deployment without the time-consuming processes of filling and placing individual sandbags.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier system is segmented into pre-fabricated modules that can be quickly assembled through simple connection mechanisms. This segmentation allows parallel assembly operations and eliminates the sequential process of individually filling and positioning thousands of sandbags.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traffic barriers are used as flood control barriers, then the barrier can be readily available, but they are heavy, increasing transport and assembly cost and time
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier material transitions from heavy concrete (traditional traffic barriers) to lightweight plastic polymers. This parameter change in material density maintains structural strength and flood barrier functionality while reducing weight by a factor of 5-10 times, enabling manual handling and rapid deployment without heavy machinery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes thin-walled plastic barrier segments that derive their strength from geometric shaping and structural design rather than material mass. These thin-film structures provide adequate flood protection while being extremely lightweight compared to conventional concrete barriers.
4Area of stationary object
If traffic barriers are connected together, then the barrier can be extended to cover larger areas, but the connection does not provide a tight seal to prevent flood waters from passing between barriers
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system merges adjacent barrier segments through interlocking joints that combine mechanical attachment with integrated sealing elements. The seal is built into the connection interface itself, ensuring water-tight continuity across the entire barrier line without gaps or weak points at junctions.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection interface utilizes composite construction combining rigid plastic components for structural attachment with flexible sealing materials to ensure water-tight joints. This composite approach at the connection point maintains both mechanical strength and sealing effectiveness across the entire barrier system.
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 system significantly reduces the time and cost associated with flood control, allows for quick assembly and disassembly, is adaptable to various terrains, and can be reused, effectively limiting damage and saving lives during flood emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
filled with a pourable material to increase weight for effective flood control
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to barriers for managing and/or controlling water. In an embodiment, a barrier may include a hollow body at least partially defined by a front wall, a back wall, a top portion and a bottom portion. An elongated connection member may be connected to the first end. The connection member may have a tapered free end portion substantially adjacent said top portion and a lower free end portion substantially adjacent said bottom portion of said hollow body such that the connection member virtually extends the entire length of the first end. A connection recess may be formed in the second end. The connection recess may be sized and configured to generally correspond to at least a portion of the connection member. The barrier may further include a foot member attached to the bottom portion, and a fill port and a drain port in fluid communication with the hollow body.