Moldable Seal Sections for Flood Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preventing floodwater entry into buildings, such as sandbags, are labor-intensive and difficult to implement during emergencies, requiring significant advance preparation and manpower.
Innovation Solution
A kit containing individual sections of moldable material, which can be easily positioned and deformed to form a contiguous seal around structures like doors and openings, providing a quick and effective temporary barrier against water ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sandbags are used to prevent floodwater entry, then water protection is achieved, but labor intensity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple individual sections that can be independently positioned and deformed. Each section can be separately manipulated to fit specific gaps and irregularities in the structure, allowing one person to effectively seal larger areas without requiring extensive manpower as with sandbags.
Solution Approach 2:
The moldable material changes its physical state from a rigid or semi-rigid form to a deformable state when force is applied. This parameter change allows the material to conform to irregular surfaces and gaps, creating an effective seal without requiring the labor-intensive stacking and adjustment needed for sandbags.
2Reliability
If sandbags are prepared in advance, then flood protection is established, but storage space and advance preparation time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The moldable material is pre-packaged in individual sections that are ready for immediate use. While the material itself is prepared in advance in a compact form, it maintains its moldability so that when deployed, it can be quickly deformed and positioned to create an effective seal at the moment of need, eliminating the requirement for extensive advance stacking and positioning that sandbags require.
3Reliability
If multiple sandbags are stacked to seal gaps, then water tightness is improved, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual sections of moldable material are combined into a single contiguous seal by deforming them against one another and the structure. This merging creates a unified water-tight barrier that functions as one integrated system rather than multiple separate units, simplifying both the installation process and the overall structure compared to stacked sandbags.
4Reliability
If moldable material sections are deformed to form a contiguous seal, then water tightness is achieved, but material consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moldable material undergoes a parameter change in its physical state when deformed, allowing it to expand and fill gaps effectively. This deformation enables the material to achieve water tightness by conforming to the exact geometry of the seal area, using only the amount of material necessary to fill the specific gaps rather than requiring excess material for overlapping layers as with sandbags.
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 allows for rapid, non-labor-intensive, and cost-effective formation of a water-tight seal to prevent flood damage, adaptable to various surfaces and easily removable once the flood threat has passed, minimizing disruption and damage.
Implementation Method 1
forcing the individual sections against one another and at least the structure so as to deform the plurality of individual sections and thereby form a substantially contiguous temporary seal
Data Source
AI summary
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes positioning a plurality of individual sections of a moldable material adjacent one another and adjacent a structure to be sealed, and forcing the individual sections against one another and at least the structure so as to deform the plurality of individual sections and thereby form a substantially contiguous temporary seal comprised of the moldable material between the structure and at least a portion of the opening in which the structure is positioned.