MX2010012365A

MX2010012365A - Self closing flood barrier and method for protecting a hinterland using same.

Info

Publication number: MX2010012365A
Application number: MX2010012365A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Johann Heinrich Reindert Van Den Noort
Original assignee: Den Noort Innovations Bv Van
Priority date: 2008-05-13
Filing date: 2009-04-02
Publication date: 2011-05-23
Also published as: NL1035546C2; US20110110722A1; JP2011521126A; AU2009247029A1; JP5702276B2; EP2315880A1; CN102099530B; EP2315880B1; PL2315880T3; WO2009139622A1; CN102099530A; ES2565220T3; DK2315880T3; MX341123B

Abstract

The invention relates to a self closing flood barrier for protecting a hinterland against floods, wherein the flood barrier comprises a chamber comprising a first side wall (20) and a second side wall (21), a water inlet for letting in water, a single support block arranged on the first side wall (21), and a dam wall member up and down movably arranged in the chamber. The dam wall member comprises a retaining wall (4) for avoiding water to flow to the hinterland, a forcing element (4, 5a, 5b) for causing an upward movement of the dam wall member, and a blocking element (5b) for providing a blockade for limiting the upward movement, the blocking element comprising an inclined surface (16). The support block comprises an inclined surface (17) against which the inclined surface (16) of the blocking element (5b) acts in a closed state of the flood barrier. Due to the orientation of the angled wall of the support block, the blocking element is forced to move sideward and thereby a lateral force is created forcing the dam wall member to one side of the chamber.

Description

Self-healing barrier against floods and a method to protect the internal region using the same Field of the Invention The invention relates to a self-healing barrier against flooding and to a method for protecting the inner region against flooding by means of such a self-healing barrier against flooding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION They know each other. Self-closing flood barriers in which a dike wall is brought up out of the chamber each time the chamber is completely filled with water. Such a flood barrier can be installed in, for example, a dike beside a river. The flood barrier automatically rises in the event of a flood, thus protecting the interior region. Compared with conventional flood barriers, mobile flood barriers, also referred to as movable dykes, offer the advantage that they constitute a dam only when it is really necessary. In a normal situation, the dam is underground and invisible to the environment.

A movable dam can comprise a vertical retaining wall which on its lower side is provided with a buoy body housed in the chamber. The buoy body causes the retaining wall to leave the chamber a - - through an opening in the upper part of the chamber. The buoy body can also function as a blocking element in order to limit the upward movement of the retaining wall. In that case the buoy body will be thicker than the upper opening of the chamber and consequently it is impeded to leave the chamber.

EP publication 1950352 A2 describes a flood barrier having a rectangular support block on one side of the chamber installed in one of the walls of the chamber. The buoy body comprises a lateral, slightly inclined, almost vertical surface which will result in the movement of the dam wall towards the side of the interior region of the flood barrier in case of flooding. The buoy body further comprises an extension in the lower part which makes contact with the lower part of the rectangular support block in the flooding region. Due to the specific structure of the flood barrier, the retaining wall and the buoy body will act as a lever, where the water that is pressed against the water side of the retaining wall will try to tilt the floatable part. Due to this inclination, the maximum pressure between the floatable part and the chamber occurs near the top of the chamber on the side of the interior region, and between the support block and the buoy body on the water side. In both - - sides the contact surface is very small. As a result, the flood barrier will be unstable in the case of variable water pressure in the upper part of the retaining wall due to the waves. In addition, the contact surfaces are subject to wear due to the high and variable pressures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a flood barrier that is more stable and more resistant than the barrier of the state of the art.

This objective is achieved through a self-healing barrier against floods to protect an interior region against floods, which includes: a chamber comprising a first side wall and a second side wall; a water inlet to allow water to enter; a single support block installed on said first side wall; a movable dam wall member up and down installed in said chamber, the dam wall member comprising: a retaining wall to prevent water from flowing into the interior region; - - an impelling element for causing the upward movement of the dam wall member, and a blocking element for providing a blocking to limit said upward movement, said blocking element comprising a sloping surface, wherein said support block comprises an inclined surface against which said inclined surface of said blocking element acts, in a closed state of said flood barrier.

In the event that the water enters the chamber, the dam wall member will rise so that eventually the inclined surface of the blocking element is pressed against the inclined surface of the support block. This will result in lateral movement until the dam wall member makes contact against the second side wall of the chamber. In the closed state, the dam wall member has two contact surfaces, which result in reduced pressures compared to the barrier of the state of the art. This will result in less wear and more stability of the total barrier.

By using only one support block, the dam wall member will be pressed against the side wall of the interior region resulting in an improved sealing of the - member of dike wall. Also the use of only one support block is more economical than having two support blocks. In addition, the use of a support block will be favorable when maintenance or repair of the flood barrier has to be carried out.

In one embodiment, the dam wall member comprises a substantially planar surface, said second side wall being oriented to make contact against said second side wall. The flat surface is favorable because it makes the closed barrier more stable.

In one embodiment, the flood barrier comprises a sealing member disposed on said substantially planar surface near a lower outer end of said dam wall member to prevent said water from flowing between said dam wall member and said second side wall. Such a sealing member will improve the seal of the flood barrier and by this will prevent the water, on the water side, from flowing to the side of the interior region through the flood barrier in the event of a flood. In addition, the reduced pressure of the water on the second side of the wall member is released and the inclination of the dam wall member that would otherwise move the dam wall member away from the wall of the chamber in its lower portion is not present. . Preferably, the sealing member comprises rubber or - - Similary .

In a specific embodiment, the inclined surface of the support block and said inclined surface of said blocking element make, at least in use, an angle with the vertical, said angle having a value between 30 ° -60 °, and preferably equal to approximately 45 °.

Preferably the support block is removably installed in said first side wall.

The support block may comprise a lower part which is connected to said first side wall of said chamber in the manner of connection means.

The support block may further comprise a lockable inlet that provides access to the connection means. In this way a maintenance team can have access to the connection means in a very simple and effective way. The entrance can be opened after which the connection means can be disconnected and the support block removed.

Preferably the inclined surface of the blocking element is transferred to a less or non-inclined surface which is, at least in said closed state, distant from said first side wall of said chamber. In this way the fastening of the dam wall member is minimized.

Preferably the locking element, the biasing element and said retaining wall are an integrated part. This results in easy fabrication and installation.

The self-closing flood barrier chamber can be arranged to be installed underground or partially underground, depending on the purpose.

In one embodiment, the chamber is disposed substantially under the ground and is connected through a water inlet / outlet with a service pit.

Preferably the flood barrier comprises a lid for closing the opening of said chamber, wherein said lid is fixed to the outer upper end of said dam wall member. The cover also functions as an additional extension of the flood barrier in the event of a flood because it will prevent the waves from traveling over the upper outer edge of the dam wall member. The lid will work like a breakwater.

Finally, the invention also relates to a method for protecting an interior region against flooding by means of a self-healing flood barrier as described above, the method comprising: provide the flood barrier described above; place the flood barrier to a functioning state; - - Allowing water to enter the chamber to raise the dike wall member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which: Figure 1 shows a mode of a flood barrier according to the invention in a state of rest; Figure 2 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 in a closed state; Figure 3 shows schematically a cross section of the chamber according to one embodiment; Figure 4 shows an embodiment in which the flood barrier comprises two ground-loaded plates installed in the upper part of the side wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a mode of a flood barrier according to the invention as applied to a dam 1. Figure 1 shows the flood barrier in a state of rest in which the nearby water such as a river 10 has a normal water level.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the flood barrier comprises a chamber 3 having a water side wall 20 and a side wall of the interior region 21. The chamber 3 also comprises a lower part 22 connecting the two side walls 20, 21 respectively. The walls 20, 21 may be constructed of steel sheet or any other suitable construction known to the skilled person, such as concrete. In the chamber 3 there is a retaining wall 4 which is supported on its lower side by a buoy body 5. Preferably, the retaining wall 4 comprises polyester. This reinforcement of material can be filled with foam as a multilayered construction and is very strong and also very light. In this embodiment, the flood barrier also comprises a cover 6 fixed to the upper part of the retaining wall 4. The retaining wall 4 together with the buoy body 5 is also referred to as a dike wall member. Please note that the buoy body 5 consists of two preferably integrated parts, 5a, 5b and both actually function as an impelling element to cause an upward movement of the dam wall member, and as a blocking element to limit upward movement .

In addition, the flood barrier may comprise a support block 7 removably connected to the water side wall 20 by means of a connection means 15. In a very simple mode the means - - connection comprises screws 15. In this embodiment the support block 7 comprises an inlet 14 which is closed by means of a cover 23. In one embodiment the position in which the support block 7 is installed to the side wall 20 is adjustable . In this way, the opening of the chamber 3 can be adjusted to a desired dimension.

In this embodiment, the flood barrier further comprises a service pit 9 which is connected to the chamber 3 by means of a water inlet / outlet 24. The water inlet 24 is connected to a vertical pipe 12 in the service pit . The water inlet / outlet 24 comprises a valve 13 that opens in case the chamber 3 is emptied. In this situation the water inlet / outlet: works as a water outlet 24. The service pit 9 is connected through a channel 11 to the water side of the dam 1 as shown in Figure 1. The flood barrier It is practically invisible under normal water conditions. In the upper part, the lid 6 is blocked in the fortification space under normal conditions.

Figure 2 shows the self-healing barrier against flooding of Figure 1 in a flood situation where a flood is present resulting in a high level of water from river 10. Only after the water level of river 10 rises above the level of the inlet of the pipe 12, the pipe and the water inlet 24 are filled with water resulting in a water flow to the chamber 3. The water in the chamber 3 will cause the retaining wall 4 to be move upwardly because the retaining wall 4 together with the buoy body 5 float in the water. The dam wall member will move upwardly until the buoy body 5 is pressed on its upper side against the angled wall 17 of the support block 7. This will not only limit the upward movement of the dam wall 4 but will also press the dam wall 4 against the side of interior region 21 of chamber 3. As soon as chamber 3 is fully filled, a seal seal 8 will block the waterproof barrier. Now the water can rise further without flooding the protected area, i.e., the interior region.

When using the service pit 9, the flood barrier works completely automatically without the need to control the water intake. Please note that the service pit 9 also acts as a type of water filter. The dirt and mud that comes from the side of the river will be deposited in the lower part of the service pit and will not reach the chamber 3.

Preferably, the sealing member 8 is disposed on or on the flat side of the dam wall member, and preferably at the lower end of the dam wall member. In Figure 2, it can be seen that the sealing member 8 seals the space between the dam wall member and the wall of the side of the interior region 21. In this way, the pressure between the wall of the side of the interior region 21 and the dam wall member 4, 5 is much smaller than the pressure between the water side wall 20 and the dam wall member 4, 5. This pressure difference will result in a force that avoids a lever mechanism such as it is mentioned in EP 1950352 A2.

Once the water level drops to a normal level, chamber 3 is drained through outlet 24 with a single-pass check valve 13 or by means of a pump (not shown). Once the water has left the chamber 3, the dike wall membrane returns to its resting position inside the chamber. The cover 6 on top of the dam wall 4 is then closed to prevent the entry of waste or debris. In Figure 1 it is shown that the dike wall member does not rest on the floor of chamber 3. This results in a space in which the mud and the like can be deposited. Such deposition will effectively raise the floor of chamber 3, but this elevation will not affect the resting position of the dam wall member. As a result, the lid will always close the opening of the chamber 3, even when the dirt is present in the lower part of the chamber 3.

In addition, due to the weight of the dam wall member, the lid will be pressed down and thus closed due to gravity forces.

Preferably the cover 6 is installed to support the traffic and may be part of the road surface or a pavement. Typically, the values for the height of the retaining wall 4 are 50 cm, 100 cm, 150 cm, 200 cm or 250 cm. However, higher heights of flood barriers are possible.

Preferably the flood barrier comprises one or more seals 26, 27, see Figure 2, to prevent waste or debris, such as abandoned wood, from flowing into the chamber at the upper entrance when the water level drops.

Figure 3 shows schematically a cross section of the chamber according to one embodiment. The support block 7 is installed on the inner side of the wall of the chamber 20. The inclined surface 17 of the support block 7 has an angle a with the vertical, which is preferably between 30-60 °, and more preferably about 45 °. Preferably the same angle a is used for the inclination of the surface 16 in the buoy body 5. These angles will result in a smooth ascending and descending movement of the dam wall member, without the risk of the dam wall member It gets clogged between the walls. - - This risk is further restricted by the fact that the buoy body 5 has a surface 19 that is distant from the inner side of the wall 20 in the closed state.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment in which the flood barrier comprises two ground charging plates 41, 42 installed in the upper part of the side wall 20, 21. These plates will reduce the pressure on the outside of the walls of the chamber so that the risk of deformation of the camera is reduced. Particularly, plates 41, 42 will be advantageous in situations where heavy traffic passes through the flood barrier.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the invention may be practiced in a manner different from that described. For example, the invention can also be used to provide a door for a garage or to close / protect any entrance to a building. It may still be conceivable to provide water tanks whose walls are formed by the flood barrier described above.

The above descriptions are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Thus, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that modifications to the invention can be made as described without departing from - - of the scope of the claims set out below.

Claims

1. An autoceiling barrier against floods to protect an interior region against floods, including said flood barrier: - a chamber comprising a first side wall and a second side wall; a water inlet to allow water to enter; a single support block installed on said first side wall; a movable dam wall member up and down installed in said chamber, said dam wall member comprising: a retaining wall to prevent water from flowing into the interior region; an impelling element for causing an upward movement of the dam wall member, and a blocking element for providing a blocking to limit said upward movement, said blocking element comprising a sloping surface, wherein said support block comprises an inclined surface against which said inclined surface of said blocking element acts in a closed state of said flood barrier.

2. The self-healing flood barrier according to claim 1, wherein said dam wall member comprises a substantially planar surface, said second side wall being oriented to make contact against said second side wall.

3. The self-healing flood barrier according to claim 2, wherein said flood barrier comprises a sealing member installed on said substantially flat surface near a lower outer end of said dam wall member to prevent said water from flowing between said member of the dike wall and said second side wall.

4. The self-healing flood barrier according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said inclined surface of the support block and said inclined surface of said blocking element make, at least in use, an angle with the vertical, said angle having a value between 30 ° - 60 °, and preferably is equal to about 45 °.

5. The self-healing flood barrier according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said support block is removably installed in said first side wall.

6. The self-healing flood barrier according to claim 5, wherein said support block comprises a lower part which is connectable to said first side wall of said chamber in the manner of connection means.

7. The self-healing flood barrier according to claim 6, wherein said support block comprises a lockable inlet providing access to the connection means.

8. The self-healing barrier against flooding according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said inclined surface of the blocking element is transferred to a less or non-inclined surface that is, at least in said closed state, distant from said first side wall of said camera.

9. The self-healing flood barrier according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein blocking element, said plenum and said retaining wall are an integrated part.

10. The self-healing flood barrier according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said chamber is arranged to be installed underground or partially underground.

11. The self-healing flood barrier according to claim 10, wherein said chamber is disposed substantially under the ground and is connected through a water inlet / outlet with a service pit.

12. The self-healing flood barrier according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said flood barrier, comprises a lid for closing the opening of said chamber, wherein said lid is fixed to an outer upper end of said wall member. dam wall.

13. The method for protecting an inner region against flooding by means of a self-healing barrier against flooding according to one or more of the preceding claims, said method comprising: provide said flood barrier; placing said flood barrier to an operating state; to allow the entrance of water in said chamber to ascend said dike wall member.