CN115182298A - Flood control barrier facility with flexible outer membrane - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a flood barrier installation with a flexible outer membrane comprising a flexible outer membrane made of a liquid impermeable material. The upper and lower membrane sections are connected by an internal dividing wall and are movable between an expanded position in which the upper membrane section overlies the lower membrane section and an expanded position in which the upper membrane section is spaced from the lower membrane section at the open end of the outer membrane so that water can flow through the open end and be received between the upper and lower membrane sections to be collected therein, i.e. to be prevented from flowing through the barrier by the closed downstream end thereof.

Description

Flood control barrier facility with flexible outer membrane

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a general flood protection facility, and more particularly, to a flood protection barrier type flood protection facility.

Background

High-yield crop land, residential and commercial structures, roads, railways and other civil development and construction projects in almost all forms near water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans and the like are susceptible to flood, which can cause huge property loss and endanger life. Some areas that are particularly vulnerable to flooding are often at least partially protected by permanent embankments or dikes. However, such dikes or dams may not have sufficient protective effect and are easily destroyed by the flood.

The development of efficient communication methods and weather monitoring techniques has enabled accurate prediction of more and more flood situations, where floods in a particular area can be predicted relatively accurately. In this case, protection of flood vulnerable areas is attempted by using sand bags or temporary earth embankments or dams. Where permanent earth embankments or dikes have been in place and covered by rising floods, wooden boards, sand bags or temporary sand fill are often used to increase the height of such embankments.

The installation of sandbags and fill barriers is labor intensive. Furthermore, the use of sand emergency screening is time consuming considering that the available time for at least temporary flood protection in flood prone areas may vary from a few hours to a few days.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved flood barrier apparatus, and it is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method of containing a body of flood water, the advantages of the present invention including ease of transport and deployment of the flood barrier. The protective barrier can be established in a short time under the condition that flood rises rapidly or threatens. Furthermore, the device can be easily detached and removed from the flood control site. The device is also not labor intensive, is not affected by water saturation and failure, can be stored for long periods in relatively small storage spaces, and then used in short periods of time. One of the main features of the present invention is that the device is generally a self-expanding structure that uses flood water as the medium to expand its structure. Once properly positioned, the flood penetrates the barrier as it approaches the protected area, without further intervention, and the flood can exert its inflation effect.

According to the invention, it comprises membrane means having liquid-tight elongate shaped upper and lower wall means connected at closed longitudinal ends thereof opposite to open longitudinal ends of the membrane means, the upper and lower wall means being movable between expanded and contracted positions, the lower wall means being mounted on the ground, wherein in the contracted position the upper wall means overlies the lower wall means and in the expanded position the upper wall means is spaced from the lower wall means at the open ends of the membrane means such that water can flow into the membrane element through the open ends while being restricted from downstream flow through the openings.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a barrier for obstructing fluid upstream, comprising a membrane device having elongate upper and lower liquid impermeable walls connected at a closed longitudinal end of the membrane section opposite an open longitudinal end of the membrane, the upper and lower wall devices being movable between an expanded and a contracted position, the lower wall device lying on a floor, wherein in the contracted position the upper wall device overlies the lower wall device and in the expanded position the upper wall device is spaced from the lower wall device at the open end of the membrane device such that fluid can flow into the membrane section through the open end while being restricted by the closed end thereof from flowing downstream through the membrane element.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a partial front perspective view of a part of a flood barrier according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 1, in fig. 1, a portion of a flood barrier apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in front and rear perspective views, respectively, the flood barrier apparatus 10 comprising a floating or flow restriction member 12 mounted on top of a flow restriction member 14. The buoyancy member 14 and flow restriction member 12 preferably have a generally elongated configuration defining respective buoyancy member and flow restriction member longitudinal axes 16 and 18. The buoyant member 14 comprises at least one and preferably four collapsible compartments 20, each collapsible compartment 20 having a generally concave configuration, preferably defining a compartment upper wall 22, a compartment lower wall 24 and a compartment distal wall 26. Each compartment upper wall 22 and compartment lower wall 24 defines respective upper and lower wall proximal peripheral edges 28 and 30. Each compartment upper and lower wall 22 and 24 also defines respective longitudinally opposed upper and lower wall longitudinal edges 32 and 34. Each collapsible compartment 20 has a generally concave configuration, preferably defining a compartment upper wall 22, a compartment lower wall 24, and a compartment distal wall 26. Each compartment upper wall 22 and compartment lower wall 24 defines respective upper and lower wall proximal peripheral edges 28 and 30. Each compartment upper and lower wall 22 and 24 also defines respective longitudinally opposed upper and lower wall longitudinal edges 32 and 34. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compartment upper wall 22 and the compartment distal wall 26 are formed from an integrally extending sheet of material. The sheet of integrally extending material has a substantially J-shaped cross-sectional configuration. Each of the integral extending pieces of material of the upper and lower walls 22 and 26 is attached by a sealed tight connection to the underlying similar integral extending piece of material forming the upper and lower walls 22 and 26 of the collapsible compartment 20 located therebelow.

Claims (8)

1. A flood barrier installation having a flexible outer membrane comprising elongate upper and lower liquid impermeable wall means at the closed longitudinal end of the barrier opposite its substantially open longitudinal end, the wall means being movable between an expanded and a contracted position, the wall means lying on the ground, wherein in the contracted position the wall means overlies the wall means and in the expanded position the wall means is spaced from the wall means at the open end of the barrier such that liquid can flow into the barrier through the open end whilst being restricted by the closed end thereof from downstream flow through the barrier.

2. A flood barrier installation with a flexible outer membrane according to claim 1, wherein: wherein a plurality of dividing wall means extend substantially perpendicularly in the barrier between the upper wall means and the lower wall means and substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of said barrier.

3. A flood protection barrier installation with a flexible outer membrane according to claim 1, the dividing wall means being made of a flexible material, the barrier construction including providing the lower wall means with retaining means to help prevent the barrier from moving down the ground.

4. A flood barrier installation with a flexible outer membrane according to claim 3, wherein said retaining means comprises bib means extending upstream of the lower wall means and adapted to cover the ground; said retaining means further comprising pile means engaged into the ground by said bib means and comprising pile means engaged into the ground by lower wall means; the retaining means further comprises spike means extending upwardly from the floor and below the rear end of the lower wall means and a retaining member extending above the floor behind the closed end of the barrier.

5. The flood barrier facility with a flexible outer membrane according to claim 4, wherein the retaining member comprises a tongue member adapted to extend below the closed end and an abutment member adapted to abut against the closed end; wherein an anchor extends downwardly from the tongue member into the ground; the abutment member defines a front concave surface for contacting the closed end; the abutment member is provided with guide means for guiding the elongate anchoring device as it is driven into the ground.

6. A flood barrier installation with a flexible outer membrane according to claim 1, wherein a seal is provided on the underside of the upstream end of the lower wall means to prevent liquid from flowing under the barrier; the seal comprises an elongated shaped sponge.

7. A flood barrier installation according to claim 1, wherein the upstream end of the upper wall means is provided with a float such that when liquid flows into the barrier, the lower wall means rises with the level of the liquid whilst substantially maintaining the upstream end of the upper wall means above the liquid level.

8. A flood barrier installation with a flexible outer membrane according to claim 2, the dividing wall means extending substantially perpendicularly in the membrane means between the upper and lower wall means and substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the barrier.

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