Self Closing Flood Barrier FAQ Section

Is it possible for the barrier to raise only 6 inches and create a trip hazard? 
When there is a flood the barrier will always rise completely, normally within a few minutes.

Do you have a standard warning system for when the barrier rises? 
There is an option to add a flashing light on the on the end of each unit that will cut in when the water reaches a set height in the inspection pit, just prior to the barrier rising.

Is it possible for the barrier to become 'stuck down'?
No.

Is the barrier susceptible to warping due to heat/sun? 
No; the barrier will not warp by heat/sun.

Is the barrier designed to take a vehicle impact at 30 mph?
The barrier is designed for a maximum side-ways pressure of 10 times the maximum water pressure. The material is flexible and reinforced with Kevlar. Nevertheless the barrier must be protected from any kind of traffic during a flood by closing the road. The barrier can also have yellow and black chevrons applied as a visual warning.

What happens if the inlet structure blocks and prevents water from entering the system?
There is a grate that is larger than the inlet pipe, and this prevents the inlet structure form blockage.

What testing has the SCFB undergone? 
From 1995 to 1997 the SCFB underwent in excess of 70 tests; these tests included static load, dynamic load, buoyancy force, sand and gravel tests, duration tests (35 days), extreme cold temperature tests, and obstruction tests. These tests concluded that the barrier never stayed stuck and rose up in all tests. The SCFB remained watertight in all tests. 
 
What’s the residual life of the barrier?
The system is made of very durable materials designed to last for 50 to 100 years and remains virtually maintenance free for many years.
 

What would the availability of spares be? (Lead times, guaranteed availability in the future)
It is not strictly necessary to keep spare parts. All the parts can be delivered within a matter of a couple of weeks.

How do you get debris out of the unit if it enters?  
No debris can come into the barrier itself. Also the basin can hold about 5 cm of debris before it will impact the barrier. The debris can be washed out with water.

What if debris enters the main unit as the barrier rises and prevents the barrier fully rising, would a waterproof seal still be created?  
When the wall raises a rubber seal on both sides of the barrier closes the space between the barrier wall and the basin. So no debris can enter the barrier when it is coming up. The space is in total 35 – 40 mm, so the barrier comes up unimpeded and will never block.

How do you get two units to butt up against each other? Do you need a permanent post/column between each unit? 
Between the units (recommended length 50 m) there is a permanent (post/column).

Can heavy rain fill the inspection chamber and falsely trigger the barrier? The drain pipe in the pit will always drain the system in this case, however a pump can be installed with a floating switch if required.

Is the product yet kite marked or ABI approved?
The SCFB is fabricated under: TCVN ISO 9001:2000 / ISO 9001:2000 and is approved by many institutes, universities and engineering companies. To date it has not been possible to obtain the Kite Mark as the review of PAS1188 has only just been completed.  UK Flood Barriers have recently installed a 1.00m high section of the SCFB in its premises in Droitwich for demonstration purposes.  However, there is currently no facility in the UK to test products for the Kite Mark and there is no PAS for this type of barrier.

How does the product deal with silt infiltrating the system?  
The silt will stay in the pit and will not enter the barrier. The system needs an annual check according to a maintenance schedule. If there is silt, it has to be removed.

What is the life expectancy of the seals?  
The seals have a life time expectancy of over 50 years. They are protected underground and don't wear.

How are the seals replaced when they perish?
The wall has to be taken out completely. The Support block has to be removed for that but this is quick operation and would not leave the area protected at risk.

If the seals fail while the barrier is in operation what is the effect?
This is all but impossible but if it did, then the barrier would leak a little.

What are the annual maintenance procedures/costs likely to be?
It is essential to have a Maintenance Plan of any Self Closing Flood Barrier system. The recommended frequency for maintenance is once or twice a year. For a fifty metre length of Self Closing Barrier the maintenance time required is between 2 and 4 hours.

Where has the barrier been installed and used in anger the most? Who owns these units and how old are they?

Projects

The first barriers were built at Yamanouchi in Meppel in the Netherlands in 1999 and 2000. Heavy traffic has been crossing this barrier daily for almost 10 years without any adverse effect on the barrier construction. The barrier has not required any repairs in that period. The barriers are tested once a year. A third Barrier was installed by the same customer in 2005.

The second barrier was built in 2002 at Carrick on Suir in Ireland. The barrier deploys two or three times a year, to the satisfaction of the authorities.

Several barriers were built from 2003 for Boulder in Colorado and in Pennsylvania in the US, to the great satisfaction of the authorities. In Boulder where flooding happens very rapidly the SCFB is listed as the only applicable flood barrier for the Boulder community.

In Australia the SCFB technology has been widely accepted, with approvals obtained from Woollahra, Sydney, Newcastle, Marrickville, and Pittwater Councils in New South Wales as well as Melbourne Water in Victoria and Gold Coast City Council in Queensland.  Five separate SCFB units have now been built, making Australia a world leader in adoption of this technology.  Installations have been individually designed to respond to critical flood events, whether this involves slower lake and river flooding or very rapid flash flooding, with response times as low as 1 minute.  

In May of this year construction commenced to install two SCFB 2500 to protect the National Archives in Washington D.C..  This building contains  millions of valuable archive documents.

Where are the closest units that we could witness in action 'on the ground'?  
It is difficult to show installed barrier because the will interrupt the business where they are installed. PS Doors has a test tank in their factory in Grand Forks ND, USA. UK Flood Barriers Ltd have installed a demonstration test SCFB at their premises in Droitwich, Worcestershire.

Is it possible to operate the system as a test? 
Yes; the service pit is connected to the mains water. By filling the pit the barrier can be tested.

Is it possible to integrate the drainage into the system?
It is possible to integrate a draining system to the outside of the land-side of the basin

What type of foundation is most commonly used with the system?
A concrete foundation with a thickness of 150 mm is mostly sufficient.

If people are trapped on the wrong side of the barrier as water levels rise, how do they get back over the defence - especially if they are disabled?
The system has the option of visual warning flashing lights to warn people before the barrier comes up. An audible alarm can also be sounded.

How wide are the pre-cast units?
The width depends on the height of the barrier and varies from 620 - 1000 mm.

Is it possible to prevent automatic operation (manual catch)? 
For manual operation the service pit is connected to the mains water. 

Is the barrier prone to vandalism?
In its closed position the barrier is self-protected and therefore not prone to vandalism.

Will the barrier still work when there is a power break cut?
The barrier is not energy driven and therefore still operates in case of a power black out.

Are there any kind of procedures/costs in closing the barrier?
The barrier is self activating and needs no service staff, hydraulics, mechanics or electric devices to operate. 

What is the maximum time that the barrier can withhold flood water without leakage?
There is no time limit.  In a duration test the barrier was loaded with a maximum water pressure for over 32 days without any leakage.

Is the barrier resistant to cold weather with a hard frost?
In areas prone to hard frosts the barrier would require an extra protective layer of concrete at the sides of the basin.  The barrier will still work in the winter during frosty conditions because the system itself is always dry.

Is it possible to drive over the barrier with heavy goods vehicles?
Yes it is possible; in this case the barrier would need a heavy duty basin and concrete traffic elimination plates.