GB2434384A

GB2434384A - A Building Flood Defence Barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2434384A
Application number: GB0701297A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-24
Filing date: 2007-01-24
Publication date: 2007-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 2027-01-24
Also published as: GB0602400D0; GB2434384B; GB0701297D0

Abstract

A building flood defence barrier comprising a membrane having a first portion arranged to extend below ground level substantially around the perimeter of a building and a perimeter portion arranged, in use, to be deployed adjacent walls of the building, wherein the barrier also comprises one or more conduits passing through the membrane which are sealed to the membrane.

Description

BUILDING FLOOD DEFENCE BARRIER

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a building flood defence barrier and related methods providing a way of using the flood defence barrier. The building flood defence barrier is particularly, but not exclusively, arranged to be used as a barrier for domestic dwellings such as a house, or the like.

Background of the Invention

It is known that flooding of buildings and constructions can lead to costly damage and even destruction. Flooding may occur due to the location of such constructions -as in the case of a building on a flood plain -or may be due to considerably precipitative weather conditions. In either case protection against floodwaters entering the building is often sought. In the case of flood plains, suitable levees are often constructed in order to contain unexpectedly high levels of water, however in the event of these failing there is often little subsequent protection available for constructions under the water level.

Sandbags and similar objects have commonly been used to protect buildings and divert water from entering in times of extreme weather, as well being employed in flood regions; however this is often a reactive solution with a considerable amount of valuable time being consumed in the deployment of such a system and such systems do not provide the protection against flooding that may be desired.

An example of a building flood defence barrier can be seen in DE 197 43 637.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a building flood defence barrier comprising a membrane having a first portion arranged to extend below ground level substantially around the perimeter of a building and a perimeter portion arranged, in use, to be deployed adjacent walls of the building, wherein the barrier also comprises one or more conduits passing through the membrane which are sealed to the membrane.

An advantage of such a system is that it helps to protect the building from flooding and may be deployed in a relatively rapid manner when compared to

the prior art.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided method of protecting a building comprising providing a membrane, a first portion of which extends below ground level substantially around the perimeter of the building and a perimeter portion of which is deployed in the event of flooding, wherein conduits are provided through the membrane to allow services to be passed through the membrane.

Brief description of the drawings

There now follows, by way of example only, a detailed description of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the current invintion used on a building; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the current invention used on a building; and Figure 3 shows alternative mechanisms to be used in conjunction with the embodiment disclosed in Figure 2.

Detailed description of the drawings

It is convenient to describe the invention with reference to a flood defence system for a house; however, the invention need not be so limited and may be applied to any number of other buildings. The skilled person will readily appreciate how to modify the design described accordingly.

Figure 1(a) shows a building 2 and flood defence barrier 4. The building is of any standard construction.

The flood defence barrier 4 comprises a membrane 22 which is substantially impermeable to water, a first portion 14 of which is positioned under the building 2. Generally, the membrane will be positioned at the same level in the building 2 as the damp course would be positioned, such as below the floor level of the building 2. However, in other embodiments, the membrane may be provided at other positions in the construction of the house, such as above the floor level, below the foundations, or the like.

In a variation of this embodiment the first portion 14 does not extend underneath the building 2 and instead extends below ground level substantially around the perimeter of the building; thus providing what may be thought of as a curtain generally surrounding the building. Conduits are arranged through this curtain. The curtain may be generally vertically but this need not be the case and it may be inclined at any angle.

The curtain may extend any distance underground but it will be appreciated that the greater the distance the greater the likely protection afforded to the building. Suitable distances for the depth to which the curtain extends underground may be roughly any of the following: 30cm, 60cm, im, 2m, 3m, 5m, lOm, or any distance between any of these distances.

The membrane 22 may be fabricated from any suitable material such as any suitable plastics material, metal sheeting, or the like. Suitable plastics materials may include polyethylene, acrylic, polypropylene, Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC).

The membrane 22 extends beyond the plan area of the house 2 such that a perimeter portion 6 is left to protrude out from the edges of the house 2. As will be described hereinafter the perimeter portion 6 can be deployed in the event of flooding to defend the house 2.

As can be seen in Figure 1(a) apertures 18 are provided in the membrane 22.

In the Figure the apertures 18 are shown as being within the plan area of the house 2 (i.e. within the first portion 14 of the membrane 22). The apertures 18 are provided to allow conduits providing utilities, such as water, a sewage conduit, gas, electricity, cable, telephone etc. to pass into the house 2.

The conduits are sealed to the membrane 22 such that the flood defence barrier 4 remains substantially water tight in a region of the conduit. It will be appreciated that fluids such as water and gas are commonly passed into a house through a pipe. Other utilities such as telephone lines, electricity cables and the like are generally provided through a cable. In either case the conduit is sealed to the membrane 22.

The conduit(s) may be sealed by means of seals provided in a region of an aperture 18 and constructed from a substantially water proof elastic material, such that the un-stretched seal has a smaller cross-section than that of the accommodated conduit. When the seal is forcibly stretched, the conduit can pass through the membrane 22, and when this force is removed the seal reduces in cross-section such that is causes a pressure seal on the conduit. It will be appreciated that other means of sealing the aperture may also be possible, including such methods as adhering using a suitable adhesive which may include epoxies or resins to bond the conduits to the membrane. Indeed, some embodiments may use bonding as well as seals as described herein. Other embodiments may use any other suitable sealing of the membrane to the conduit.

In some embodiments, a number of utilities may be passed through a single conduit. Such an arrangement is convenient because it can reduce the number of apertures in the membrane 22. It will generally be accepted that an aperture in the membrane 22 will introduce a weakness which may reduce the ability of the flood defence barrier and therefore reducing the number of openings should improve the effectiveness of the flood defence barrier 4. Further, it may be more convenient to seal the membrane 22 to a pipe when compared to a cable and therefore, some embodiments may route at least some of the utilities which are provided by cable through a pipe.

One-way valves may be used within conduits. Such valves should assist in preventing flood water from entering the house 2 through the conduit. One-way valves may be particularly suitable for a sewage conduit arranged to carry waste from inside of the house 2 to the outside of the house 2. Such a sewage conduit may be susceptible, during flooding, to having the sewage passing through being forced back into the house and a one way valve may help to prevent this.

Conduits containing one or more cables may conveniently be sealed internally, such as being filled with a filler material once the cables have been passed through the conduit. Suitable filler materials, include foams, resins and the like.

It will be appreciated by a skilled person that the flood defence barrier 4 need not continue fully under the house 2, and may only continue partially, or may only need be positioned substantially around the perimeter of the house 2. In this last sense it may be advantageous, but not essential, that the membrane 22 does not contain a first portion 14 which extends underneath the house 2 but simply extends to some depth under ground level relative to the house 2.

Figure 1(b) depicts the flood defence barrier 4, deployed in the event of a flood, whereby the perimeter portion 6 are lifted such that they cover portions of the sides of the building. In this embodiment the perimeter portion 6 is arranged to extend up the height of the house 2 by roughly 2 meters from ground level. In other embodiments, other heights may be used. For example, the perimeter portion 6 may be arranged to extend up the house 2 by roughly any of the following: 50cm, im, 1.5m, 2.5m or any value in between these. It will be appreciated that the greater the height which the perimeter portion extends up the house 2 then the greater the protection afforded to the house 2 during times of flooding but it may be less convenient to store the perimeter portions 6 during times in which they are not deployed.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1(b) the perimeter portion 6 remains in place by attachment to suitable attachment means provided on the house 2. In this embodiment the attachments comprise pegs 10 which extend from the walls 8 of the house 2 and arranged to engage apertures 12 within an edge region of the perimeter portion 6. In other embodiments, the pegs 10 may be replaced with hooks, clips, or any other suitable attachment means. Indeed, the perimeter portion 6 may not comprise apertures 12 and may comprise pegs, hooks, or the like. Indeed, the perimeter portion 6 may not be provided with a portion of the attachment means and may simply engage with clips or the like provided on the wall 8.

In this embodiment the flood defence barrier 4 is fully deployed by manual extension of the perimeter portion 6 up the walls 8 of the house 2. That is a user must extend the perimeter portion 6 and engage attach it to attachment means provided on the house 2 which, in this embodiment, is by hooking an aperture 12 in the edge region of the perimeter portion 6 over a complimentary peg 10 on the wall of the house 2.' The flood defence barrier 4 then protects the building from floodwater entering, and can be maintained until this water has subsided when the perimeter portions 6 are manually retracted.

An alternative embodiment of the invention in shown in Figure 2, whereby a suitable buoyancy device 20 is attached to the perimeter portion 6 of the membrane 22, generally at an edge region thereof. The buoyancy device 20 is arranged to deploy the perimeter portion 6 as floodwater rises around the house 2 thereby automatically deploying the flood defence barrier 4. In this embodiment, the buoyancy device 20 comprises an inflatable tube. However, in other embodiments, alternative water buoyant constructions may be employed such as plastics materials, cork, tubes filled with foams, tubes filled with gas, or any other suitable construction. Thus, in use, as floodwater rises about the house 2, the perimeter portion 6 is arranged to be deployed as the buoyancy device 20 rises with the water.

Thus, in this embodiment there is no attachment means to affix the perimeter portion 6 to the house 2. However, in an alternative embodiment, an attachment means could be used in addition to the buoyancy device 20 such that the perimeter portion 6 can be maintained in place once it has deployed, or indeed raised and deployed before floodwater occurs. It may be that using attachment means to secure the perimeter portion 6 in place makes for a more secure flood defence barrier 4. However, the buoyancy device 20 may be convenient because it could automatically deploy the perimeter portion 6 should it not have been deployed before floodwater occurs.

Figure 3 depicts two mechanisms arranged to store the perimeter portion 6 when used in conjunction with the buoyancy device 20 of Figure 2. When the embodiment comprises a buoyancy device 20, the perimeter portion 6 may be stored underneath the buoyancy device 20, such that as the buoyancy device 20 rises, the perimeter portion 6 is automatically fed up the wall 8 of the house 2, and as the float descends the buoyancy device 20 is stored.

Figure 3(a) depicts an arrangement whereby the perimeter portion 6 is folded in a corrugated fashion and attached at one end to the buoyancy device 20 while the other end may be secured at some point in the ground 24. It may be convenient to secure the perimeter portion 6 to the ground at a region adjacent a bottom region of the wall 8 such that the interaction between the wall 8 and the membrane is reduced. It will be appreciated that should the perimeter portion 6 not be secured to the ground, or other structure, the portion of the membrane underneath the house 2 would secure the bottom region thereof but in such embodiments friction may occur between the membrane and a bottom region of the wall 8. Alternatively the ground portion may be secured, by watertight means as discussed above, to another portion of the membrane, which extends fully or partially under the building or simply extends downwards to some depth under ground level relative to the house. As the buoyancy device 20 rises the barrier unfolds upwards to protect the house 2.

Figure 3(b) depicts a similar arrangement, however the perimeter portion 6 is stored on a suitable roller 26 such that as buoyancy device 20 rises and falls the roller 26 feeds and retracts the perimeter portion 6; feeding and storing the perimeter portion 6 accordingly depending upon the level of water. The rollers 26 may be arranged such that it tends to retract the perimeter portion 6; e.g. by spring biasing, or the like. However, the force of the biasing should generally be arranged to be less than the floatation force generated by the buoyancy device 20.

In any of the above embodiments a storage means such as a trench, box, or the like, may be provided around a perimeter region of the house 2 to store the perimeter portion 6 when it is not deployed. Such a storage means may be convenient because it may help to prevent the perimeter portion 6 from being damaged when it is not deployed. It will be appreciated that such damage may result in the perimeter portion 6 being punctured which would reduce the effectiveness of the flood defence barrier 4 when it is fully deployed.

Other embodiments may be provide powered means, such as electric motors, or the like, to deploy the perimeter portion 6 to defend the house 2 from floodwater.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A building flood defence barrier comprising a membrane having a first portion arranged to extend below ground level substantially around the perimeter of a building and a perimeter portion arranged, in use, to be deployed adjacent walls of the building, wherein the barrier also comprises one or more conduits passing through the membrane which are sealed to the membrane.

2. A barrier according to claim 1 in which the first portion which is arranged to extend at least partially underneath a building which it is arranged to protect.

3. A barrier according to claim 2 in which the barrier is arranged to extend entirely underneath a building which it is arranged to protect.

4. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which the conduits are provided in the first portion of the membrane.

5. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which the conduits are provided in the perimeter portion of the membrane.

6. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which the perimeter portion has attachment means provided thereon arranged to attach the perimeter portion to a building when it is deployed.

7. A barrier according to claim 6 in which the attachment means are provided at an edge region of the perimeter portion.

8. A barrier according to claim 6 or 7 in which the attachment means comprises apertures within the perimeter portion.

9. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which the perimeter portion is provided with buoyancy means.

10. A barrier according to any preceding claim which comprises a storage means arranged to store the perimeter portion when it is not deployed.

11. A barrier according to claim 10 in which the storage means comprises a box, or trench.

12. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which at least one conduit is provided with a one-way valve.

13. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which at least one conduit is internally sealed.

14. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which the conduit is arranged to contain at least one of the following: a water supply, a gas supply, an electricity supply, a telephone connection, a television cable, a data cable, a sewage outlet.

15. A method of protecting a building comprising providing a membrane, a first portion of which extends below ground level substantially around the perimeter of the building and a perimeter portion of which is deployed in the event of flooding, wherein conduits are provided through the membrane to allow services to be passed through the membrane.

16. A building flood defence barrier substantially as described and as illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of protecting a building substantially as described and as illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A building in combination with a flood defence barrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14.