RRS-A1 – FLOOD BARRIER – AGAPITO ORTIZ

Flooding has always been a global problem since it happens in many countries and regions around the
world. In 2010, in United States alone, flooding caused more than five billion dollars’ worth of damages
according to their National Weather Services. The problem with flood water or other natural events is it can
rise at a sudden speed that may cause severe damages to a building. With this cause of damage, it is
considered as a real and noteworthy problem that needs wide-range solutions including the protection of
structures from flood-caused damages.

Flood water often accumulate outside residential homes and commercial spaces and most of the time it
leaks inside the building. And even if there are ways to keep the flood water outside the buildings, it still
causes big damages to the exterior and foundation of the structure making it unstable and might cause a
great loss of value of property. For this reason, it is only reasonable to have a system keeping the flood
water away from the physical structure to avoid resulting in damages. It is also noteworthy to have a
protection mechanism that is efficient, user-friendly and affordable to the masses.

To give solution to this major problem, there has been devices and systems invented to prevent flood water
from leaking into a building, however, it has its own shortcomings in different aspects. Like US Patent No.
4,458,456 by Daniel S. Battle, a device meant for protecting structures from flood waters by having a
channel that has at least a bottom and side walls with support surrounding the building being protected or
attaching a collapsible water-impassable sheet which can be stored within the canal when not in use. This
said sheet will be sealed and attached within the canal on its lower part by concrete to prevent the flood
from coming to the building. This would also allow the air to contact between the outside and inside of the
building and would be covering the canal protecting the sheet while it is stored inside.

However, this design is seen as inconvenient, unstable and hazardous because of the condition of the
protecting sheet must be installed when there is a possibility of flooding. Assembling a barrier outside a
building, given the situation of heavy rain, can be a time consuming, massive and exhausting job. Without
specific tools, it is can be unmanageable for a person to do. Also, there is a possibility that the caretaker of
the building who may know how to install the sheet may not be around when the flood occurs especially for
the commercial spaces.

There are also mechanisms invented which do not need special attention before flooding. One of these is
the GB 2,397,086 that uses a floatation body that is attached to a flexible and water-impermeable barrier
with rollers used as guide rails fastened to the building being protected. The other end of the barrier is
affixed in a sealed and waterproof way to the bottom of the storage when at rest. It is sunk in the ground
adjacent to the border of the structure being protected. But, again, this does not solve the issue that the
rain water could flow to the space between the device and the building since the water is falling from a
higher position, it is certain that the floatation body and barrier will have water of either sides that may result
to water invasion and soaking contrasting the purpose of protecting the structure.

With these examples of unsuccessful mechanisms, the current invention addresses all the issues in
protecting the structure from water flood and all the disadvantages with the related mechanisms.

The current invention is a flood barrier which contains a first compartment and a second compartment, in
which it is recommended that they are elongated form from a sectional view and parallel in position. The
compartments consist of a front wall, first bottom wall, top opening, sharing a separation wall and the second
compartment positioned parallel to the first compartment. The flood barrier in the current device comprises
a blocking sheet with a top and bottom end, the blocking sheet in the second compartment and the bottom
end of the blocking sheet being attached to the second bottom wall or the back wall of the second
compartment.

Also, the flood barrier consists of a floating member that will be disposed in the second compartment and
a linking hook attached at the top end of the blocking sheet to the floating member. There will also be
leaking holes on the separation wall that connects the first and second compartment, given that the blocking
sheet is impermeable and resistant to liquid; the floating member can float and pull the top end of the
blocking sheet going to the second top opening.

The barrier can be placed in the ground in front of the building to be protected, preferably a building that
has an exterior wall in which the flood barrier may be placed. The barrier should be close or right adjacent
to the outside wall and the second compartment closer to the said wall while the first compartment is closer
to the direction where the flood is likely to come from.

Also, to allow the flood water to get into the first compartment and the floating member to rise out of the
second, the openings should not be entirely blocked. It is recommended that the front and separation wall
should have their top ends slightly higher than ground level to prevent unintentional collection of water in
the both compartments. Likewise, the top of the back wall should also be higher than the front and
separation wall to allow the back wall to bulge out of the ground. The swollen part of the back wall can be
positioned right next to the outside wall of the building that prevents the collection of water between the
outside wall and the flood barrier.

When the sun is up and foreseen flooding, the blocking sheet and the floating device are stored in the
second compartment and since the blocking sheet is flexible is can be looped so it can fit well. Flood is
more likely to enter the first compartment before flowing to the second compartment through the holes on
the separation wall, with this, the second compartment is filled from the bottom. This is important since
filling from top may cause the collection of water between the sheet and the outside wall of the building,
reducing the effectiveness of the barrier. When the flood kept on rising, the floating device goes to the
second compartment and pulls the blocking sheet out of the second compartment to form a barrier blocking
the flow of flood water.

It is important to note that the blocking sheets should be impermeable to liquid and it is recommended for
it to be flexible and strong to survive the pressure from flood water without bursting. The sheet should also
be pressed against the back wall and outside wall of the structure for when the flood water rises, it would
prevent the flood from entering the space between them.

It should also give attention that if roof drain pipes if not properly designed, may fill the flood barrier
because if the drain pipes are directed to the top openings of the flood barrier, the floating device might
be pushed away from the outside wall of the structure allowing water to get into the space between the
flood barrier and exterior wall. It is recommended to have exits of the drain pipes positioned past from the
exterior wall than the openings of the flood barrier, averting reduction of the flood barrier's usefulness.

In conclusion, the present device succeeds in addressing the necessary and valuable benefits and
objectives. It is a device that provides a flood barrier that is safe and easy to use with two compartments in
general parallel position. With this, it is also a flood barrier which automatically deploys blocking
mechanisms by having floating members which adjusts with the barrier’s height. It is incredibly convenient
since it does not require manual installation of the said blocking mechanisms and it only requires minimal
maintenance. It also uses a double-membrane design that effectively blocks water invasion and leakage.
And lastly, it is a device that has different sizes and dimensions to fit the needs of different structures,
addition to the fact that it is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.