Inflater Handbook

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INFLATER

Handbook

2013. February


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Edited:Dr. Lszl Nagyand Tams Huszk

Authors:Zoltn BocskaiJzsef Danka

Dr. Gyula Galask Ph.DDr. Zsolt GsprDS.c.

Gergely HajasTams Huszk

Dr. va LakatosPh.DDr. Andrs LengyelPh.DDr. Andrs Mahler Ph.DDr. Balzs MczrPh.D

Dr. Lszl Nagy Ph.DRbert Nagy

Pter SzatmriDr. Attila Takcs Ph.D

Attila UderszkyNra Varga

Dr. Gabriella Varga Ph.D

Lector: Dr. Andrs BulkaiPh.D

This book presents the research and development of the INFLATER project developedunder the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union.

Cover page design: Petra Panna NagyPandora Art

Edited by:Budapest University of Technology and Economics Geotechnical Department

Printed: Innova-Print Ltd. HungaryDirector: ifj. Ferenc KomornikTechnical editor: Zoltn Balog

ISBN


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INFLATER handbookHalf time report

Content

CHAPTER 1 INFLATER RESEARCH PROGRAMM ..................................................5

1.1. Flooding - A serious European problem ..............................................................................51.2. Climate change New solutions for flood protection are required .......................................61.3. The need for quick response & affordable flood protection ..................................................61.4. Initiation of the project ........................................................................................................71.5. Market potential for partner SMEs ......................................................................................71.6. Key Project Objectives ........................................................................................................71.7. Progress beyond the state of the art ...................................................................................101.8. Wireless communication used in INFLATER....................................................................121.9. INFLATER in relation with the SoA.................................................................................12

1.10. Predicted cost of INFLATER ...........................................................................................171.11. Methodology and associated work plan .............................................................................171.12. Implementation Plan .........................................................................................................181.13. Beneficiaries ....................................................................................................................201.14. Consortium as a whole .....................................................................................................261.15. Economic impact and SME competitiveness .....................................................................271.16. Time to Market ................................................................................................................291.17. Contribution in addressing Community societal objectives ................................................301.18. Benefits to the environment...............................................................................................311.19. Health Benefits .................................................................................................................311.20. Benefits to European Cities ...............................................................................................311.21. A Trans-national Approach ...............................................................................................321.22. Contribution to European Standards and Directives ...........................................................331.23. Project results and intellectual property rights (IPR) ..........................................................33

CHAPTER 2 EMERGENCY PROTECTION AGAINST OVERTOPPING .................352.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................352.2. Flood waves and forecasting .............................................................................................432.3. Traditional defence ..........................................................................................................462.4. References .......................................................................................................................71

CHAPTER 3 NEW WAYS IN FLOOD CONTROL ....................................................753.1. New materials, new options...............................................................................................753.2. Mobile flood protection walls............................................................................................763.3. Mobile flood protection dikes ...........................................................................................783.4. Conclusions about experiences with mobile dikes .............................................................943.5. Summary mobile flood systems.........................................................................................953.6. References .......................................................................................................................96


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CHAPTER 4 SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................974.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................974.2. General system and material requirements.........................................................................974.3. Overall system requirements ...........................................................................................1004.4. Overall material specifications ........................................................................................1024.5. References ......................................................................................................................104

CHAPTER 5 SMALL SCALE PROTOTYPE DESIGN.............................................. 1055.1. Hydrostatics basics..........................................................................................................1085.2. Model 2 Hinged shape .................................................................................................1105.3. Stresses acting on the ground 3D numerical simulation using

Comsol FEM software.....................................................................................................1115.4. 2 D rigid L-shape numerical simulation ..........................................................................1135.5. 3 D rigid L-shape numerical simulation...........................................................................114

CHAPTER 6 MECHANICAL STRUCTURE DESIGN.............................................. 1216.1. Introduction (S. dny, Gy. Galask)..............................................................................121

6.2. Theoretical background ..................................................................................................1226.3. Static calculation of the structures ...................................................................................1406.4. Conclusion (Gy. Galask, S. dny) ...............................................................................1666.5. References ......................................................................................................................167

CHAPTER 7 SOIL-INFLATER INTERACTION .....................................................1697.1. Materials.........................................................................................................................1707.2. Laboratory testing method...............................................................................................1707.3. Laboratory test results .....................................................................................................1747.4. Field testing method........................................................................................................1827.5. Shear behaviour of INFLATER-soil interfaces ................................................................1907.6. References .....................................................................................................................191

CHAPTER 8 INFLATER STABILITY ANALYSIS ..................................................1938.1. Toppling resistance ........................................................................................................1938.2. Sliding ............................................................................................................................1938.3. Dike stability analysis (slope stability) ...........................................................................1998.4. References ......................................................................................................................208

CHAPTER 9 INFLATER SEEPAGE ANALYSIS ..................................................... 2099.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................2099.2. Flood duration.................................................................................................................2109.3. Finite element analysis....................................................................................................210

9.4. INFLATER on embankment ...........................................................................................2119.5. Long lasting flood, homogeneous dike ............................................................................2129.6. Long lasting flood, weathered zone .................................................................................2149.7. Flash flood INFLATER is on the dike ..........................................................................2169.8. INFLATER on flat ground ..............................................................................................2179.9. Long lasting flood...........................................................................................................218

9.10. Flash flood INFLATER on the ground .........................................................................2209.11. Limitations on INFLATER application ...........................................................................2219.12. Calculations regarding skirt length ..................................................................................222

CHAPTER 10 INFLATER PROJECT MEETINGS IN PICTURES............................223


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Chapter 1

INFLATER research programmG. Hajas,A. Uderszky,N. Varga

1.1. Flooding - A serious European problem

The growing seriousness of the need to adequately respond to flooding in Europe has

recently led the EU to implement a Directive (18/01/2006, published in the Official Journalon 6. November 2007) aimed at reducing and managing the risks that floods pose to health,the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity. In addition to economic andsocial damage, floods can have severe environmental consequences, for example wheninstallations holding large quantities of toxic chemicals are inundated, or wetland areasdestroyed (many industries are located near rivers for convenient transportation).

Europe suffered over 150 major damaging floodsbetween 1994 and 2009, including thecatastrophic floods along the Danube and Elbe rivers in summer 2002. Trends in severeflooding continued in recent years, the latest being in the UK1, and current extremeweather has been responsible for flooding, seasonal and off-season, in many countriesworldwide. Since 1998, floods in Europe have caused over 700 deaths, the displacementof about half a million people and at least 25 billion in insured economic losses, withcountless more uninsured ones.

The assets at risk of flooding can be enormous. For example, more than 10 million peoplelive in areas at risk of extreme floods along the Rhine alone, and the potential damagefrom floods amounts to 165 billion. Coastal areas are also at risk of flooding. The totalvalue of economic assets located within 500 metres of the European coastline, including

beaches, agricultural land and industrial facilities, is currently estimated at 500 to 1,000billion2. Although floods are natural phenomena, corrective and preventive measures can

reduce their likelihood and limit their impacts

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. However, human activity is contributing toan increase in the likelihood and adverse impacts of extreme flood events. The scale andfrequency of floods are likely to increase due to climate change with expectedincreases in the intensity of rainfall and rising sea levels. Additionally, inappropriate rivermanagement and construction in flood plains reduces their capacity to absorb floodwaters.

Currently, the most common method used to restrain rising water levels are sandbags.Albeit cheap and widely available, sandbags require an immense amount of manpowertofill and transport. Furthermore, after sandbags have been used they are soggy, muddy andsaturated with floodwater that has often been contaminated with sewage and toxic waste.

1http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/26/floods-fragil-economic-future2EUrosion3http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/flood_risk/index.htm


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Consequently, the removal of sandbags after a flood can be a daunting waste removal task.They are also not very useful in response to sudden rises in water levels, given the timenecessary to fill them and construct a sandbag protective wall.

1.2. Climate change New solutions for flood protection are required

Many existing dam systems were designed and constructed approximately a century ago,where the flood behaviour and water distribution was quite different than today. Climatechange also results in the fluctuation of the weather (mainly temperature and thenumber of sunny hours) affecting the speed of snow melting, faster today than it wascenturies ago. Thus the distribution of the water carried by rivers is concentrating into anarrower time slot (end of March, mid April). The concentrated water results in increasingriver water levels. A small, temporary wall such as that proposed by INFLATER, placedon the top of existing dams, or alongside river beds, may help protect cities andagricultural infrastructure while changes in government policies of the water management

along rivers is still be devised and implemented.

1.3. The need for quick response & affordable flood protection

The INFLATER project is a novel strategy to help EU member states implement floodmanagement, given that floods continue to threaten the personal and economic lives ofEuropean businesses and citizens. In addition, there is significant concern for Europescultural heritage and the potential loss of historic structures. In response to severe floods,the Commission has taken the initiative to launch a concerted action, at the Communitylevel, to help reduce the severity of flood events and the damage caused by them. The

proposed project will facilitate the EUs effortstowards: Prevention:preventing damage caused by floods Protection: taking measures, both structural and non-structural, to reduce the

likelihood of floods and/or the impact of floods in a specific location. Preparedness: the proposed INFLATER technology will automatically respond to

increasing water levels, protecting land, and property even when the owner is away. Recovery: returning to normal conditions as soon as possible and mitigating both the

social and economic impacts on the affected population.INFLATER will be designed as flood water activated solutionto retain floodwaters. It is

proposed to be a universal flood protection device that is suitable for most applications and

can perform better than existing devices. It can be used to protect private property or usedto defend whole regions. It is particularly appropriate for flash floods or in areas whereflooding occurs with minimum warning as once implemented it can self activate itself.

INFLATER will be a self-inflatable, affordable dam that can be used in flood-proneareas, by riverbeds or around any structure in need of protection. Less than 50 cm in heightwhen deflated, this innovative dam inflates automatically in response to increasing waterheight using the flooding water to fill the inflatable sections . As an optional feature,specially developed sensor modules with batteries can be integrated as frequently asrequired for monitoring the integrity of the dam and to identify rising waters levels,

providing warnings through a wireless communication system.


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1.4. Initiation of the project

A clear European need exists for a new flood protection device that is versatile, and thatcan be quickly used anywhere without requiring much manpower. This gap in the marketwas foreseen by one of the partners, FORDAM, which has had experience with inflatable

dams in the past, and developed the INFLATER concept. This new concept is a muchimproved version of the original inflatable dam, which consisted of a twin tube, inflatedwith water, but had limited applications. Having learned from this experience, FORDAMconcluded that an intelligent and self-inflatable dam with adjustable height would be moreeffective, and they approached MFKKfor further development of the idea, as they did nothave the necessary resources and combined expertise for such a multinational application.MFKK, an organization with expertise in mechanical design and in European funded

projects, consulted the Technical University of Budapest (BME) GeotechnicalDepartment, who are experts in flood modelling, as well as LABOR, who possess a widerange of integrated skills, including material and sensor development. FORDAM and theRTDs realised that a sensor unit would make the dam more competitive, so a specialised

SME (TAUSEC) was contacted to finalise the INFLATER concept with the inclusion of amonitoring and warning unit. Manufacturers of inflatable products were contacted and twowere chosen in the form of BUILDAIRand XTREMEto cover all aspects of fabricationincluding the inflatable and the floating part. A flood defence distributor was also includedto aid the future success of the project in the form of 2LPalong with a local government(LG), DCCas they are the real end users (costumers) of such device.

1.5. Market potential for partner SMEs

The development of INFLATER will benefit both the proposer SMEs as well as a broadrange of costumers: (1) individuals, for the protection of home; (2) businesses, to protect

property (i.e.; warehouses, manufacturing sites, etc) and (3) local governmentas part offlood management strategies. The consortium (made up of technical manufacturing SMEs,distributors and a local government customer) are from a broad geographical distributionthat cover all the necessary technical, business, and management related expertise to assurethe successful EU-wide dissemination and exploitation of the proposed. The involvementof the local authority, who will not receive IPR, proves the massive interest in a newversatile flood protection tool and highlights the importance of this proposed project. Bythe development of INFLATER, all partners in the consortium are hoping to increase theircompetitivenessin the respected markets:

Discussions were held among partners to clarify the objectives and the commercial needfor INFLATER, and the following objectives were identified:

1.6. Key Project Objectives

The prime economic objectives Assuming a modest market penetration of 1% at the beginning with steady growth it is

estimated that 70 km of INFLATER will be implemented in the first 5 years (seedetails in Section 3.2). With a retail price of 210 per meter if this is achieved it willrepresent up to 17,5 million Euros worth of orders


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The estimated manufacturing and distributing cost of INFLATER is targeted tobe 135 /m (the cost breakdown is detailed in section 1.10)giving a total profit to the

beneficiaries of 6,3 million in 5 years. To develop a system that has simple setup and configurationrequirements (100 m of

protection can be placed by two people in a few hours), can be placed on different

surfaces, and used for different purposes. The design of the setup will be part of WP3and carried out by MFKK,who will be supported by the SMEs. The completion ofthis objective will be at Month 10and will take 8 ManMonths.

To reduce the losses caused by floods. The self inflation capability of INFLATERprotecting from floods up to 2 meters can have influential economic impact on thewhole world taking into consideration that flooding accounts for about a third of allnatural disasters in terms of number and economic losses as well as being responsiblefor more than half of the fatalities.

To ensure that by the end of the validation, the partners have an action plan tofullycertify INFLATER as a flood protection deviceby a recognised body such as FMGlobal. The certification will ensure a faster and more assured part for INFLATER toenter the market. This objective will be the outcome of WP7.

Scientific objectives To gain an in-depth understanding of flood behaviourby studying past floods and by

modelling possible scenarios. Twenty different cases (including extreme scenarios)will be studied and modelled in order to sufficiently determine the requiredstructural integrity for INFLATER to withstand the hydrostatic forces and otherfactors, such as wave stress. The simulated results will be validated using smallscale models. This task will be carried out by BMEand supported by all partners. Thisobjective will take 12 ManMonthsas part of WP2and will be completed by Month

5. To create a Best Practice Guide with the help of FPA at the end of the validationprocess using the consequence of safety and prevention knowledge gathered from thecase studies and surveys. This guide will be distributed with the device as added value.

To create a knowledge base for the different existing materials, and, using theinformation gathered during the flood case studies, define the specifications for therequired INFLATER materials, including reinforced and multi-layered foils.BUILDAIR and FORDAMwill work together with LABORon this objective as partofWP3and will complete it by Month 8. 6 ManMonthsare foreseen to complete thisobjective and to test 4 possible materials.

Technology related objectives To produce an on-demand flood protectiondevice that can automaticallyrise from

an original height of0.5 m to 2.5 m, at the same speed as the water level rises, anddeflate once the water level has decreased. This will be achieved through thedevelopment of a self-inflatable section and a hollow floating part (top part) thatwill give the lifting force. Once deflated, the inflatable layer will be folded up, securedunder the 50 cm high top part. An inlet tube and valvewill control the water flow.Each INFLATER section will be 5 m long and under 1m wide to allow easytransportation but still fast and effective installation. This objective involves the wholeconsortiumand a number of WPs. The main mechanical development will be carriedout in WP3and the complete system will be fabricated in WP5by Month 16. In total30 ManMonthsare foreseen to complete this objective.


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To produce a sensor and warning module optionally placed inside the floating partandcan be flexibly positioned at required intervals, so the user can optimise between

price and warning capability. The sensor unit will contain strain gauges, pressure andwetness sensors for self monitoring and water level for water monitoring. Awireless communication systemusing the ZigBee technology will be integrated into

the module to send information and warnings when necessary. The sensor unit shouldbe low cost, 200 / unit and should be able to predict possible flooding from thegathered information 24 hours in advance. This objective will be the outcome ofWP4, which will be led by TAUSEC and supported by LABOR. WP4 will becompleted by Month 12and will require 22 ManMonths. (Milestone 3)

The information collected by the sensor and warning unit will be analysed by aninternet software flood management tool for prediction, prevention, control, andmaintenance issues. The behaviour of the flood along INFLATER will help floodforecast downstream the river. This objective will be a part of WP4.

To develop INFLATER with intelligentwater management feature. During floodinglarge amounts of water will be stored inside the inflatable part that will be released

automatically when the water level decreases, but with a simple control mechanismthe water can be kept inside and used in dryer seasons for watering. One INFLATERsegment will store over 10 m3of water on average. The effects of storing water insideINFLATER will be investigated and the intelligent system will be developed togetherwith the inlet tube and valveas part of WP3by MFKK.

To fabricate two prototypes, each 5 metres in length, to be used for testing andvalidation. A sensor unit will also be included in one of the prototypes so it can betested under real operation. The working prototypes will be the outcome of WP5 andled by BUILDAIR. 12 ManMonthsare foreseen for this task. (Milestone 4)

A test facility will be set up at the premises of BME that can be used to test the

system to at least of the standards of BSI

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that includes waves up to 0.1 m high andparallel currents up to 1,5 m/s. INFLATER will be tested in this laboratoryenvironment for integrity and characterisation by the RTDsas part of WP6involving10 ManMonth

A complete field test and validationwill be carried out by the whole consortiumledby FORDAMon the property of the LG (OTHER), or if no flooding is present one ofthe target audiences premises. Validation in extreme conditions is also planned atspecial flood protection product test facilities such as HR Wallingford. The validationwill be measured against the performance of existing technologies with respect toinstallation time, maximum height (and corresponding base width) anddurability. This objective will serve as the outcome of WP7and will be completed by

Month 22. 9 ManMonths are envisaged to successfully complete this objective.(Milestone 5)

Training, dissemination and exploitation objectives To design, prepare, test, and deliver comprehensive trainingby the RTDs, in order to

ensure that SME-partnerswill be able to assimilate the results of the project. Trainingwill be an on-going task and will take place throughout the project meetings. All

partners will take part in the validation phase to ensure each partner has the essentialknow-how of the technology and understands INFLATERs operation. Training willtake place during WP8and will take 4 ManMonths. The objective will be completed

by Month 24.

4British Standards PAS 1188-2:2009


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To disseminate non-confidential informationabout the INFLATER project and itsresults within the consortium and to a wide and relevant audience to extend the impactof project results. The involvement of each partner and their roles will becommunicated through regular meetings, conversations, mails, and the website. Thedissemination to a wider audience will be achieved through publications and

conferences(at least three of each) as well though the project website,which will becreated by Month 3. A database of the target audiencewill be created for validationand dissemination purposes. Dissemination will take place in WP8and will be led by2LP. The participating LG (OTHER)will be responsible for the dissemination on acommunity level, while other non participating flood related associations haveindicated their willingness to disseminate results in their respected regions. 12ManMonthsare allocated to this objective, which will be completed in Month 24.

To manage the foreground knowledge, as well as to protect and to use the researchresults to the best advantage of the SMEproposers. A business plan will be defined toincrease the competitiveness of the SME participants. All IPR issues andexploitation will be included in WP8 which will be led by 2LP. 6 ManMonths are

foreseen for this objective, which will be completed in Month 24.

1.7. Progress beyond the state of the art

Flood is a natural occurrence and attempts have been made throughout the centuries tocontrol it. In urban other areas, where flooding occurs on a regular basis, permanentembankments and dikes have been built; however, due to global warming and climatechange, the flood levels have risen so these constructions are no longer sufficient . Inthese cases, as well as in areas where flooding occurs only periodically, different flood

protection devices have been implemented. In most cases before flooding occurs, the localarea has already been warned so they can start preparing and setting up these devices, butin some cases flooding can occur at such a rate that even with warnings it can be too late(good example of this the Kellick Creek Flash Flood 10th Feb 20075). INFLATER is

proposed to be a self-inflatable system, so no warning is necessary, and it can be placed onany surface, making it a versatile alternative to existing methods:

Sandbags - Sandbags are the most commonly used approach for temporary floodprotection. Sandbags are usually made of woven polypropylene, polyethylene orpolyamide fabric, with minimum unit weights of 135 g/m2, and have a Mullen burststrength exceeding 2,070 kPa, as well as ultraviolet stability exceeding 70%6. The usual

size is 450mm by 300mm, with a thickness of 75 mm when filled, and an overall mass ofapproximately 15 kg. Sandbags are filled with sand, usually on site, and packed likebricks in multiple rows to allow for lateral stability and to ensure better insulationagainst flooding. The higher they stacked, the wider base is required, and hence thenumber of bags used increase exponentially. They are very cheap (2.50 - 5 depending onlabour) and no skilled installation is required. However, a lot of manpower is needed,leaking is inevitable due to soaking, and the sand is regarded as hazardous wasteafter use.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQrSH6LMgA6 Caltrans Storm Water Quality Handbooks Construction Site Best Management Practices Manual section4, Sandbag Barrier SC-8, March 1st2003


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Gravity retaining walls - Gabion barriers are prefabricated flexible cellular structures(wire-mesh cages) filled on site with rock or soil7. This type of structure may be moreefficient than sandbag walls, this is especially true of the Hesco8 products, a companythat produces collapsible multi-cellular structures reinforced with wire mesh, but requiresheavy machinery to install it and is unstable on sloping ground.

Aquafence - The most recent mobile flood protection device on the market, it isessentially made of two wooden planks hinged and supported by aluminium rods towithstand floodwater pressure with an impermeable membrane in-between to ensure waterresistance. The ground under the flood barrier must be prepared by laying out a foundationof concrete or other materials. There are two available sizes, 120 cm tall (450 /m) and 180cm tall (600 /m). The design is very simple and allows good mobility and easy installation

but a solid foundation is requiredand it can only placed on flat surfaces.

Fixed post-and-lagging systems (stop-log dikes)-These types of flood protection deviceswere developed as permanent flood control structures requiring permanent foundations,

although the metal structures can be dismantled and stored when not in use. The systemconsists of vertical galvanised steel H-piles and horizontal hollow aluminium planks linedwith rubber gaskets to avoid rusting and to ensure light weight (a 3m long plank weighs20kg. This type of structure is very easy to install and the height is adjustable. However,the cost is very high due to the expensive materials used and the preparatory work onthe permanent foundation. Seepage through the soilcan also cause problems.

Water-filled or (air-filled) tubes - Water-filled geo-membranes are relatively new productsin flood control and in hydraulic engineering and are based on the idea of using water to

protect against water. Usually, these systems use stream water to fill prefabricated geo-membrane tubes or segments of various shapes and sizes to make a dam. The success ofthese systems is mainly due to their quick installation and simplicity. The air-filled typeshave long been used for river control, and the water-filled types were originally used to

protect constructions, but in recent years, they have been adopted for flood protection.They can be classified into two groups: brick like systems and tubular.

Examples of the brick like systems include Water-wall9, which has a sloping face and usesthe vertical section against water pressure as an additional stabilizing force. It islightweight (60 kg/section) and flexible, but is only produced in one size (1 m by 1 m), andthe leaking between the sections can cause problems, which seriously limits theirapplication. Tubular versions like Aquabarrier10 are not subject to leaking segments, as

they are made from long tubes, but have a width to height ratio close to 3, which is notideal for every application. To avoid rolling and overturning, some systems use a baffleinside to stop the water from splashing or use two layers and the friction between them

prevents them from rolling on each other. Another solution to rolling can be visualised inthe Twin-Flex systemwhich was developed by FORDAM, one of the consortium partnersand INFLATER concept initiator. By having two tubes the water pressure inside of themcan be differentiated adding extra stability. The two tubes however result in a much largerbase area.

7Kevin Biggar, Srboljub Masala Alternatives to sandbags for temporary flood protection AlbertaTransportation and Utilities Disaster Services Branch and Emergency Preparedness Canada, October 1998 8

HESCO Bation Ltd - http://www.hesco.com/9Savatrade home page - http://www.savatrade.com/waterwall.htm10Aquabarrier home page - http://www.aquabarrier.com/products.html


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Attempts have been made to address problems caused by the width to height ratio, asdemonstrated by the Clement system. Multiple tubes are secured together by belts,therefore restricting rolling. The material used is the same as in all types of tubularinflatable dams, which is vinyl coated polyester. These tubular structures are usuallysupported by their own weight, and can be placed on any uneven surface as the inflated

tube can take on the irregular shape. In some cases additional supports are recommended,which are usually earthen levees positioned on the dry side of the tube. The cost of theClement system is 1000 / 15 metres at 50 cm diameter, so increasing the height meansmore tubesare needed.

Other flood protection devices such as Modular retaining wall systems, Richardsonsbarriers, and Portadam are traditional removable engineered structures with variousconfigurations and installation procedures. Some have very limited applications for flood

protection, while others may offer certain advantages under specific circumstances.The above mentioned systems are exemplary of the available water- and air-filled devices.

INFLATER will use some of the basic principles of these inflatable flood protection

devices, but will be designed in a completely different way to allow increased height andreduced base area, and more importantly, to allow the system to be self-inflatable andhave variable height.

1.8. Wireless communication used in INFLATER

ZigBee is the most popular and most general specification based on the IEEE 802.15.4standard. It has specified solutions and dedicated working groups for all the importantapplications of wireless sensor networks ranging from smart energy control, buildingautomation, remote control to health care and telecommunication services.In the ZigBee specifications three types of network elements are defined: coordinator,router, end-device. They provide different levels of functionality, however their RF partsare the same. In the 2,4 GHz band there are 16 ZigBee channels, with each channelrequiring 5 MHz of bandwidth. The radios use direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS)coding, and offset quadrature phase-shift keying (OQPSK) modulation that transmits two

bits per symbol. The raw, over-the-air data rate is 250 kbit/s per channel in the 2,4 GHzband. Most vendors (Ember, Atmel, Texas) provide integrated and standalone radiotransceivers and microcontrollers.11

1.9. INFLATER in relation with the SoAINFLATER is an innovative new product that uses the principles of existing devices to

become a novel flood protection solution. A thorough patent search has been carried out atthe initiation of this concept. Patents related to similar applications already exist (e.g.: USPatent nr.: 3.786.638 - Inflatable dams and dam units, 4.314,774 - Pneumatically inflatableflexible envelope type dam, 3.855.800 - Inflatable barriers for watercourses) but no similarconcept are patented. Therefore the market and patent searches have proven that nocommercial product of such characteristics exists and that no intellectual property rightswill be infringed.

11http://www.zigbee.org


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Previous EC funded projects as well as National projects have been carefully considered inorder to complement the work carried out in the INFLATER project, especially the FP6

project FLOODSITE12, which is about flood risk analysis, management, and prevention.The knowledge generated in FLOODSITE will be used to aid the system specification andthe case study definitions during the development of INFLATER.

INFLATER will be a novel flood protection device that uses the force of water to inflateitself and deflate again when the water level decreases. As a result, a self adjustingautomated flood protection device will be developed that is versatile, and that can beused on most surfaces, as additional protection on existing dikes or on its own. The

proposed system will adopt a range of features to make it innovative, which weredefined according to the needs of the SMEs working in the flood protection industry andoperating in floodplain areas: On-demand flood protection.The most important feature of the proposed system is

on demand flood protection. The proposed system can be installed as a temporaryprotection, or as a permanent solution for flood prone areas. Using automatic

elevation the dam will have only the height of the water level and will not disfigurethe environment to a great extent when no flood is present.

Inflation and mobility.The inflating material (water) is always available on site, sotransportation becomes simple as the light structure can be taken apart and laterfolded when not in use.

Modularity Scalability. INFLATER is suitable for small scale protection (privatehomes), although the power and usability of the system is most critical when it isconnected together (large areas). Based on discussions with consortium experts, themost useful size for a module is up to 2 m elevation in height, under 1 m in width and5 m in length to allow easy transportation by truck and placement onto river banks.

Design for easy installation & fewer human resources.Due to its light weight, twopeople (no expertise required) can setup an INFLATER module in minutesdepending on the surface and type of fixation. The use of human resources can bemade even more effective due to the remote sensor system and its flood predictioncapabilities, which can be used to plan the installations in advance.

Adaptability.INFLATER can work on its own or be used as additional protection onexisting embankments. The fixing spikes will not damage the integrity of dikes andthe skirt will protect them from seepage. A variety of different spikes can be useddepending on the properties of the ground.

Flexible, but durable structure Reusability, long product life. The module willintegrate state of the art materials and a flexible structure for durability. The forces

from the fixing spikes will be transferred via diagonal reinforcement strings insidethe inflatable section to the rear wall in order to ground the mechanical forcesresulting from hydrostatic pressure and wave stress. Multilayer and fibre reinforcedelastomeric foil will be applied to the inflatable section for strength, for protectionagainst UV light, and sharp objects that may be present in flood water.

Sensing Remote monitoring, forming sensory network.Risk estimation will besupported by the continuous monitoring of the water level, pressure, and flow. Thewater level will be measured by non-contact water level sensors and the speed of therising water will also be monitored. This information will be used to help predict howthe flood will behave in given areas. The structural strength will continuously be

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checked using pressure and wetness sensors on the side and top of INFLATER sofailures can be signalled via wireless communication. The structural self monitoringwill also serve as an alarm system against vandalism and environmental factors.

Cost efficiency mass production. The modular feature of the INFLATER systeminvolves many simple pieces, which can be mass produced using simple

manufacturing methods like extrusion, injection moulding, and thermoforming inorder to reduce the final price.

The initial INFLATER concept for the first submission consisted of an inflatable sectionwith a protection skirt, a floating part with inlet holes and support columns. Taking theevaluators comments into consideration, the concept was much improved by removing thesupport columns (expensive and can damage the foundation) and placing the inlet holes onthe bottom of the inflatable section (filling at a lower level and cheaper floating partmanufacturing). The resulting new INFLATER design can be broken down into threeindividual parts. The mechanical system is made up of the floating top section and theinflatable section with a skirt secured by fixing spikes and supporting strings. A separate

sensor and monitoring unit can be added onto the mechanical structure, if required. Floating Part: The top part is key for inflating the system. It is connected to theinflatable section with a watertight sealing in such a way that the inflatable sectioncan be folded inside it. As the water flows in the inflatable section through the inlet

pipes and the level reaches the bottom of the top part, it starts to float and lifts thefolded side walls. L shaped ends will ensure a watertight connection. To preventleakage between the units, an extra sealing stripe can be applied that covers the gapfrom the water side. This component will have the same material as the inflatable partand will be attached to the unit once they are fixed to the ground using zips on bothedges.o Material: Parts will be made of two thermoplastic (polycarbonate or PS) pieces

welded together. It is important to use a material that is strong and light and canbe formed using thermal process for easy and cheap fabrication. The use ofcomposites such as glass fibre polyester will also be investigated and comparedwith the thermoplastic version with respect to strength and price.

o Ribs: The wave stress created by the flooding water causes fluctuatingmechanical stress inside the top section of the system, which may cause fatigue

break. The body of the top part is proposed to be divided into multi sections byribs. The ribbed structure provides enough rigidity so the sections can function as

ballasts. The multi section body provides more robustness against breakage, sincethe part can still float with several broken sections. The ribs will be included inthe mould design when fabricating the top part to keep costs down.

o Ballasts: Specialized sections of the top part will function as ballasts, as thepurpose of the ballast is to maintain balanced buoyancy and stability of the toppart. The plimsoll line of the top part will be controlled by the ballasts.

Self-inflatable section with skirt: The self-inflatable section will be made up of awatertight elastomeric material with fibre reinforcement used in inflatable boats.When the water level is down the inflatable section will be folded up inside thefloating part. It will have a skirt to protect from under washing and will haveembedded strings to strengthen it, according to the direction of the main forces. Theskirt will be fixed to the ground with the use of spikes (ca. 30 cm) going throughmetal rings which are connected to the embedded strings. The strings diverge insidethe inflatable part and are fixed to the rear wall of the unit. A filling tube with avalve will be placed on the front close to the ground going through the cut-outholes on the floating section.


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o Material:FORDAM and 2LP have both have experience with materials used inthe flood industry for the inflatable section, which will consist of wrapped lightweight multi-layered elastomeric foil with reinforcement components, such as PAfilament to withstand the high stress caused by the water pressure. UV protectionlayer is also required.

o Automated assembly is necessary to bind the plastic foils by thermal process.Two sealing strips will be bound to the fabric seams to ensure highly airtight seal.o Inlet holes:Sequentially placed inlets on the bottom of the inflatable section will

allow the water flow inside through a filling tube and a filter to avoid debris. Thefilling tube is fixed to a hole on the front wall (water side) and can be appliedoptionally with a nonreturn valve. When the water level decreases, INFLATERwill be lowered, and the water will flow out through the inlet holes. If appliedwith the valve, the dam will keep the water inside that can be stored and utilizedfor watering in drier seasons using the inlet pipes as water taps.

o Skirt: To avoid water washing under the dam, a skirt like foil will be installed onthe flood side. Spikes will be fitted to it through the holes to provide horizontal

support. The reinforcement strings and metal rings are processed in the elasticfoil. The skirt concept (without the spikes) was used by the NOAQ system13,which is an air-filled tube, but which required extra force to keep the structure onthe ground.

o Spikes and support strings: The initial INFLATER concept used telescopiccolumns with inbuilt springs to help the inflation and to support the dam. Thisconcept was discarded during the redesign due to cost and to protect thefoundation. They were replaced by smaller spikes that are secured through themetal o rings on the skirt. The 30 cm long spikes will be made of hardenedsteel to avoid damaging the structural integrity of the surface and can be installedeasily with a hammer. In urban areas or for very hard surfaces, where the groundis solid (i.e.: concrete), simple M30 bolts will be screwed through the skirt. Theo rings will be attached to support strings that are embedded in the skirt anddiverged diagonally inside the inflatable section to support the back of it atdifferent heights. The spikes and the support strings will carry out the task of thecolumns at a much lower cost and with less risk to the supporting surface. Due tothe elimination of the weight of the columns the inflation works automatically (noneed for springs) as it was proven by the small scale model.

Sensor & Communication: The system will use a similar set of sensors to the onesused by existing flood warning systems14 but will be combined with a wirelesscommunication system covering an area of nodes which collect information about the

rivers behaviour. The unit will be optional that will be integrated into the floating partwith additional sensors attached to the outside structure as frequently as required tomonitor the structural integrity. TAUSEC developed a number of different warningunits in the past and they will use this experience to ensure the robustness of thesystem. It will take continuous measurements of the water level and flow rate andsend warnings if the dam gets damaged, and be able to help predict extreme floodingdownstream.o Self monitoring. To monitor the integrity of INFLATER against environmental

factors and vandalism, cheap strain gauges will be used on the floating part so theforce distribution within INFLATER can be measured. Any deviation from thestandard force distribution would mean a structural fault is present in the

13NOAQ Flood Protection AB homepage - http://www.noaq.com/lng-en/index.html14Microsoft Research - http://research.microsoft.com/ur/us/casestudies/MIT.pdf


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INFLATER system and a warning signal will then be sent. In addition, wetnesssensors using resistivity will be placed on the dry side protected from rainwater,especially where two segments connect so that any leaking water can bemonitored. Wetness sensors in specially designed casings will be placed on thetop part that are activated when the flooding water goes over (deeper water) but

will not be affected by rain water or splashing.o Flood monitoring Height sensor can be realized by using a potentiometer

attached to the bottom of the inflatable section through a wound up spring. As themonitoring unit in the floating part lifts, the spring is tightened and the reading onthe potentiometer changes allowing an exact height measurement. Theinformation will be constantly (at regular time intervals) recorded and analysed. Itwill be used to help predict the behaviour of the flood and to send warnings tosurrounding areas, if necessary.

o Wireless communication. The ZigBee15 wireless networking standard worksusing nodes and it is low-cost requiring low-power. These features enabled thistechnology to be widely deployed in wireless sensor, control and monitoring

applications with smaller batteries which provide high reliability and low-costmaintenance. For every 5 km a GSM module will be used to collect theinformation from the ZigBee modules and send it to the headquarters database.

o Software module: Simple but intelligent software will be developed to interpretthe information collected by the sensor unit and use it as a flood management toolto predict future floods. The software unit will also control the self monitoringcapability.

Simple operation Prerequisites:INFLATER can be attached to most surfaces and even on top of existing

dikes. The hollow lightweight structure can be taken to site with a normal truck and canbe positioned by two people.

Installation: The structure will be positioned so the skirt is facing the flood direction.The skirt is tensioned using the spikes either bolted or hammered in. The sealing strip is

positioned between the skirt and the top part. Pre filling can be used in uneven surfacesso INFLATER takes up the shape of the ground and seals it. This also adds stability.

The sensor and communication units will be fitted inside the floating part whererequired. The additional sensors and external antenna will be attached to the outside well

protected from vandalism and environmental factors. Repair and Maintenance: Inflatable dams have low maintenance requirements and high

longevity. Unlike other dam designs, these dams have few moving parts which mean

fewer replacement and repair costs and less corrosion. In case of puncturing theinflatable section can be repaired on site during operation using patches of the sameelastomeric foil and water resistant glue like Tec7 from Novatech. After the floodingseason each INFLATER unit can be washed out using high pressure water jets fordisinfection of the stale water. Washing can be done onsite for semi-permanentinstallations. As there is no need for chemical cleaning the water is safe to be let back inthe river. INFLATER is designed to be robust with a long lifetime estimated to be at least20 years depending on the intensity of usage.

15Sinen Coleri Ergen ZigBee/IEEE 2.15.4 Summary 10th September 2004


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1.10. Predicted cost of INFLATER

In order to be competitive with existing state-of-the-art technology, many issues must beconsidered. A principal advantage of the INFLATER module is the elimination of hiddenand additional costs, due to required human resources and/or treatment of materials used

for flood protection. An additional cost-associated issue is maintenance, system removal,and cleaning. It is a well known fact that disinfection is needed after flooding, which canmake some materials non-reusable, such as sandbags.

Considering these indirect and direct cost-associated factors, discussions were held withthe partners who provided an estimation of 100 / meter as the production cost for

INFLATER. Considering an INFLATER segment is 5 metres in length, with two inletvalves, 15 Metres of support strings and 12 spikes, the cost of each can be broken down.The discussions with the partners also revealed that the fabrication costs can be assumed to

be the same as the cost of the materials. This price includes the full costs, but not themonitoring unit and preliminary calculations suggest that this price may be slightlyoverestimated, but realistic. The exact price is difficult to predict as the materials used and

the method of fabrication will depend on the outcome of the WPs. The cost of the sensorunit is also estimated to be 200 / unit. The transportation, installation, and maintenancecost are considered a business opportunity for SMEs. The service package can be charged

by a monthly fee, or on-demand.Summary - INFLATERs main advantages

Once installed, INFLATER will only be about 0,5 m high and will not have anegative impact in the surrounding scenery. This is of significant concern as areasof potential flooding (i.e.: rivers) are also typically very scenic, and residents arehesitant to adopt any technology that would block the view of the river or diminishthe area for tourism.

The bottom surface of INFLATER will be inflatable with water; hence it can beplaced on uneven ground as the flexible material can be easily moulded to itssurroundings.

It will have a monitoring unit with sensorsthat will give information about the floodand about the integrity of the dam as well as warnings through wirelesscommunication. This will be an added feature and will be optional, based onindividual client preference, so as to minimize costs.

Adaptability - INFLATER can be placed on existing dikes (the spikes will notdamage the dikes), rural areas next to the river (farmland), around buildings nearrivers (bolts), or even urban areas.

Economical benefit The installation of the system requires less manpower, once

installed it responds automatically and most importantly can be reused in repeatedfloods

INFLATERsflexibility will allow this system to be used as a permanent flood pro-tection device, but more surface preparation is required. The unit can even be sunk inthe ground slightly to allow part of it to be underground when not in use, and onlysome or none of the top part would be visible to the public not affecting the scenery.

1.11. Methodology and associated work plan

The aim of this project is to develop a new universal flood protection device that can beimplemented easily onto most surfaces with self adjusting ability. The proposed product

will combine state-of-the-art technology and innovative engineeringdesigned to produce adevice to enhance existing dikes, or by itself to compensate for the weakness of existing


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systems. The system will include a creative mechanical design, hydraulic engineeringconcepts, and simple sensor technology to produce a product that will save lives andmaterial goods, as well as increase the competitiveness of European SMEs in the flood

protection industry, both for manufacturers, distributors, and end users.In order to ensure that these objectives are achieved, a clearly defined work programme

has been drawn up and divided into a number of Work Packages and Tasks. Whilst thegreater part of the innovation will be carried out by RTD performers, the SME partners andthe LG (OTHER) will be involved in defining specifications, providing their specificknowledge and validating the system through testing. Each partner has clearly and

precisely confirmed the value and form of their input to each task, as well as theirresponsibilities in the supply of background technology, materials and equipment.

A no-go decision point has been foreseen in the project, whereby the consortium willevaluate the project progress and will analyse whether or not the technical risks of the

project have been successfully overcome. On the basis of a technical evaluation of resultsachieved, a decision will be made whether or not it is feasible and viable to continue with

the project. This will take place at M9 as part of Milestone 2, when the MechanicalStructure Design WP is due to be completed. The consortium will evaluate the results upthat point and if any major problems have been raised, a decision will be made whether tostop the project or to activate one of the contingency plans such as including a pump orcompressed air springs into the system.

1.12. Implementation Plan

To ease the management and the execution of the INFLATER project, the work plan canbe divided into four main types of activities:

Research and technological development activities (RTD)A specification research will be carried out in order to specify current flood protectiondevices and their exact properties ensuring that INFLATER is superior and will be asuccess. Current flood protection devices come in different forms for different applicationsand INFLATER will be designed in a versatile way that can be adapted to mostrequirements. A survey will be carried out through an extensive mailing (ordinary mailand via Internet) and personal interviews (Task 1.1). The responses of the survey will serveas a basis for identifying the audiencewho shows the most active interest in the results ofthe project. The audience will be used to ensure targeted disseminationof the informationcollected throughout the development of INFLATER and, more importantly, to help withthe validation of activities. The validation will be performed in a field environment and, as

it cannot be guaranteed that the participating local governments region will be subjectedto flooding in the validation timeframe, so a large enough databases of end-users is neededso the most suitable testing locations can be selected. In return for aiding the validationactivities, instant access to the newly developed INFLATER will be guaranteed to the enduser.

Technological researchwill also be carried out in order to determine the components thatare commercially available and that could be used to facilitate the INFLATER design.While INFLATER will be based on a completely new and innovative design, standard

parts will be used, where possible, to reduce costs. These parts will include existingmaterials, valves and sensor components. In parallel with the specification and thetechnological research, flood behaviour and conventional dike characterisation will becarried out in WP2. This WP will include in-depth analytical investigations in order to


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determine the type of forces and scenarios the flood protection device must withstand. Theinformation gathered will be used to define the validation case study and, together with theknowledge collected in WP1, the system specificationwill be determined.

The technological development of the prototype design will be divided into two WPs

before they are integrated into a prototype. WP3 will concentrate on the design of themechanical structure and WP4 will include the sensor and communication system

development. The mechanical design will be the heart of the system and it will consist of anumber of tasks focusing on each specific area. The design will be analytically modelledusing finite element analysis (FEA) and optimised in the case study defined in WP2. Thesupport structure and the floating part with valves will be developed once the inflatablestructure is approved, and constant modelling will be performed to keep to the definedrequirements. The sensor unit with wireless communication will be developed in aseparate WP (WP4), and it will be handled as an independent device that can be includedin the top part as frequently as required. Where possible, standard sensory equipment will

be implemented and the sensitive parts will be packaged in a robust waterproof casing that

can be hidden to protect it from vandalism and theft. A vital part of the technologicaldevelopment will be close communication between the RTD partners and the technicalSME partners to perfect the design in terms of performance, cost efficiency, andcompatibility of the different parts so they can be integrated in WP5. By the end of WP5,two 5 metre long prototype segments will be fabricated.

Validation Activities

Following the fabrication and the integration of the components (WP5), the completesystem will be tested and validatedin two specific WPs. In WP6 the mechanical structurewill be tested in a laboratory setting for structural integrity and inflation characteristics

before a fully integrated test is carried out. A special test rig will be set up at the premisesof BME which will be able to test the system to the requirements of the BSi. Two

prototype segments (5 metres each) will be used inside a pool with waves and current, soboth INFLATERs operation and the joining of them can be tested. Once satisfactory resultsare obtained in the laboratory, the complete system, including the monitoring unit, will beset up in a field test environment and tested under real conditions inWP7. This will haveto be carried out in a flooded area, so if the participating local governments region is notunder flooding, the members of the identified target audience in WP1 will be asked to usetheir locations so different surfaces and applications can be tested. All partners willcontribute to the validation process through a combination of Validation Plan-lead

activities and other trials. The validation activities will be based on the case study definedin WP2, and all errors and discrepancies found will be drawn to the attention of thedevelopment team for further evaluation, modification, and re-testing to ensure thedelivery of a robust and proven demonstrator unit. The results will be compared to otherflood protection devices in terms of ease of installation, performance, and adaptability.

Other Activities

Dissemination & Exploitation activities will be developed under WP8. In this WP, aBusiness Planwill be studied and delivered, and the results will be particularized to eachparticipant by means of the development of thePlan for the Use and Dissemination of the

Foreground (PUDF). Dissemination activities will include: development of disseminationmaterials for dissemination channels- newsletters, electronic bulletins, mail-shots,


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publicity materials, leaflets, DVDs, and posters, a CD-Romcontaining training documentsand the results of the project. The project website will also serve as an important tool to aidthe dissemination. These activities will be aimed primarily at the target audience identifiedin WP1, but a much broader audience is planned to be reached.

The knowledge management and IPR protection will address issues related to theassessment of the intellectual property in terms of novelty, patentability, and defensibilityas well as the specific steps that will be taken to file any initial and full patents.

Training activities will also be included in the project through the utilization of thedeveloped core technology to ensure proper training and technology transfer of the SMEs.Training will take place during project meetings to ensure all partners are up to date withthe knowledge developed throughout the project. In addition to the meetings, technologytransfer work-shopsheld before and after the validation of the prototype.Management activities:

In parallel to the above, and within the scope of the management actions, the optimisationof resource allocationwithin the project and among the partners will be controlled (Task9.1), ensuring that all aspects of the EC requirements for communication and reportingare met(Task 9.2). A review and assessment form will be prepared, which will include thework package identification, the duration, resource consumption, deliverables and anassessment of the tasks involved. This form will be prepared on a monthly basis and sent tothe Consortium Committee. The work package leader, MFKK will be responsible forcollecting the information from the other partners, conducting the assessment, and

preparing this form.

1.13. Beneficiaries

An optimally equilibrated consortium with complementary skills was set up to make sureexpected project results will be delivered on scope, on time and on budget.Brief description of each of the partners is provided next:

SME participants:

1. BUILDAIR (Buildair Ingenieria yArquitectura S.A.) / Spain

Business activities: Buildair Ingeniera y Arquitectura S.A. was created in 2001 as theresult of a European Project named "INFLAST". Over the past years, the company hasused and improved the technology created in this project. Buildair has extensiveexperience in designing, manufacturing and making numerical calculation of inflatablestructures. Currently, their main market until is the Events one, for which they havedeveloped thousands of square meters of inflatable structures. The company also hasexperience in exploiting European research projects.

Role in the consortium: BUILDAIR will use their experience in manufacturing largeinflatable structures to manufacture INFLATER. They will lead WP5 and be workingtogether with the other SMEs to identify the material which can be used for this purpose. Itwill be their task to help in the design of the inflatable structure, to manufacture it, and to

coordinate the manufacture of the other components as well as lead the efforts towardsintegration of the parts.


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Expected benefits: The worries to technological level for BUILDAIR are constant, theinvestigation of new materials, new methods for the construction of the tents arecommitments that they have to diary to give a better service to their clients. This projectcan help them in the development of certain improvements of the technologies thatnowadays they use while giving them a new business opportunity. In addition they are

fulfilling their mission for the improvement of the environment, safety and social help.

2. XTREME (X-Treme Inflatables BV) /Netherlands

Business Activities:XTREME evolved from consultants to an EU sales organisation withthe capacity to coordinate all individual steps of production, including design andmanufacture. They develop new materials and supply 3Dimensional, inflatable, one-piece,displays with support structures and accessories larger than 2 m. They are also anexperience manufacturing consultancy company with experience to manufacture complexmechanical devices. They operate on two sites (Breda and Zaventem). Breda is a private

consultancy company with a commercial office for the Dutch market, and Zaventem(Belgium) is where their production and manufacturing site is located. They have alreadymade attempts in this direction with fireman training dolls, and also tested flood controlsolutions.

Role in the Consortium: The material used in INFLATER will be a vital part of thedesign. It will give its structural strength and will withstand harsh conditions. XTREMEhas vast experience in plastic engineering. They also have manufacturing capacity ofinjection moulded objects which is needed for the top hollow part. They will use theirexperience in manufacturing knowhow to engineer the support skirt structure. They willwork together with BUILDAIR to ensure the most suitable manufacturing method forINFLATER.

Expected Benefits: XTREME will supply the material of INFLATER. They will have alicence for the material of the final product. This will expand their portfolio of productsand strengthen their market hold by adding an industrial application to their business. Theirdesire is to increase their European clientele and their market visibility.

3. TAUSEC (Tau Security Technologies)/ Slovakia

Business Activities:TAUSEC was founded in 2006 as a technology developing company.Their experienced engineering staff is involved in the development and production ofelectronic equipment for civil protection. Their goal is to become a leading company in the

field of public warning systems. Their company develops new electronic sirens for civilprotection and industry worldwide. Their main R&D areas include electronics for warningand monitoring, public address systems, electronic sirens, radio communication, wirelessdata transmission and related equipment. They have the manufacturing capacity ofintegrated systems including mechanical and electrical components.

Role in the Consortium:TAUSEC is an expert in warning and monitoring systems and itwill be their task to lead the development of the monitoring unit (WP4). Depending on theresults of the specification survey, TAUSEC will research existing sensors and integratethem into a versatile, unit that can monitor a dams structural integrity, as well as the

behaviour of water. This will result in a warning system that will use wirelesscommunication to send alerts and information when necessary.

Expected Benefits:TAUSEC will be the producer and potentially have a licence for themonitoring unit, which will be an add-on for INFLATER. TAUSEC is also expecting to


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benefit from this project, as they will be involved in the development of an innovativetechnology. Participation in such a project would broaden their knowledge base, thusgiving them advantage over their competitors.

4. FORDAM (Fordam EasternEurope) /

DenmarkBusiness Activities:Founded in 2001 as a result of flooding in Eastern Europe, their mainproduct is the Twin-Flex hose (tube) system, an inflatable 1.1m mobile dam with a height.FORDAM distributes this product in Eastern Europe offering full service, maintenance andinstallation. They have an office in Budapest as well in Copenhagen and have made stepsto expand to the US and UK. Their principal market competitor is the Eastern Europeansandbag producing monopoly, which has been used for more than 100 years. They areconstantly exploring alternative solutions to tackle flooding, which they believe is a serious

problem which will intensify worldwide due to global warming. They consider themselvesan alternative player in the flood control industry and been looking for new innovativesolutions for a number of years.

Role in the Consortium:Their system, Twin-Flex, has been on the market for a number ofyears and they are highly experienced in organising demonstrations and trials for newdevices for the flood control market. As the originators of the idea, they will contributetheir know-how on the flood industry throughout the development of the product, and willlead the validation in a real environment. Due to their position as a mobile dam distributor,they will also be actively involved in the dissemination and the exploitation ofINFLATER, and use the experience gained from the production of the Twin-Flex systemto ensure the success of the innovation.

Expected Benefits:They will be one of the main distributors for INFLATER and benefitcommercially from this new product. FORDAM would not be able to independentlydevelop the INFLATER project, and is benefiting from the advantages offered by FP7.They wish to complement their existing system and expand their portfolio with the

production of INFLATER. Their aim is to be a leader in the flood protection market.Moreover, FORDAM believes that there is a huge potential in the production and thecommercialization of the device, which will assure their continuous growth.

5. 2LP (2 L'Eau Protection) / France

Business Activities:2 LEau Protection is a small and specialized company registered in February 2005, in themarket of Flood Protection systems for public and industrial organizations and also private

home owners. They offer a range of solutions to the clients, mainly based on aluminumand steel mobile or fixed products. 2LP deals with water and flooding related feasibilitystudies, the installation of projects and the technical side, drawings, and working with sub-contractors and specialized engineers. In cooperation with experienced industries inFrance, Germany and Wales, 2LP is also producing flood protection and containmentsystems. The company is a project-oriented sales organization, as each project is unique inthis market, and its customers who are coming back to them to protect a series of buildingsor technical rooms. 2LP receives most of its requests via out web site or our partners andalso attends specialized fairs in France regarding flood protection and do some advertisingin specialized Water magazines.

Role in the Consortium:2LP has a vast knowledge on the flood protection market. Being

active in market research, demonstration and training on anti-flooding projects and devicesin the UK, Germany and Spain, building a network of partners, sub-contractors and


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specialized engineers and building their company structure and communication, they arehighly experienced in organising trainings, demonstrations and trials for new devices forthe flood control market. They will contribute their know-how on the flood industrythroughout the development of the product, and will lead the exploitation anddissemination activities (WP8). The director of 2LP, Mr Stphane Qumneur has been

selected to as the Exploitation Manager.Expected Benefits: As it can be seen in their range of existing solutions, the INFLATERwould be perfect to add a new and innovative solution that 2LP could offer a quick anddeployable solution for customers. Especially with the rise of flash floods all over Franceand southern Europe, the INFLATER system is promising solution for 2LP to take a good

place in the current market place and develop its new market.

Other participant:

6. DCC (Dublin City Council) / Ireland

Business Activities: Dublin City Council is the largest local authority in Ireland.It issituated on the west part of Ireland, situated by rivers and the see. Over 6000 people areemployed and they have a dedicated team of 10 people, dealing with flood related

problems. They are currently involved River Dodder Flood Risk Assessment project.Role in the Consortium: DCC is an authority operating in Ireland and therefore can helpdisseminate the results and enhance the exploitation of the final product in the western partof Europe. Having a local authority in the Ireland opens wider areas for the spreading ofINFLATER which will benefit the consortium as well as the regions it protects. They will

be involved in the market survey and validation activities. DCC has both urban and rural

regions which makes them ideal to test INFLATER on both types of terrains. Using theirnetworks, they will ensure the survey meets the needs of local authorities who will be theprimary customers in the future. They will be involved in the development of the targetaudience as well.

Expected Benefits: DCC is a local authority and not a company therefore they will notown any IPR for the final product. The Dublin City Council has a special interest in theINFLATER project: Flooding on the Dodder in 1986 resulted in around 1,500 buildingsmainly residential getting flooded. Tidal flooding on 1st February 2002 resulted inapproximately 1,000 buildings flooding. Thunderstorm flooding in August 2008 and July2009 resulted in around 150 buildings and 25 buildings getting flooded. They have majorfloods seasonally and heavy rainfalls in the Dublin area and are hoping to use INFLATER

for their own benefit. Improving their area will help business and individuals living in thatarea. By having access to INFLATER they will have a substantial saving and this willallow them to spend their resources in other ways, as well as build new networks inEurope.

RTD participants:7. MFKK (MFKK Feltalli es Kutat KzpontKft.) / Hungary

Business Activities: MFKK, as a private research organization, has been involved innumerous research projects funded by the European Union and is the coordinator ofCollective and Cooperative research projects. MFKK boasts a multidisciplinary researchscope, and aims to foment and raise R&D activity in the Central European region, with a


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significant focus on engineering, information, and communication technologies. Since itsestablishment in 2003 their core business is to assist SMEs and associations from differentindustrial sectors through applied research. Their broad services portfolio goes fromindustrial applied research to prototype development and implementation also includingconsultancy, innovation analysis and project development. MFKK is a dynamically

growing company and has already more than 35 employees, finished over 15 projectssuccessfully and is running a similar number of projects at the moment. The main missionis to bridge the gap between theoretical research and industrial applications thus offeringintegrated and effective solutions to clients utilizing the state-of-the art technology.

Research Activities:MFKK's main researchers are graduates of the Budapest University ofTechnology and Economics. MFKK's research activity focuses on the application ofelectronics, mechanics, telecommunications and information technologies, to industrialenvironments. Since Framework Programme 6, MFKK has been a project coordinatorand/or research participant in 17 European projects (12 CRAFT projects, 2 of which theycoordinated). They are currently involved in 9 ongoing FP7 projects under the Researchfor the Benefit of SME/SME Associations call as well as projects in the EUROSTARS,

COMET and Intelligent Energy Programs.They have been in charge of innovative mechanical designs in the following CRAFT

project: Development of carbon nanotube-based protective coatings for anodes in electrontube devices (NANOTUBE, Contract No:COOP-CT-2006-032713), and theCOLLECTIVE project, Development of a low cost non-destructive inspection equipmentto improve the assessment of tyre casing integrity. (TYRETEST, Contract No: COLL-CT-2006-030274)

Role in the Consortium:MFKK will take an active part with the design of the mechanicalstructure. MFKK has an experienced mechanical engineering department (PrototypeConstruction Group) in which the newest computer aided design technologies andanalytical methods are available to enhance research. The laboratory testing will also beco-led by MFKK, as they are located near BME, which has facilities and the humanresources required to take on such an important task. They are also highly experienced incommunication interfaces, especially Zig-Bee, which they have used in other European

projects such as Low-cost wireless metropolitan network for location and citizen services(CITYBEE, Contract No:COOP-CT-2006-032094).

Expected Benefits: MFKKs aim is to promote applied research and technicaldevelopment, and to create advanced market products, procedures, and services. As aresearch organisation, they will not share in the post project exploitation, or own any IPR.

8. BME (Budapesti M

szaki s GazdasgtudomnyiEgyetem) / Hungary

Business Activities: The Technical University of Budapest was founded in 1872 and theFaculty of Geotechnical Sciences was launched 60 years ago. Faculty members will beinvolved in this project. Their main activities include the research and teaching of allgeotechnical related activities. They have 28 full time staff and 14 postgraduates, six ofwhich have PhDs. All staff are members of the Institute of Hungarian Engineers and six ofthem are also chartered. Their main business activity comes from contract work fromcompanies, designers, and private individuals and they also do government research aswell as projects from the EU Framework programme.

Research Activities: The Technical University of Budapest has a wide range of researchactivities that cover many fields of engineering and related topics. The Faculty of


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Geotechnical Sciences concentrates on soil and earth mechanics, foundation engineering,geophysics, and water engineering. They have participated in numerous national projectstogether with the rest of the university as well as on their own. They specialise in themodelling of water behaviour and have extensive experience in flood related activities.They are able to aid the design of INFLATER by recalling past case studies, carrying out

analytical analyses, calculating the forces acting on the structure and define the differentapplications.Role in the Consortium:BME are experts in flood behaviour research. When developing anew flood protection device, it is vital to understand the behaviour of floods and to learnmore about the type of forces involved. BME will be in charge of carrying out this taskusing analytical modelling including CFD and FEA. This will serve as the basis for thesystem specification. Due to their access to the required resources, testing will be carriedout on their premises, and they will take an active part in these trials.

Expected Benefits: BME is a non-IPR holding company. As a university, they will notshare in post project exploitation, or own any IPR. However, they will gain experience in anew technology field and develop their networks with industrial companies and research

organisations in Europe.

9. LABOR (Laboratorio di RicercaIndustriale) / Italy

Business activities:LABOR is an industrial research laboratory set up with the support ofa group of university professors from the Department of Industrial Chemistry andDepartment of Applied Mechanics of the Faculty of Engineering of the University LaSapienza of Rome. Company's mission is to carry out R&D activities and projects in closeco-operation with industry and public research bodies, establishing with them long termresearch and cooperation agreements, for the access to research structures and theemployment of research personnel. The company is conceived so as to offer a lean andagile counterpart both to its industrial clients and research organisations, acting"downstream" to the latter ones, for the finalisation and customisation of basic researchtowards the requirements of the industrial environment.LABOR is leader in Italy for coordination and provision of research services in Europeanfunded projects. In the 6th Framework Programme, they coordinated and carried ourresearch services in 14 projects for about 70 SMEs. Their main technologicalcompetencies are in the fields of hydrogen technologies, energy efficiency and renewableenergies, electronics and industrial automation, and materials and processes for energy andenvironment.

Research Activities:LABOR offers the competence of a number of professionals, usually

from the University, creating a fertile and flexible environment aimed to the developmentof highly innovative projects. The core competencies of the company are allocated intothree Departments: Renewable Energy Sources, Microelectronics and automation, and

Industrial and Process ChemistryLABOR has taken part to 7 projects under FP5, 14 projects under FP6 and has 10 projectsongoing under FP7. (eg: SOLARSKIN - Energy sustainable building with integratedThermophotovoltaic solar system and climate control_ENK6-CT-2002-30019, LASERIS -

Novel Laser Printing Technique based on serigraphic thermichromic ink COOP-CT-2005-018030)

Role in the consortium: LABORs Industrial & Process Chemistry department will beresponsible for the materials used in INFLATER. LABOR will take a major role in WP3

during the mechanical development. Their role will be to help develop and test the mostsuited materials for both the floating top part and the inflatable section. Strength and


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weight will be key issues and a number of tests will be carried out in LABORslaboratories to ensure the best materials are selected. They will use their experience insensor technology and electronics to help develop the sensor and monitoring unit withTAUSEC. They will also take a role in the fabrication using their experience inmanufacturing engineering.

Expected benefits:LABOR would like to establish new and deepen the existing contactswith industrial players as well as relevant European research institutes operating in notcompetitive, rather supplementing research fields. During the project they could exchangetheir experience gained in the domain and also, have the opportunity to use theirknowledge of materials in a new application like flood protection.

1.14. Consortium as a whole

The consortium is well thought out; partners constitute an excellent balance oftechnological know-how, geographical split(includes 8 Member States from the, France,

Ireland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Denmark, Italy, and Spain), managementskills and industrial reach. All partners have well defined roles in the project work andexploitation of project results, avoiding business conflicts and overlap of efforts. Allpartners are fully committed and motivated to working together.All this will ensure asuccessful project delivery and a dynamic commercialization path of the developedtechnology to the market.

Given that our focus is directed towards the benefit of SMEs introducing the intelligentflood protection device that uses specialised materials a wide range of experts were neededwith the required resources and experience. FORDAM the originator of the idea hasexperience with developing a flood protection device and using this experience knew whatsorts of players are needed when tackling such task. Inflatable material was a key issue andtwo experts were found in this field both with manufacturing capacity. The warning unitalso requires a professional angle, especially when taking into account the harsh conditionsit has to withstand. To ensure future success of INFLATER, an experienced distributor anda real user was also included.

The consortium is built up of technological and distributors SMEs, as well as a customer inthe form of an LG (OTHER). RTDs are also included.

The technological SMEs: BUILDAIR, XTREME, and TAUSECwill be responsible for

the creation of technology push. They are fully capacitated to aid in the design procedureand to manufactu

Documents

Inflater Handbook