FLOOD BARRIERS

Abstract

A flood barrier includes glass panels (5) held within a metal frame that includes hollow vertical posts (1) having caps (3) designed for removal so that spigots (20) can be fitted in the posts (1) to allow upward extensions (19) to be connected to the metal frame.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to flood barriers.

There is an increasing requirement for flood protection due to more severe weather patterns predicted by global warming. There are many areas in which a traditional floodwall would have a negative aesthetic effect and there have been a number of designs of glass wall flood control systems that allow walls and embankment protection heights to be raised with minimal visual impact.

The water levels that flood barriers are required to protect against are set by national agencies and/or decided upon by the property owners. However, there have been a number of cases in which the design flood levels have been increased after a flood barrier has been installed and, with the forecast climate changes, this is likely to be an increasingly common occurrence.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved flood barrier design to meet this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a flood barrier that includes structural glass held within a metal frame that includes hollow vertical posts having caps designed for removal so that spigots can be fitted in the posts to allow upward extensions to be connected to the metal frame.

The upward extensions are then able to support temporary or permanent flood panels or interlocking water-tight beams.

Provision may be made for connecting struts to the back of the flood barrier to provide additional support for the barrier for protection against the additional loads to which it may be subjected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing enhanced flood protection that includes the use of a flood barrier as defined above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of part of a flood barrier in its initial unextended condition,

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the part of the flood barrier shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a first step of the procedure involved in increasing the height of the flood barrier,

FIG. 4 shows the next step in the procedure, and

FIG. 5 shows the upwardly extended flood barrier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The flood barriers comprise two main sections, namely a number of lower glass sections and added height metal upper sections that can be added to the lower sections as and when required, for example, in response to flood warnings.

The glass sections of the flood barrier are designed to be permanently installed on a structural foundation, which may be a ground-level footing or a wall.

The Permanently Installed Glass Sections

Each glass section comprises a toughened glass panel 5 held within a metal frame. Each frame is composed of a number of separate parts, namely a lower frame channel 4, vertical glass support posts 1 and an upper frame channel 2, together with a separate post cap 3. The frame parts are bolted to the structural foundation and to each other to form a rigid frame. Each vertical glass support post 1 is fabricated from a hollow box section forming the web of the post with two plates welded to either side to form flanges. A baseplate allows the post to be fixed down to the structural foundation using support post fixing bolts 17 and one tamperproof fixing bolt 16, if required.

Each glass panel 5 is held within the associated channels using seals, namely lower frame seals 9, vertical glass seals 12 and upper frame seals 8. The seals are compressed by a number of compression clamping bolts 18 that tighten clamping angles that fit inside the four sides of the frame parts against the glass. When the bolts 18 are tightened, each glass panel 5 is held firm between the main members of the frame and the clamping angles, with the glass surface protected by the seals.

The glass floodwall is multi-span and the posts 1 between adjacent glass panels 5 each have a top-fitting post cap 3. The post cap 3 covers the hollow box section element of the fabricated vertical support post 1, and is held in place using two post cap/spigot fixing bolts 15. The post cap 3 is designed to be the same profile as the upper frame channel 2 so that there is a smooth surface to the top of the glass floodwall.

Additional Removable Panels

With the permanent glass section described above erected, it is possible to raise the height of the flood protection with the addition of removable support post extenders 19 and metal panels 30.

To enable the posts to be extended, first the post caps 3 are removed by unscrewing the post cap/spigot fixing bolts 15, and pulling each cap out 3 from the box section of the respective vertical post 1. A spigot 20 is then inserted into the top of the post 1 and fixed using the post cap/spigot fixing bolts 15. The spigot 20 has a threaded socket fixed to its top.

Each demountable support post extender 19 is the same section as the associated glass support post 1, and the hollow box section that forms the web of the demountable support post extender 19 is fitted over the respective spigot 20. The demountable support post extender 19 has permanently fitted seals 24 that sit under the base of the demountable support post extender 19, and there are seals between the inside edges of the vertical flanges of each support post extender 19. Each support post extender 19 also has within it a long bolt 28 and, when the post extender 19 has been mounted over the spigot 20, the bolt 28 can be turned to engage with the threaded socket of the spigot 20, to press the demountable support post extender 19 firmly and securely down onto the glass support post 1.

If required, by the design and the height of the floodwater to be retained, an angled brace 35, 36 can be fitted to the back of the demountable support post extender 19 using a connecting pin 37. The far end of the brace is fixed to a ground anchor 34, and the brace 35, 36 can be extended or retracted by telescoping the upper section 35 of the brace relative to the lower section 36 of the adjustable brace to suit the ground conditions, the height of the barrier and the location of a suitable foundation.

Once the required number of demountable post extenders 19 have been added, additional flood panels 30 can be slotted in between the seals that run up the inside of the vertical flanges of the post extenders 19 to extend the flood protection height of the wall.

Claims

1. A flood barrier comprising structural glass held within a metal frame that includes hollow vertical posts having caps designed for removal so that spigots can be fitted in the posts to allow upward extensions to be connected to the metal frame.

2. The flood barrier as claimed in claim 1, which includes means for connecting struts to the back of the flood barrier to provide additional support for the barrier for protection against the additional loads to which it may be subjected.

3. A method of providing enhanced flood protection that includes the use of a flood barrier as claimed in claim 1.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, which includes removal of the caps, fitting spigots in the upper ends of the posts and engaging upward extensions with the spigots.