Del. company unveils flood protection technology
Flooding is something Delmarva knows all to well.
"Had super storm Sandy not directed a little north, and had it hit Delaware and Maryland square on, we would have been in trouble," says Dave Cadogan, the Director of Engineering & Product Development at ILC Dover.
However, technology unveiled by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Dover ILC could soon protect individuals from the unexpected.
"Back in 2007, DHS was worried about tunnel flooding, either from a major storm, hurricane, what later happened with sandy, or terrorist attack," says John Fortune, a Program Manager at the Department of Homeland and Security.
One of the solutions to those problems is a tunnel plug. The tunnel plug is16.5 feet wide and 32 feet long, and has an outer layer of high strength polymer fiber.
"Each one of these webbing ares kind of like a seat belt material, each one of these webbings can withstand 24,000 pounds of tension before it breaks, so it gives us a very strong structure," says Cadogan.
The technology would be placed in strategic locations, such as underground subway systems or tunnels where there is water flowing and flooding is possible. The tunnel plugs will be pre-installed in a compacted container and can easily be deployed in the event of flooding threat.
During Tuesday's unveiling, engineers also showcased other flood protection solutions, such as flex gates and flex walls.
"They can be used anywhere, it can go around any building or to be attached to any building that is at risk at flooding," says Cadogan.
Engineers say this technology can serve as flood barriers for businesses or apartments. Although these projects have taken a decade to finish up, officials say the wait has been worth it.
"It's been a very challenging project, but a very rewarding one in the end. Because of the potential benefits to save lives and prevent devastating damages," says Fortune.
Project managers say they are finishing up one final round of testing, and they expect this technology to be available on the market within the next 6 to 12 months.
