Sand-confinement grids from Geocell Systems
Geosynthetics | June 2006
In the wake of the floods following Hurricane Katrina, officials are working to figure out how to prepare and respond to other natural disasters involving flooding, and the need for improved water barriers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is now in the process of testing new, so-called “super-levees.”
The first series of modular sand-confinement grid systems by Geocell Systems is called the Rapid Deployment Flood Wall (RDFW), and is designed to supplement existing earthen water barriers. The strength of an RDFW is much greater than that of a sandbag structure, and its construction requires much less labor. RDFW is made of an environmentally friendly, recyclable plastic from Eastman Chemical Co. of Kingsport, Tenn. The material is resistant to vermin and mildew, and is convenient to store, repair, and reuse.
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The geogrid walls are assembled and then filled with sand. The walls can be assembled and installed by only two people. Tests have demonstrated that the construction of floodwalls with RDFW is much faster than with traditional sandbags. -
In the same amount of time it would take a crew of sandbaggers to build a 4-ft. water barrier the length of a football field, a work crew using RDFW can build one that is 5.5 miles long. -
When assembled, an RDFW is quickly expanded into place and then filled from the top with a loader, excavator, bottom-dump, or other earth-moving equipment. -
According to the official USACE report, a 50-ft.-long, 4-ft.-high section of RDFW was subjected to 40 hours of wave action. Wave height was varied between 0.42 ft. and 1.52 ft. The RDFW withstood the testing with minimal, easily repairable, damage. -
RDFW is reusable, making it cost-effective. The grid folds compactly, can be stored for 10 years or more, and is resistant to vermin and mildew.
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