Design and analysis of rotomoulded panels for a self-erecting low-cost flood barrier

Flooding incidents dominate the national and international headlines on a regular basis and there is concern that flood events will increase due to the effects of climate change. Control of flood waters is essential to save lives, properties and land resources. The cost of traditional permanent flood defence may be prohibitively high and they are often intrusive to the water landscape. Temporary demountable barriers can be effective but rely on considerable human resources to erect and dismantle. An innovative low-cost, self-erecting barrier using a geo-synthetic membrane attached to polyethylene rotomoulded cover panels has been designed (patent granted). The design, the stress level and deformations of the rotomoulded panel are analysed using finite element software code.