HOW THE FLOOD WALL WORKS

Flood Control America’s removable flood wall system uses embedded anchors, steel posts, lightweight stoplogs and EPDM rubber gaskets to make up the finest and largest demountable flood walls in the United States.

How the Removable Flood Wall System Works

The Invisible Flood Control Wall™ utilizes a number of key components to achieve its purpose. The flood barrier effect is ensured through a reinforced concrete foundation with embedded base plates, parting support posts, extruded aluminum planks and rubber seals to make the barrier watertight.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Foundations

How can a floodwall be invisible, permanent and temporary? The IFCW™ achieves this through unobtrusive steel plates embedded in a concrete foundation, which is the only permanently installed component that is visible. While river levels remain below flood stage, daily life continues as usual. Only when waters rise does the rest of the wall have to be erected.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Base Plates

During initial construction, these reinforced galvanized steel plates are joined with the concrete foundation, which is laced with reinforcing bar. The steel bolts visible above are the headed bolts used to anchor the vertical posts to the plates and foundation.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Headless Bolts

The finished plate above is embedded in the concrete foundation. Here, headless storage bolts are used to keep the holes clean and to remain unobtrusive to traffic.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Parting Support Posts

In the first step of actual IFCW™ erection, vertical parting supports are aligned and anchor bolts are loosely installed into anchors in the foundation. The bolts pass through the embeds and tie into the anchors located in the concrete foundation. In the event of a flood, a working crew of three people can install 1200 square feet of the IFCW™ in two hours.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Base Plank

The next step is installing the unique base plank. The base plank features a specialized gasket that fully seals with the concrete foundation, creating a watertight seal.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Extruded Aluminum Planks

Extruded hollow aluminum planks with interlocking mating surfaces are stacked on top of the base plank. Each plank weighs approximately five pounds per foot, so two workers can easily handle any IFCW™ plank (max. 20'). Patented aluminum planks seal with hard rubber gaskets and become side-thrust resistant with a unique tongue and groove design. The planks fill with water as flood height increases, creating further stability and integrity.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Intermediate Support Posts

Most removable flood wall installations require at least one intermediate support post per 20' span. The higher the height of the flood wall, the more intermediate support posts may be required. Generally, over 8' two support posts will be required, at 12' three supports posts are necessary, and approaching 20' four intermediate support posts are necessary to bear the flood loads.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Diagonal Struts

For an IFCW™ over 6 feet in height, pin mounted diagonal braces are positioned on both the intermediate and parting supports to provide additional support. A pin connected floating foot is threaded to accept the tension rod for adjusting the parting supports and plumming the wall.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Compression Channels

Vertical compression channels are ratcheted tight against the wet side of the wall, forcing the planks against the vertical post gaskets and sealing the system vertically.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Hold Down Clamps

Hold down clamps are adjusted to leak tight, squeezing all of the plank gaskets together and sealing the system horizontally.

Removable Flood Wall Barriers - Foundations

Latest Flood Wall Projects

Perimeter Wall: 140 West Street, New York, NY

Project Description: In the wake of massive flooding following Hurricane Sandy, FCA manufactured a free-standing flood wall to enclose the Verizon Building at 140 West.

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Perimeter Wall: Coralville, IA

Project Description: The Iowa River Power Restaurant segment of the Invisible Flood Control Wall in Coralville, IA is a small portion of thousands of linear feet of removable floodwall that protects the city.

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Perimeter Wall, Closures, Half Wall: East Grand Forks, MN

Project Description: The removable flood wall system in East Grand Forks allowed the city to develop a massively successful commercial center along the riverfront, including a Cabellas, Applebees, and local mom and pop businesses.

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