Permanent flood protection systems

Natural protection against the risks of flooding is seldom adequate. Therefore, diverse permanent civil engineering measures, e.g. dikes, reinforced banks, walls, water retention basins and the raising of dikes and banks, have been implemented over the years. These permanent flood protection systems are fixed parts of the infrastructure. They have a permanent effect on the appearance of landscapes and townscapes. The enormous costs of such major projects call for convincing proof of their reliability, but primarily economically justifiable planning concepts. Owing to their cost-effectiveness and versatility, steel sheet piles from thyssenkrupp Infrastructure have proved to be an ideal answer in many projects worldwide.

Where visual and aesthetic requirements are important, e.g. in holiday resorts or recreational areas, our glass wall systems are a good choice. They are ideal for guaranteeing permanent protection against floods without obscuring the view of the landscape or other attractions.

Functional aesthetics:
our tk glass wall system

Our fracture-resistant tk glass wall systems made from multi-pane safety glass provide a particularly stylish flood protection solution. They are designed for permanent use and mounted on masonry, concrete beams, or sheet pile walls. They provide ideal flood protection without obstructing visibility, e.g. for attractive urban areas.

The tk glass wall system blends in harmoniously with the landscape and does not obstruct the view.

The glass elements are made of multi-pane safety glass in line with structural requirements. Additional panes of glass can be added on the land or water side to protect the load-bearing panes of toughened or heat-strengthened glass. The additional panes are non-structural, which means that the safety of the barrier is still guaranteed even if they are damaged.

The dimensions of the panes can be varied and are chosen to suit structural and aesthetic requirements. The perimeter frame is fabricated from stainless steel or aluminum sections with an internal EPDM seal. The safety glass in its frame is fitted between the welded aluminum or stainless steel posts with the help of EPDM gaskets so that no stresses can build up, which might damage the glass. Verified structural analyses form part of the system documentation. The visual effect of a glass wall can be further enhanced by colored metalwork.

Applications

As an alternative to obtrusive masonry when more daylight is required
Tourist areas, e.g., along terraces, viewing platforms, etc.
Areas inaccessible for erecting demountable systems
Locations with a very short warning time that does not allow the erection of a demountable system
Public areas with high architectural and urban planning demands

Advantages at a glance

Architecturally attractive flood protection, especially in built-up areas
Does not obstruct the view
High resistance to corrosion and weathering

Permanent safety:
Our steel sheet piling in dike construction

Our proven steel sheet piling is the classic solution for flood protection. A flexible and highly cost-effective solution, it has been used for decades all around the world.

Mostly used for permanent systems, steel sheet piling can also serve as a base for temporary systems. This opens up a wide range of possibilities for the design of optimum flood defense solutions.

Sheet piling in dikes

In a flood, dikes are subjected to enormous loads. Often they are no longer capable of meeting these loads as the increasing regularity of flood disasters was not foreseen by their builders. Here, our steel sheet piling offers an efficient and cost-effective solution because it can be installed quickly and easily in both existing and new dikes to stabilize and seal the dike and increase its load-bearing capacity.

Sheet piling is flexible and can follow the movements of the dike, ensuring long-term stability and water-tightness. If necessary, the sheet pile interlocks can be sealed. Various bituminous materials are available for this. These sealants can be installed in the interlocks either at the factory or on-site. One particularly reliable solution is the patented tk interlock sealing system made from a polymer. This seal is fitted into the interlocks at the factory and is suitable for all methods of sheet pile installation.

If the piling is used for a visible wall, the polymer seal is particularly recommended as it is heat-resistant and does not run out of the interlocks in the heat of the sun. Naturally, all recommended sealing systems are groundwater-neutral and ecologically safe. Ecological reasons also clearly favor the use of sheet pile walls. As 100% steel products they are particularly environment-friendly as they can be removed without residues and reused.

Sheet piling applications:

New dike construction and dike repairs
Dike raising
Base for further flood defense structures such as tk glass wall system or demountable flood barriers

Lightweight steel sections

As well as hot-rolled sheet piling, cold-rolled piling sections are used for flood protection. They are cold-formed from flat material into sheet piling profiles and are mainly used for sealing purposes. They are a long-proven low-cost solution. In general they are used in the same way as hot-rolled sheet piling sections, taking their load-bearing properties into account. Production is cost-effective and service properties are ideal for many flood protection applications. The visible parts of the pile wall can be architecturally enhanced in various ways, including painting, brick facing, facing elements, greening, etc. Sheet piling in dikes is a prerequisite for mobile dike-top systems used to temporarily raise the height of dikes when there is a risk of flooding. It also forms an ideal base for raising the flood protection level of glass systems and protective walls.

Sheet pile wall modules

When existing dikes or flood defense systems are not high enough for extreme flood situations, steel sheet pile wall modules can be used as permanent or temporary flood defense solutions. They can be used cost-efficiently as dike raising elements and dike openings to protect residential and working areas in densely populated zones.

Applications of sheet pile wall modules:

Protection of residential and working areas
Densely populated zones
Dike raising elements
Dike openings

Advantages at a glance.

Absorb all static and dynamic forces generated by the flood
Stability of the dike is guaranteed even if most of the water-side section of the dike is already eroded
Prevents dike seepage and erosion
Different groundwater levels on either side of the dike can be offset by staggered driving or slitting of the sheet piles
Sheet pile walls are so flexible that they follow the movements of the ground without being damaged
Structures such as dike openings, sluices, pumping stations and locks can be integrated seamlessly using sheet piling solutions
Sheet piling can project above the top of the dike and thus raise the flood protection line of the existing dike