Development of a Standard Testing Framework for Evaluating Temporary Flood Barriers

Abstract

Floods are the costliest and deadliest weather-related disaster globally. With higher population density in flood prone areas, increased urban development, and projected climate impacts, the frequency and severity of flooding in Europe is predicted to rise. While permanent flood defences have been shown to be more economically effective and reliable in the long-term than temporary flood barriers, they are expensive upfront, socially and politically complex, and time-consuming to build (Lendering et al., 2015). To adapt to climate change and mitigate flooding in the short term, it will be necessary to identify and test temporary flood barriers which can be quickly deployed during a flood event to mitigate risk. Moreover, in some areas, where permanent structures may be phsyically (or socially) infeasible, temporary (or semi-permanent) flood barriers may become a permanent strategy for mitigating floods.