Floods can be some of the most devastating natural disasters that ever happened in this whole wide world, killing hundreds of thousands each year. Fortunately, engineers in Austria, however, have solved this problem by erecting walls capable of holding back millions of gallons of water that are completely removable. Such great architecture. It is indeed quite a feat of engineering to see a relatively thin steel wall hold back 15 feet of water which could spell impending doom for the houses around. Amazing idea that could be used as an example in other countries as well.
When Grein, a city in Austria was getting deluged from the Danube river in the year of 2013, the city officials and officials of other territories were in danger of being hit by overflowing river water. They sought technology to ensure the safety of citizens. The walls mentioned before are actually known as the ‘Mobile Flood Walls’ that were installed.
It seems impossible, but some ingenious engineering allowed the thin wall to hold back the pressure from the water. In what is essentially a vertical cantilever design, each post was placed in a large concrete and aluminum footing extending 5 meters into the soil foundation. As the immense water weight creates pressure along the wall, the force is carried through the aluminum posts into the much stronger foundation. These portable walls are indeed a part of the greater Marchland Dam superstructure which extends up until 70 kilometers along the coast and also floodplain.
Creative engineering is often the product of a designer’s or even an architect’s far-fetched idea. As the world demands not to have their view blocked by ugly walls, the stress falls upon the engineer to make those people safe while not making them upset. Some of the most incredible feats of engineering are created when engineers think outside of the box and push limits of what was previously thought possible. That is how great they were on the job.
Sources: YouTube IBS Technics GmbH.