What does the U.S Army Corps of Engineers flood barrier testing entail?
The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has developed a specific protocol to test various products designed to offer better alternatives than traditional sandbags. Laboratory testing was conducted in a controlled setting but under conditions that emulate real world flood fighting. Stringent construction, testing, and removal protocols were developed for the laboratory. The protocol included both performance parameters (hydrostatic testing, hydrodynamic testing with waves and overtopping, and structural debris impact testing) and laboratory setting operational parameters (time, manpower, and equipment to construct and disassemble, suitability for construction and disassembly by unskilled labor, fill requirements, ability to construct around corners, disposal of fill material, damage, repair, and reusability).
