Rapidam Handling System
Rapidam is a membrane system manufactured from PVC-coated linen. It is designed to enable storage in a rolled up position and that a 10m section can be easily handled by just one person. Rolled up and stored on its end, a 10m section would cover less than 0.5m x 0.5m of floor space, therefore 1000m of Rapidam barrier can be stored in a small storage unit or on a trailer. The Rapidam can use a variety of different quick-joining mechanisms including zips or stanchions as part of a mobile emergency system or permanent pillars on pre-defined flood risk sites. Substantial lengths of barrier can now be deposited at the appropriate intervals ready for deployment, in the most time-efficient manner.
What is essentially a single-component system Rapidam offers fast, straightforward deployment compared with solid barriers which may consist of 12 individual components which then need to be assembled together in a specific order. With Rapidam reliable deployment can be achieved in a fraction of the time or with many fewer operatives. The first process in deployment is to roll the section of barrier along the intended line of defence with the handling system. Standard barrier length is 10m however if tele-handler operation is preferred then lengths in excess of 150m are possible. In the case of the latter one end would be fixed in position and the barrier unrolled as the vehicle is driven along the line of defence. This means that the rolling out of the barrier can be done in just a few minutes and decreases the time required for joining sections.
The second process is to join the sections together. This can be done by joining the 5-tooth rubber zips and then the French lacing, or by utilising our stanchion method. A cartridge type system can be used to handle several kilometres of flood barrier.
The third process is to weigh the leading edge to the ground or to fix it to the ground using ground anchors/bolts. This process ensures that the flow of water will be over the groundsheet hence providing the stability to the system.
Finally the barrier is unfolded by lifting the apex and pulling the fibre glass rods into position. It is possible to leave the Rapidam barrier 95% deployed and left in a laid-flat position. This then requires just the final process of lifting the barrier to provide complete closure.
150 metres held on the Rapidam handling system – time to deploy approximate 1 hour with 4 operatives