definition

Dry floodproofing is a method of flood preparation that involves building designs and material choices that do not allow for the entry of floodwaters into the structure. This resilience measure should be designed to account for the height of building flood elevations, buoyancy and hydrostatic pressures of flood waters, and wave action. Dry floodproofing differs from wet floodproofing in that wet floodproofing measures allow the entry of water (see figure at right for further comparison). Dry floodproofing measures are: sealing building walls, permanently seal openings, flood shields for openings, interior drainage.
(DDC Building Resilience Database, Dry floodprofing, accessed on Sept. 2016)

Co-benefits and impacts

The main benefits of dry-floodproofing are to limit water volume indoor and to increase effectiveness of measures such as the raising of furniture and equipment, to keep dirty water with debris outdoor and to facilitate cleaning after flooding and to reduce water infiltration in construction elements and then to limit drying period and health consequences.

conditions

Dry-proofing is mainly applicable for slow rising floods and a maximum water height of less than 1 meter. It is appropriate for masonry buildings that are slabs-on-grade and those buildings that do not have basements. Wood frames can only use this technique if veneered in brick, masonry, or stone. Above 3 feet, an engineer should do structural calculations. New buildings in the flood plain must utilize other flood mitigation techniques, but older buildings may use dry floodproofing to bring themselves in line with newer regulations. An important thing to consider is that many dry floodproofing techniques need to be manually put into place prior to a flood by an able-bodied person.
(DDC Building Resilience Database, Dry floodprofing, accessed on Sept. 2016)

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Last modified: Sept. 20, 2016, 7:03 a.m.