Patent ID: 6126362
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: E02B

Abstract:
A liquid-retaining protective bank having:a. a barrier member for damming a liquid, said barrier member being adapted to abut a substrate surface in an inherently natural liquid leaking contact with said substrate surface, said barrier member constructed of a geomembrane material having a thickness; andb. a first long side edge turned toward a flood side of said protective bank, and an opposed second long side edge turned toward a dry side of said protective bank, two end edges, and a top side edge and an opposed bottom side edge, with the bottom side edge abutting said substrate surface; andc. a flood side skirt member having a first long side edge and an opposed second long side skirt distal edge abutting said substrate surface, and a top side edge and a bottom side edge, said skirt member is of the same material, and material thickness, of which said barrier members are formed, said skirt member partially suspended above said surface and partially resting on said surface, said first long side edge fastened axially to, and for substantially the full length of the flood side of the barrier member, and above the substrate surface, said skirt member extending down and away toward the flood side direction from said first long side fastening edge to said skirt distal edge; andd. a skirt sealing means applied axially to, and for substantially the full length of said flood side skirt member skirt distal edge,the improvement comprising sealing means on said skirt distal edge, said sealing means being adapted to form an impermeable seal to prevent flood liquid from leaking under the skirt and barrier, and utilizing the natural leakage inherent in this type of protective bank barrier member as draining means, and for keeping the area on the bottom side of the skirt and barrier, extending from said distal skirt edge of substantially at or about atmospheric pressure to thereby obtain a maximum pressure differential in relation to the hydrostatic pressure of the dammed liquid, said hydrostatic pressure being adapted to keep said protective bank secured to said substrate surface.