VdS carried out the certification process in collaboration with the test laboratory of the Institute of Hydraulic Engineering at the TU Hamburg. Test engineers tested various module variants of the mobile dike under practical conditions, as VdS itself announced.

Tests under realistic conditions

The tests included several stress scenarios. The resistance to waves, currents and flotsam as well as the water permeability of the system were tested. The mobile dike principle is based on a covered double-chamber hose system that is filled with water and does not require additional material transport or heavy equipment.

The Institute for Hydraulic Engineering at the TU Hamburg will in future function as a branch of the VdS certification laboratory. This means that VdS also wants to be able to test other flood protection elements under conditions that are as realistic as possible.

New standard for municipal flood protection

Sebastian Brose, Head of Security & Geo at VdS, describes the certification as groundbreaking for municipal flood protection. In view of increasing extreme weather events, cities and municipalities must be able to rely on products that have objectively proven their effectiveness, according to Brose, according to the statement.

The VdS 3855 guidelines for flood protection systems for property protection are available free of charge on the VdS Shop website. VdS justifies the need for such standards with increasing flood risks as a result of the climate crisis.