How to use WaterGelSacks

How to use the bags

Identify properly

1-

Each structure to be protected

( doors, windows, garages, etc.)

Caution: Guidelines appearing on this page are for informaiton purposes only. They offer no guarantee of actual needs but do represent a reasonable approximation in straightforward, simulated situations.

Physical area to be protected

Sector at risk

(Drains, sewers, river, forest fire, cresting floodwaters, spills etc.)

area, land or building to be protected

2-

For each structure or area, mesure the following two physical variables

L : Exact length or distance requiring protection from water

H : Safe height to protect adequately against expected water levels

Note 1: Base yourself on past events, available municipal data or a simple, logical assessment of the situation at hand to determine H. We recommand that you add a minimum of 20 cm or 8 inches to the expected water level figure. In circumstances in wich the water level is less than 10 cm or 4 inches, we recommended that you set a safe height of H = 20 cm or 8 inches.

Choose one or more simple building techniques

Deploying and stacking

3-

Deploying and stacking Hydrogels bags

sample applications

A- End-to-end

Water flow

B- Side-to-side

Water flow

Note 2: When positioning expanded bags against one another, push together until the edges expand to a height equivalent to about the thickness of the bags

Note 3: The end-to-end technique covers a greater distance and requires fewer bags but offers less resistance than the side-to-side technique.

Note 4: The nature of the soil (steep incline, slippery surface, presence of debris or vegetation, etc.) and water flow are all factors to be carefully considered. These factors will dictate the type of physical barrier to be erected using WaterGelSacks and the number of bags required. In more complex situations, call upon a qualified professional for assistance.

When height is the primary factor

Height construction

A- Simple barrier

A simple wall

A simple wall with physical support

(Structure to be protected: window, door, etc.)

Condition - H < or = 30 cm ou 12 in

Easy triple row technique

For all simpler situations in wich neither the pressure on the bags nor the water level is very hight. When stacked 4 high, barrier stability can prove problematic.

Note 5: The thickness of each expanded bag is set at 10 cm or 4 inches. See the explanation which appears later in this webpage. In actual fact, the bags can expand to up to 14 cm or 5 inches based on water and weather conditions as well as compliance with the optimal expansion technique.

B- Pyramid-style barrier

Pyramid-style barrier

(Slope set at about 30 degrees)

Pyramid-style barrier with physical support

(Structure to be protected : window, door, etc.)

Condition - H > or = 20 cm or 8 po

In this instance, a minimum of 2 rows high is necessary

This building technique is valid in all situations and can be adapted to enhance the resistance of the barrier to water pressure, bearing in mind the safe water height.

Note 6 : We recommended that you erect a barrier three (3) times as thick as the safe water heigth (H). This represents a compromise between barrier resistance and the number of bags required. This technique generates a barrier with an incline of about 30 degrees. This incline allows for the distribution of water pressure over a greater surface area, thereby enhancing barrier resistance.

Piling expanded bags

Piling expanded bags on top of one another

A) Proceed using the same bag deployment technique (end-to-end or side-to-side) for each successive layer.

B) When positioning bags on top of on another, avoid aligning joints to the extent possible. Build your barrier as a bricklayer would build a wall.

Piling diagrams

Uniform end-to-end

(A-A-A)

Appropriate for erecting a simple barrier

Alterning layers

(A-B-A)

Appropriate for erecting a pyramid-style barrier

Uniform side-to-side

(B-B-B)

Appropriate for erecting a simple, more resistant barrier

Alterning layers

(B-A-B)

Appropriate for erecting a more resistant pyramid-style barrier

Estimate bag needs for each structure or area to be protected

Caculate the number of bags

4-

When measuring L and H in metres

Dimensions and average volume of an inflated standard bag: 0,1 m x 0,35 m x 0,55 m = 0,02 cm/bag

Wathever the length (L) to be protected: allow 3 bags per metre (3 bags/m)

Wathever the height (H) to be protected: allow 1 bag per 0,1 metre (10 bags/m)

Sample applications

Building techniques

Formulae to bear in mind!

Simple barrier

Number of hydrogels bags = N x 3 L

N: number of rows required

N = 1 if H < or = 10 cm ou 0.1 m

N = 2 if H < or = 20 cm ou 0.2 m

N = 3 if H < or = 30 cm ou 0.3 m

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-style barrier

Number of hydrogels bags= (pyramid volume + security volume) / inflated bag volume

= 1/2 H (3H + 0,55)(L + 0,55)/ 0,02

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Number of hydrogels bags

= 1/4 H (3H + 0,55)(L + 0,55)/ 0,02

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-Style barrier with physical support

When measuring L and H in feet

Dimensions and average volume of an inflated standard bag: 1/3' x 1' x 2' = 0,67 cf/bag

Whatever the length (L) to be protected: allow 1 bags per foot (1 bags/foot)

Whatever the height (H) to be protected: allow 3 bags per foot (3 bags/foot)

Measuring in feet

Sample applications

Building techniques

Formulae to bear in mind!

Simple barrier

Number of Hydrogels bags required

N = 1 if H < or = 4 inches or 1/3 of a foot

N = 2 if H < or = 8 inches or 2/3 of a foot

N = 3 if H < or = 12 inches or 1 foot

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-style barrier

Number of hdyrogels bags= (pyramid volume + security volume) / inflated bag volume

= 1/2 H (3H + 2)(L + 2)/ 0,67

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Number of hydrogels bags

= 1/4 H (3H + 2)(L + 2)/ 0,67

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-style barrier with physical support

To better comprehend formula choices:

Formulae are based on minimized standard bag values once expanded (35 cm ou 14 inches is considered to be the width of a bag which is 10 cm or 4 inches thick).

The formulae make allowance for two additional bags to ensure a safe extension of the distance you seek to protect. We recommend that you extend your barrier at each end of the desired L figure by a minimum of 15 cm or 6 inches. However, there is no need to do so when measuring L for the purposes of the various formulae.

The formulae voluntarily overestimate, without exaggerating, the number of bags required. No one wants to run out of bags in an emergency! The company's intention is not to sell greater numbers of bags. Rather our assessments are intended to provide safe, precautionary user inventory levels.

How to use the bags

Identify properly

1-

Each structure to be protected

( doors, windows, garages, etc.)

Physical area to be protected

Sector at risk

(Drains, sewers, river, forest fire, cresting floodwaters, spills etc.)

area, land or building to be protected

2-

For each structure or area, mesure the following two physical variables

L : Exact length or distance requiring protection from water

H : Safe height to protect adequately against expected water levels

Choose one or more simple building techniques

3-

Deploying and stacking Hydrogels bags

A- End-to-end

Water flow

B- Side-to-side

Water flow

Note 2: When positioning expanded bags against one another, push together until the edges expand to a height equivalent to about the thickness of the bags

Note 3: The end-to-end technique covers a greater distance and requires fewer bags but offers less resistance than the side-to-side technique.

When height is the primary factor

Condition - H < or = 30 cm ou 12 in

Easy triple row technique

For all simpler situations in wich neither the pressure on the bags nor the water level is very hight. When stacked 4 high, barrier stability can prove problematic.

Note 5: The thickness of each expanded bag is set at 10 cm or 4 inches. See the explanation which appears later in this webpage. In actual fact, the bags can expand to up to 14 cm or 5 inches based on water and weather conditions as well as compliance with the optimal expansion technique.

Condition - H > or = 20 cm or 8 po

In this instance, a minimum of 2 rows high is necessary

This building technique is valid in all situations and can be adapted to enhance the resistance of the barrier to water pressure, bearing in mind the safe water height.

Piling expanded bags on top of one another

B) When positioning bags on top of on another, avoid aligning joints to the extent possible. Build your barrier as a bricklayer would build a wall.

Estimate bag needs for each structure or area to be protected

4-

When measuring L and H in metres

Dimensions and average volume of an inflated standard bag: 0,1 m x 0,35 m x 0,55 m = 0,02 cm/bag

Wathever the length (L) to be protected: allow 3 bags per metre (3 bags/m)

Wathever the height (H) to be protected: allow 1 bag per 0,1 metre (10 bags/m)

Building techniques

Formulae to bear in mind!

Simple barrier

Number of hydrogels bags = N x 3 L

N: number of rows required

N = 1 if H < or = 10 cm ou 0.1 m

N = 2 if H < or = 20 cm ou 0.2 m

N = 3 if H < or = 30 cm ou 0.3 m

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-style barrier

Number of hydrogels bags= (pyramid volume + security volume) / inflated bag volume

= 1/2 H (3H + 0,55)(L + 0,55)/ 0,02

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Number of hydrogels bags

= 1/4 H (3H + 0,55)(L + 0,55)/ 0,02

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-Style barrier with physical support

When measuring L and H in feet

Dimensions and average volume of an inflated standard bag: 1/3' x 1' x 2' = 0,67 cf/bag

Whatever the length (L) to be protected: allow 1 bags per foot (1 bags/foot)

Whatever the height (H) to be protected: allow 3 bags per foot (3 bags/foot)

Building techniques

Formulae to bear in mind!

Simple barrier

Number of Hydrogels bags required

N = 1 if H < or = 4 inches or 1/3 of a foot

N = 2 if H < or = 8 inches or 2/3 of a foot

N = 3 if H < or = 12 inches or 1 foot

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-style barrier

Number of hdyrogels bags= (pyramid volume + security volume) / inflated bag volume

= 1/2 H (3H + 2)(L + 2)/ 0,67

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Number of hydrogels bags

= 1/4 H (3H + 2)(L + 2)/ 0,67

Note: Round up number of bags to nearest ten

Pyramid-style barrier with physical support

To better comprehend formula choices:

Formulae are based on minimized standard bag values once expanded (35 cm ou 14 inches is considered to be the width of a bag which is 10 cm or 4 inches thick).

The formulae voluntarily overestimate, without exaggerating, the number of bags required. No one wants to run out of bags in an emergency! The company's intention is not to sell greater numbers of bags. Rather our assessments are intended to provide safe, precautionary user inventory levels.

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