With a future where storm surges and floods are becoming more frequent and current dike systems are not up to date, there is a need for innovation and development of new solutions for coastal and urban protection. In a knowledge bridge project, the company HiddenDyke has tested their solution.
HiddenDyke tested it in collaboration with 6th Sense Solution, Hededanmark, Nordiq Group, ViaCon and DTU Construct. The solution can be quickly installed and deployed in existing anchor points in urban and harbor areas. Which makes it easier and cheaper to protect coasts and cities. The solution has received proof of concept through the project and will now be tested on a large scale.
Effective dikes without ruined views
The EU estimates the damage caused by flooding due to climate change at 25 bEUR/year by 2050. In many situations, HiddenDyke is a good and attractive alternative to existing permanent dyke solutions at home and abroad. Together with the partner group, HiddenDyke has developed and designed an inflatable dike. Which can be hidden underground when there is no risk of flooding.
HiddenDyke is made of an LDPE membrane and when storm surges or heavy rainfall are reported, water is pumped into the system to form a barrier. The system uses half as much water as mobile watertubes.
“Compared to permanent dyke solutions, HiddenDyke is far cheaper to install and doesn’t require as much space as it is hidden” – HiddenDyke
The solution can address the challenges of coastal cities and climate change. It does it by quickly and efficiently creating a dike using existing anchor points without obstructing the view. The HiddenDyke solution takes the best from permanent physical barriers and mobile dams.
A fruitful collaboration on an attractive climate adaptation solution
In the project, experts from DTU BYG have advised and analyzed the materials of the dam system. Together with the partner group, they shared experience and knowledge to ensure a proof of concept. Something that the director of HiddenDyke is happy about:
“The collaboration has been extremely fruitful and given us more opportunities for our product than before”
With a proof of concept in hand and a process that has given HiddenDyke more opportunities, the company is one step closer to a finished system concept based on business collaboration that can create export opportunities.
The Knowledge Bridge project ran from September 2021 to December 2022 and was granted DKK 391,250 by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. The partners in the project were: HiddenDyke, 6th Sense Solution, Hededanmark, Nordiq Group, ViaCon and DTU BYG.
