Extraordinary application of DYWIDAG Form Ties

Flood protection walls, Prague, Czech Republic

A 100 year flood hit Prague in the middle of August 2002. The Moldavia river carried up to 6,000 m³ water per second, the highest value ever measured in the history of the city.

To protect the population when the high-water alarm was triggered, complete districts were evacuated, cars were towed away and large ships firmly anchored in the river Moldavia as floating restaurants, were further secured with ropes to armored vehicles in order not to be carried off by the floods.

Mobile protective walls running parallel to the Moldavia river's banks were erected as quickly as possible to the height of the Karls Bridge. Using the sandwich construction method (aluminium and rubber) these aluminium protective walls were connected with DYWIDAG Form Ties, sealed off and secured with anchor nuts.

DSI's licensee in the Czech Republic, SM 7 A.S. Prague, delivered the 15 F anchor bars galvanized to the manufacturer of the aluminium protective walls. In the critical night from 13 to 14 August 2002 the water gauge reached a level which was only 10 cm below the upper edge of the protective wall. As a result of this extraordinary application DYWIDAG Form Ties contributed to the preservation of Prague's historical old town ring.