National Flood Barrier Testing and Certification...

National Flood Barrier Testing and

Certification Program

Alan Lulloff, ASFPM

Randall Behm, USACE – NFPC

Brian MacDonald, FM Approvals

Presentation Outline Association of State Floodplain Managers

The National Flood Barrier Testing & Certification Program

Who is FM Approvals

Testing & Certification Program Requirements

Component & Material Testing

Auditing

Performance (Water) Testing

Value of Testing & Certification

National Program Tested & Certified Products

Association of State Floodplain Managers

National professional organization formed in 1982 with

the mission to reduce flood losses and protect natural

functions of floodplains

15,000 members / 35 Chapters (41 states)

14 policy committees including Nonstructural

Floodproofing

Established Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM®)

program in 1999

Conducts an annual national flood conference and

specialty floodproofing & flood mitigation workshops

History USACE co-sponsors ASFPM 2nd National Floodproofing Conference (2002)

Significant interest in flood barrier testing programs

Ensure quality products were developed

Differentiate between products that work and those that don’t

NFPC (Larry Buss [USACE Lead], Gene Barr, and Joe Remondini) develop water

testing standards based on BSI Kitemark (2004)

USACE funds testing of several flood fighting products (2004)

FM Approvals creates Standard 2510 (2006)

ASFPM, USACE begin to partner with FM Approvals to develop a national

program for testing and certifying flood barriers (2010)

National Flood Barrier Testing & Certification Program launches in 2012

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program• ASFPM, USACE, and FM Approvals Partnership

• Dual Recognition

• National Program Recognition

• FM Approval

• Requirements

• Water Based Testing

• Component / Material Testing

• Initial and Surveillance Audits

• FM Approval Issued

• Levels

• Silver – At least 1 ft. Hydrostatic Water Depth

• Gold – At least 2 ft. Hydrostatic Water Depth

• Platinum – At least 3 ft. Hydrostatic Water Depth

• ASFPM – Program Coordinator

• Water Based Testing

• Perimeter barriers

• USACE – ERDC

• Opening Barriers

• Manufacturer’s Facility

• USACE – ERDC

• Alternate Test Laboratory

• All Testing Must be Witnessed by FM Approvals

• Material and Component Testing

• FM Approvals

• Manufacturing Facility and Annual Surveillance Auditing

• FM Approvals

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program

Who is FM Approvals?

Business Unit of FM Global

FM Global Founded in 1835

One of the World’s Largest Business Property

Insurers

100,000+ Insured Locations in 130 Countries

Worldwide

5,000+ employees including ~ 1,800 Loss Prevention

Engineers

Who is FM Approvals?

FM Global Philosophy

Losses are Preventable

1,800 Loss Prevention Engineers Perform Site

Inspections

Identify loss exposures (fire, wind, flood) &

recommend solutions

FM Approved loss preventing products

FM Global Advice Data Sheet 1-40 - Flood

Don’t Build in a Flood Zone

Secure Infrastructure

Elevate

– Building

– Electrical Power Equipment

– Communications / Data Equipment

– Process Equipment

– Storage

Flood Emergency Response Plan (FERP)

– Have a Documented Plan

– Periodic Training with the Plan

Utilize FM Approved Flood Mitigation Products

Who is FM Approvals?

Founded in 1886

Testing and Certifying Only Products that

Support Property Loss Prevention

Headquartered in USA

10 Offices Outside of North America

More than 200 Product Testing Standards

Standards Available Free On Line

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program Requirements

Mirrors FM Approvals Standard 2510

FM Approval Standard 2510 Has Been Adopted

as the American National Standard by the

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program Requirements

Covers:

Temporary Perimeter Barriers

Opening Barriers

Includes:

Component Testing

Performance (Water) Testing

Manufacturing Facility Auditing

Component and Material Testing

National Program Tests Hydrostatic Strength

System Leakage

Component Durability –

Cycling

Vibration Resistance

Impact and Wear Resistance

Salt Spray Corrosion –

Residue Build-Up

Tensile Strength

Ultimate Elongation

Tensile Set

Compression Set

Accelerated Aging

Ultraviolet Light Exposure

Air Oven Aging

Biological Degradation

Resistance

Environmental Corrosion

Resistance

Extreme Temperature

Operation

Reliability Study

Abrasion Resistance

Hail Resistance

Tear and Puncture Resistance

Performance (Water Tests)

Manufacturing Facility Auditing

Initial Manufacturing Facility and Procedures

Audit

Proper Quality Procedures

Reproducibility

Annual Manufacturing Facility Surveillance

Audits

Critical Documents

No Changes Without Review & Approval

Donald L. Ward, PhD

Research Hydraulic Engineer

Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory

CEERD-HN-HS

Photo courtesy of AquaFence

Perimeter Barrier Water Testing

Water Testing Based On:

– USACE ERDC Standardized

Testing Protocol For Evaluation Of

Expedient Flood Fight Structures

Hydrostatic Tests

– Static Water

– Various Water Depths

Wave Induced Hydrodynamic Tests

– Dynamic Wave

• Small: 2 – 3 inch

• Medium: 6 – 8 inch

• Large: 10 – 12 inch

Perimeter Barrier Water Testing

Performance (Water) Testing

• Overtopping (1 hour)

> 1 inch Overtopping

• Impact

12 inch Diameter Log

• 610 lb

• 7 ft/s

17 inch Diameter Log

• 790 lb

• 7 ft/s

• Current (1 hour)

Maximum Rated Height + 1 inch

• 7 ft/s

Photo courtesy of AquaFence

Static Water Testing

Photo courtesy of US Flood Control

1- foot Wave Testing

Photo courtesy of AquaFence

Video courtesy of AquaFence

12 Inch Wave Testing

Overtopping Test

Photo courtesy of AquaFence

Video courtesy of AquaFence

Debris Impact Testing

Opening Barrier

Hydrostatic Load Test

Photo courtesy of Presray Corp.

Opening Barrier

Dynamic Impact Load Test

Photo courtesy of PS Doors

Photo courtesy of Presray Corp.

Dynamic Impact Load Testing

Without testing it’s difficult to determine if a product will work properly

One of these barriers had a leakage rate of 7.5 gal/hr National Program Criteria: 0.08 gal/hr/ft = 1.5 gal/hr acceptable leakage for this barrier

Value of Testing & Certification

Component and Material Testing is Critical

Value of Testing & Certification

PASS

PASS

FAIL

Value of Testing & Certification

Installation Issues:

• If a barrier isn’t installed properly it’s not going

to do what it’s designed to do

Value of Testing & Certification

Value of Testing & Certification

Value of Testing & Certification

Gap between gate and floor

Value of Testing & Certification

Value of Testing & Certification

More than testing:

• Manufacturers are required to:

• Develop a Design, Installation, Operation and

Maintenance Manual

• Repair/Replace Guidance for Components

• Conduct a Post Installation System Acceptance

Check

Value of Testing & Certification

• Completed checklists for

installed barriers must be kept

on file at manufacturer’s facility

• Verified by FM Approvals during

periodic audits

• Bulletin issued to all FM

Approvals auditors reinforcing

this requirement

Challenge

– High Demand for Reliable Flood Mitigation Solutions

Opportunity

– Manufacturers Have the Means to Obtain Third-Party Certification with the National Flood Barrier Testing & Certification Program

Benefit

– Product Differentiation by Proving It Meets the National Program’s Rigorous Protocol

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program

Program Details and

Additional Information:

www.nationalfloodbarrier.org

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program

www.nationalfloodbarrier.org

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program

www.nationalfloodbarrier.org

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program

AquaFence FM Approved

Temporary Perimeter Barrier

National Program Tested & Certified Products

US Flood Control FM Approved

Temporary Perimeter Barrier

National Program Tested & Certified Products

www.nationalfloodbarrier.org

National Flood Barrier Testing &

Certification Program

Presray CorporationSix FM Approved Opening Barriers

FB11/FB22

Aluminum Lift-Out Panel

FB44

Side-Hinged Aluminum Panel

Door Dam

Flood PanelFB33

Flood Panel

National Program Tested & Certified Products

Presray CorporationSix Approved Opening Barriers

FastLogs

(Standard Duty)

FastLogs

(Heavy Duty)

National Program Tested & Certified Products

PS Doors Inc.Three FM Approved Opening Barriers

PD-520

Single or Double

Pedestrian Door

FP-530A Flood Plank

National Program Tested & Certified Products

Quotes

“Gaining the certification of the US Army Corps of

Engineers, ASFPM and FM APPROVALS has

provided a great boost of public confidence in

our product and allowed the end user to take a

lot of the guess work out of their decision

making…”

Helge Kroegenes – AquaFence Inc.

Quotes

“I feel that the test with all the different bodies

that came together was so important because

it’s an opportunity now for commercial building

owners and property owners to now purchase

products that have been tested and certified by

a FM Approvals Group, governed by the ASFPM

and overseen by the Army Corp. of Engineers...”

Paul Vickers – U.S. Flood Control Corp.

Quotes

“We are proud of the fact that our product was

able to achieve Platinum Level in the ASFPM

testing.”

Paul Vickers – U.S. Flood Control Corp.

Quotes

“Taking the extra step of becoming certified by

FM Approvals and ASFPM provides a stamp of

quality on our products that says to our

customers and prospective customers that

we’re the real deal…”

Kevin Harris – Presray Corporation

Quotes

“Our products achieved Platinum certification,

which gives our customers an extra measure of

confidence.”

Cory Melland – PS Doors

Thank You