Today makes it the sixth day I’ve had to work from home due to service suspension and disruptions post-Hurricane Sandy. I’ve not gone outside since Sunday because there really isn’t a place for me to go, and it’s making me lose my mind. My local train station, which normally services five lines, has reduced down to just one train because all other tunnels are still flooded. Though highly uncommon, instances like these remind me how integral the New York public transit system is to our metropolitan lives. In an effort to prevent prolonged subway disruptions in the future, the Department of Homeland Security is testing giant inflatable plugs to help seal underground stations from flood water.
As part of the ”Resilient Tunnel Project,” the inflatable plugs would also be able to double as protection against terrorist gas attacks by blocking things from entering or escaping the tunnels while the plugs are in place. Not to mention how these blow-up balls are pretty simple in theory; they’re basically made to contour to the opening of the tunnel and act as temporary seals.
Naturally, the construction is a little more complex thanks to three layers of webbing and liquid-crystal polymer fiber for industrial strength guard. Each plug must also be custom-fitted to each tunnel openings rather than hope for a one-size-fits-all contour. In a real world use, the plugs could be inflated with either air or water, and can be done so in just three minutes.
“This is an experimental prototype. This is something that is probably two years away or so from real-world applications,” Department of Homeland Security project manager John Fortune tells CNN. Although the plugs would have prevented water from entering the majority of downtown subway stations, underwater tunnels running across the East River still would have flooded since those infrastructures are porous in nature, he said.
The prototypes for these inflatable plugs values at approximately $400,000 apiece, which, in retrospect, is worth the cheap fix investment. While the plugs may not be foolproof, it would be able to decrease damage by tenfolds. All things considered, if climate changes are to blame for freak hurricanes being the new normal, manufacturers should start on prepping these babies soon before the next disaster strikes … which we hope is at least more than two years away.
Here’s a demonstration of the inflatable flood plugs, courtesy of CNN.
Any time I am faced with a conundrum which on the surface seems unsolvable, my go-to solution is always: Giant Inflatable Balls.
Two years? man the government is slow.
Thank god dhs is doing something worthwhile as the largest government money pit in the history of the nation.
Hindsight is 20/20.
About time. This method has been used in other countries.
Why does this make me think of Woody Allen???
Thats going to take some serious balls to pull off … snicker :)
It would be impossible for me to address each comment here individually, so if you read this and see your idea mentioned somehow, you know I saw your comment. Some are great, but some are just plain stupid. Not worth wasting a comment on. That being said, one comment needs something said about it.
I can tell this person is a younger person because of this comment, ‘dislike!! that means school would still be open’. This is why we are having so much trouble with the youth of our country. They’re all being dumbed down by the public school system.
Okay, on the surface this does seem plausible. But given the circumstances under which the ‘Giant Balls’ would be deployed, it would be a very dangerous proposition for everybody above ground and extremely deadly for anybody caught below the surface, bad Idea.
You really need a place for the excess water to go and the subway is the perfect place for it. Just waterproof and have built in pumps that will pump the water at a high rate to help maintain the integrity of the tunnel.
And why ‘IS’ ‘HOMELAND SECURITY’ doing this job and not the city? It’s a part of ‘HOMELAND SECURITY’s’ plan for control of the citizens of NYC. Didn’t Mayor Bloomberg recently say that nobody would be allowed to donate food or anything to homeless shelters? If that is true, why, why did he say that? Why doesn’t he want you to help the homeless?
Sounds like a part of a plan for something. I’m not sure what, but something is brewing and I believe you all better brace yourselves. Something is on the horizon and you should be very wary of what the local gvmnt is doing.
If I didn’t mention your idea, it was not on purpose. I think every idea has some merit, but not all are viable, not practicle.
From an engineering perspective how many PSI can this thing hold back? What is the material made of? Can it create an air tight seal? What happens if the sides, lube with enough water? How long can it hold the water back? Can it be penetrated by a sharp object with brute force? What is the backup system in case this fails? Modern Marvel I think not…
One of the potential problems of this idea, and something we face when Portland flooded in 1996 is that if the ground water builds up, any large air spaces underground, such as a subway tunnel or basement of a large building have a tendency to want to float up out of the ground, causing havoc to the foundations that are built on top of them….
So why does the Federal Government pay for this instead of NY State?
It would be impossible for me to address each comment here individually, so if you read this and see your idea mentioned somehow, you know I saw your comment. Some are great, but some are just plain stupid. Not worth wasting a comment on. That being said, one comment needs something said about it.
I can tell this person is a younger person because of this comment, ‘dislike!! that means school would still be open’. This is why we are having so much trouble with the youth of our country. They’re all being dumbed down by the public school system.
Okay, on the surface this does seem plausible. But given the circumstances under which the ‘Giant Balls’ would be deployed, it would be a very dangerous proposition for everybody above ground and extremely deadly for anybody caught below the surface, bad Idea.
You really need a place for the excess water to go and the subway is the perfect place for it. Just waterproof and have built in pumps that will pump the water at a high rate to help maintain the integrity of the tunnel.
And why ‘IS’ ‘HOMELAND SECURITY’ doing this job and not the city? It’s a part of ‘HOMELAND SECURITY’s’ plan for control of the citizens of NYC. Didn’t Mayor Bloomberg recently say that nobody would be allowed to donate food or anything to homeless shelters? If that is true, why, why did he say that? Why doesn’t he want you to help the homeless?
Sounds like a part of a plan for something. I’m not sure what, but something is brewing and I believe you all better brace yourselves. Something is on the horizon and you should be very wary of what the local gvmnt is doing.
If I didn’t mention your idea, it was not on purpose. I think every idea has some merit, but not all are viable, not practicle.
dislike!! that means school would still be open
Cool! Looks like a scene from an Indiana Jnes film.
too little too late !!
Yoga balls to the max.
Cool outside the box thinking.
The subway is a relief point for excessive water above ground. If the install those balls all the water will stay above ground and anything under the second maybe even third story will be destroyed unless pumps are installed with them. But then again, where you gonna pump the water to, THE OCEAN? That’s where it will be coming from. Let it flood the tunnels, just work on waterproofing the underground electrical.
Good idea, but it doesn’t look like a stable solution.
new york’s butt plug
Wouldn’t this just send the water into the streets, possibly killing people? The water has to go somewhere. Sorry that you can’t go to work, but at least the people on the first or second floors of apartment complexes haven’t drowned.
Dawn Salvan is correct. You need at least 3 to secure against failure. But what the hell, the NYC subway systems have suppositories – let Climate Change run!
They may need them next week…
somebody has to put a giant ball in a tube and inflate it ! Good point Debbie !
Why the dept of Homeland? Why wouldn’t NY do whatever is necessary?
I’d be willing to bet that many at Homeland whom survived and dealing with the aftermath of this storm are wishing that the storm would have sweep away many of the unknown terrorist groups that they are watching out to sea.
Homeland is not interested in dealing with Natural Causes like FEMA.
Well….they couldn’t have thought about this before the storm? O.o
I was talking to Aunt Linda today when I was looking at the stats on how much water and how many pumps will be employed on one tunnel that is over 1 mile long. I thought why couldn’t they have seen this coming and provided freakin’ doors to block the water. This seems like a better and cheaper way to go, if it works. But it does go out to the cheapest bidder.
Those pumps are by far more expensive than a door would be. The pumps are there because a small amount of water can be removed without shutting down service. A door would take the foresight that the subways will be flooded and shut down before any rain.
Then there is the issue of what that door would actually hold back in a situation even half as bad as Sandy. Unlike cartoons, a door is going to leak under most circumstances. Perhaps if they used a hatch like in a submarine, but that would require removing the track as well as some very costly parts. I’m not even sure a strategy like that would be viable due to the very few times they would actually be used.
I cant see that working over the long haul,, Hydraulic Pressure is HARD to Contain!!! Even in a small pipe system that can stand outward pressure.
I cant see that working over the long haul,, Hydraulic Pressure is HARD to Contain!!! Even in a small pipe system that can stand outward pressure.
Storms like this will be more and more common, and describing them with euphemisms isn’t helping anyone.
brilliant idea
the tech works ..we use it in Hazmat mitigation issues
Rice in such bags would work well. Heavy, swells up, packs tight. Won’t float.
How effective are those things against any possible debris that could puncture the ball and deflate it?
You mean “WHEN” another “large storm” happens?
and, there will be a next one ! and another one after that also !
If only this had been implemented before the subway system was crippled from this hurricane..
Where were these last week?
Good point ! But wouldn’t it be better if we asked the Mayor that question ?
Shame you can’t erase STUPIDITY .
Yeah, Great idea but the timing was wrong !
JHC, People, you come up with these ideas after the fact ! After some many lives and millions of property damage and you DARE to show what some idiot had dreamed up ? STUPID !
wonder if a person could get trapped down there because this
I would hope that before installing the second cap, that emergency workers or whoever is installing these would do a sweep of the tunnels via kart of something.
Then again, how many people actually spend time in those tunnels as subway cars go whizzing by at high speeds in a confined area that may not leave enough room for people to gather.
Besides, if they work properly, there would be at least days worth of air in those tunnels. The issue would come more from if they don’t work, and people are trapped in there with rising water, and in a desperate attempt to escape came to a tunnel plugged by one of these.
Interesting concept dependent on puncture and sliding resistance due to weight and force of liquid and/or debris. Also could be applicable in other situations too.
No one is in disagreement but it took a major storm that caused untold millions in damage and with lives lost to what, Justify this ?
And collapses, that can act as a potential air bag if a sensor activates it at a certain degree of shake.
Excellent thinking!
I don’t think so !
IMHO, I believe that whoever came up with this idea is now saying ” We, should have implemented sooner then wait for this storm ! ”
This reminds me so much of that old saying , “We will never learn for our past mistakes”, we continue to subject citizens to such tragic events to justify the means to protect them. Bet millions of New Yorkers are asking, WHY INVENT THIS NOW ?
Why do you bet millions of New Yorkers are asking, “WHY INVENT THIS NOW?”
It sounds like a good idea that could minimize or even prevent future damage. Yes, it is too bad that we didin’t have the foresight to come up with a viable protection plan before this storm. It’s too bad we didn’t invent antibiotics till after the bubonic plague killed off about half the European population.
History is filled with brilliant inventions that we never knew we needed till after we needed them. No one invents a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist yet.
Well, am willing to bet that there are millions of New Yorkers who feel otherwise !
Right now, I bet all they have on their minds is the PRESENT, not the so-called future !
Yes but FEMA and State emergency Managements know of workable ides that exist and do nothing for prevention by being proactive too prevent. Insurance companies love politics. They don’t want to spend the funds for prevention until needed. What company is going to store or inventory 1,000,000 dollars until they need them.
New Yorkers will have giant inflatable balls. How appropriate.