'Measures for Semi-basement Residents' Seoul Institute of Technology Develops '8 Types of Flood Damage Minimization'

Increasing Damage in Seoul Area Due to Record Heavy Rain...Technical Solutions by Cause and Site
Measures for Residents Until Semi-basement Households Disappear, and Plans for Flood-Vulnerable Households

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Institute of Technology announced on the 21st that it has prepared eight flood damage minimization technology measures to strengthen the functions of the existing flood control system in Seoul.

The flood damage minimization solutions proposed by the Seoul Institute of Technology include, by cause of flood damage, ▲waterproofing measures for residents until the disappearance of semi-basement households ▲analysis of reasons for non-operation of the support system for flood-vulnerable households and countermeasures ▲benchmarking technology for the low flood damage of underground urban expressways ▲improvement plans for providing compatible traffic information for railroads and buses during disaster situations such as heavy rain ▲technology to reduce vehicle overturning and accidents by implementing roads without water puddles ▲countermeasures for electric shock accidents at construction sites ▲clarification of confusing terms related to flood damage ▲technology to prevent accidents caused by manhole covers opening due to sewage backflow, totaling eight sets.

As measures for flood-vulnerable households, they proposed installing IoT smart flood detection sensors for flood-vulnerable households, installing flood prevention facilities in existing buildings in flood-prone areas, and security windows that allow easy escape from inside during emergencies when evacuation through the entrance is impossible.

For preventing habitual flooding through variable flood barriers and infrastructure improvements along Gangbyeonbuk-ro, they suggested installing variable flood barriers in areas prone to habitual flooding along the Han River and some low-lying sections, installing overflow prevention retaining walls higher than the flood level margin of the Han River, and plans for cut-and-cover retaining walls or underground road installations.

Additionally, due to recent media reports on flood damage in Seoul mixing terms such as 범람 (flooding) and 침수 (inundation) inaccurately relative to actual damage situations, they proposed clarifying confusing flood damage terminology by recommending the use of ‘00 mm rainfall per hour’ rather than ‘00-year frequency rainfall’ to reduce confusion in terminology.

Recently, abnormal weather phenomena caused by climate change have led to frequent localized heavy rains, and this record-breaking heavy rain has reaffirmed the need to prepare technical measures for Seoul’s flood and water management system. Therefore, it is a critical time to shift to a preventive system through data analysis, systematic prediction systems, and cause-specific strategy establishment.

Im Seong-eun, Director of the Seoul Institute of Technology, said, “We will ensure that the technical solutions prepared by the Seoul Institute of Technology contribute to minimizing damage to Seoul citizens,” and added, “We will continue to prepare detailed technical solutions by flood damage cause and site to make Seoul safe from flood and water disasters.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.