Future flood: sofas, walls and stairs – New Technology

Gothenburg is severely affected by floods. But the walls, sofas and stairs are possible solutions to keep Göteborg dry ground in the future, according to the consulting firm Ramboll.

Gothenburg city center is low-lying and is therefore in trouble when sea levels are expected to rise in the future. To protect the city against floods considering the municipality to build two large gates at the ocean inlet.

But the construction of ports will be expensive and will not to be implemented until many years. Until then assesses the municipality to the need for some form of protection along the edges of the Gota River in central Gothenburg. City Planning has therefore Ramboll commissioned to look at some possible policy solutions.

The consultants reported several options to cope with a sea level rise of four meters. But in most cases, they find only the protection of a sea level rise of three feet can fit into the cityscape. These can then be supplemented with temporary shelter used during extreme weather.

In a brief sketch shows Ramböllkonsulterna was in central Gothenburg as the various flood protections could fit. The sketch is based on today’s cityscape but does not take into account the existing quay or downhill or technical status.

The cost of building flood shelters located between 15 000 and 115 000 per meter. Someone total cost to protect Gothenburg with these options, Ramboll not counted up.

– To find out the total cost needs to do more detailed inquiries. You need to take stock of the quays and see if they can handle additional load, or need to be strengthened and also consider the overall stability of the whole area, says Tora Lindberg, Project Manager at Ramboll.

The municipality sees flood protection along the Göta river as an opportunity to Gothenburg protect against flooding until the outer sea ports are in place. If the ports since being built will älvkantsskydden to provide a double security, while they imply that the ports do not have to shut down as often. But some decisions about construction of älvkantsskydden are not yet included.

– This is a basis for future detailed in älvnära modes, so it woven gradually into the planning, says Ulf Moback, landscape architect in the city of Gothenburg.