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Inflatable Dam Bursts in Tempe, AZ

Inflatable Dam Bursts in Tempe, AZ

RE: Inflatable Dam Bursts in Tempe, AZ

I'm in Arizona, too, about 5 miles from Tempe Town Lake. I'm sorry to pile right on, but didn't anyone think of this?  We always have UV deterioration in the back of our mind.  It's like snow in Denver. As soon as this design was presented, I was skeptical of the use of flexible materials for this usage. But all the "experts" were so reassuring.
The end bladders were supposed to have a 25 year lifetime and they failed at 10 years.  It's no secret that the sun shines a lot of Tempe. Wasn't this tested?
It's fortunate that no one (so far) was hurt or killed.  But the taxpayers of Tempe are going to get hosed.

RE: Inflatable Dam Bursts in Tempe, AZ

One look at the title of this thread, and I had to respond. My experience with the climate in the southwest over the last 40 years concurs with what others have said on this string. This 25-year warranty apparently did not consider the extreme conditions of Tempe. Indeed, how can any rubberized or rubber-like fabric perform sufficiently under such conditions? I suppose the "experts" are not from this locale. (Amazing how personal experience augments our professional wisdom.)

Richard L. Flower, P. E., LEED Green Associate

RE: Inflatable Dam Bursts in Tempe, AZ

"The eastern dams upstream are submerged and have held up. But a plan to keep the western dams wet failed, exposing the rubber to scorching sun that has damaged the material"

So it wasn't that it wasn't thought of, it was that methods to prevent the problem weren't used as planned.

RE: Inflatable Dam Bursts in Tempe, AZ

Still, I think they should have considered the possibility that the dams would not be continuously wet. The possibility of failure should not be an option.

Richard L. Flower, P. E., LEED Green Associate
Senior Structural Engineer
Complere Engineering Group, Inc.

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