Waterwall™, a federally recognized blast mitigation tool from CINTEC America, is a self-inflating product designed to provide temporary blast mitigation and fragment retention arising from vehicle-borne improvised explosives (VBIED) up to 500 kg. The product protects personnel and property against the effects of terrorist devices such as car bombs, and provides safe disposal of unexploded ordinance.
Made from either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or neoprene-coated, internally reinforced fabric, the Waterwall is designed to be deployed manually. To deploy, it is first filled with air to provide stability, and then with water (typically from a fire hydrant). The water displaces the air through a pressure relief valve (PRV). Each unit interlocks with its neighbor to create a stable unbroken wall.
Each unit of the Waterwall is 9.8 ft high, 4.8 ft wide, and has a depth of 5.4 ft. Each unit weighs 145 lb when empty, and 5.7 tons when full. The volume per unit is 12.4 cu ft when empty, and 203 cu ft when full.
Because of its relatively high mass, water can dramatically reduce damage from primary and secondary projectiles. Water can also effectively interact with the chemistry of the explosion to reduce heat and deter the overall effectiveness of the primary explosive material.
During the development phase of this product, CINTEC utilized a variety of specialized PC-based tools, including those developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and other specialist federal agencies. CINTEC is also a registered contractor with the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and is part of the Blast Mitigation Action Group''s commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) program.