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<br />tested to determine their structural integrity and to evaluate some of the <br /> <br /> <br />more promising materials and systems for preventing the penetration of flood- <br /> <br /> <br />waters through such walls. <br /> <br />12. Various materials were to be troweled over the surface of one wall <br /> <br /> <br />and the wall was to be tested to determine if the material made the wall <br /> <br /> <br />resistant to water penetration and/or added structural integrity. Several <br /> <br /> <br />systems for making a block wall resistant to water penetration were to be <br /> <br /> <br />tested on another wall to determine their effectiveness. <br /> <br />Block-Wall Construction and Gage Locations <br /> <br />13. The plan and section for the two block walls used in the testing <br /> <br /> <br />are as presented in Figure 1. The walls were constructed as block walls are <br /> <br /> <br />normally constructed for homes or buildings. <br /> <br />14. Deflection gages (LVDT's) were installed against each of the two <br /> <br /> <br />block walls to measure the deflected shape of the walls (Figure 2). An <br /> <br /> <br />independent bracing system was constructed at the back of the wall to support <br /> <br /> <br />the LVDT gages. <br /> <br />15. The first block wall before and after testing is shown in Figure 3. <br /> <br /> <br />The front of the first wall was plastered, and a bulkhead was constructed in <br /> <br /> <br />front of it to contain water to be supplied from a fire hydrant. The second <br /> <br /> <br />block wall is shown in Figure 4. The second block wall was used to test <br /> <br /> <br />several flood-resistant systems. <br /> <br />Block Wall 1 <br /> <br />Experimental tests <br /> <br /> <br />16. An automatic data recording system (Figure 5) was used to record <br /> <br /> <br />the response of the LVDT gages. The trough was slowly filled with water <br /> <br />producing a water head on the block wall. Typical deflection data for block <br /> <br /> <br />wall 1 are presented in Figures 6-8. As the water level was raised against <br /> <br /> <br />the surfaced wall, the plaster was weakened and was penetrated by the water <br /> <br /> <br />reducing its effectiveness in strengthening the wall against deflection. At a <br /> <br /> <br />water depth of 3-1/2 ft the block wall was cracked and leaking so badly that <br /> <br /> <br />the trough could not be kept filled with water from a fire hose connected to <br /> <br />8 <br />