DHS to Unveil Resilient Tunnel Plug Technology at ILC Dove

 

A giant, inflatable structure designed to prevent flooding in tunnels, will be unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) in a special technology demonstration in Frederica, Delaware on June 6, 2017. The Resilient Tunnel Plug (RTP) was developed in partnership with ILC Dover, the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, West Virginia University, and DHS S&T.

 

The RTP, made from a liquid crystal polymer called Vectran®, was developed to provide security to transit systems as protection from flooding, primarily in subways, in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster. In the event of flooding, the plug would rapidly inflate, holding back at least 30 feet of water, keeping citizens and the transit system assets safe.