Building a Dike

 

Required procedures for sand bag dike construction 


  • Base area of sand bag dike should be clear of snow or ice prior to commencing.
  • To create a more secure dike it is recommended (when possible), a core or cutoff trench be dug (0.3m deep and 0.6m wide) beneath the dike.
  • Leave at least 2.4m between a dike and buildings.
  • Dikes should not be built on decks, patios, fences, planters, gardens, or any potential previous foundation.
  • The base of the dike should be 0.6m wider than the ultimate height of the dike, E.G. Height = 1.2m, base = 1.8m Every second layer of sand bags should be set back 1/4 of a sand bag width, both on the river side and the land side of the dike, giving it a step-like appearance. The top of the dike should be 0.6m wide.
  • Dikes exceeding 1.5m in height should have slopes of 1.5 H/1.0V.
  • The bottom layer of bags on the river side will run parallel with the river.
  • Sand bags are to be tamped firmly into place.
  • It is recommended that 6 mil polyethylene sheets in 3 m wide rolls be used as water proofing on the river side of the dike. The polyethylene sheet should be placed loosely against the sand bag dike during construction with a protective layer of sand bags placed on the river side as indicated in the figure.
  • Have extra sand bags on hand to strengthen any weak spots in the dike.
  • If untied bags are used, the unfilled portion of the sack should be stretched lengthwise and the next bag laid on top of it. This method is known as lapping as indicated in the figure. It is not necessary to tie sacks. Untied bags should be filled to half full.

Height
of dike

Number of Sandbags Required for the following Lengths of dike (Lengths in Feet)

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

0.0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0.5

210

430

640

850

1070

1280

1500

1710

1920

2140

2350

2560

2780

2990

1.0

470

950

1420

1900

2370

2850

3320

3800

4270

4750

5220

5700

6170

6650

1.5

780

1570

2350

3130

3920

4700

5480

6270

7050

7830

8620

9400

10190

10970

2.0

1100

2300

3400

4600

5700

6800

8000

9100

10300

11400

12500

13700

14800

16000

2.5

1500

3100

4600

6200

7700

9300

10800

12300

13900

15400

17000

18500

20100

21600

3.0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

17900

19900

21900

23900

25900

27900

3.5

2500

5000

7500

10000

12500

15000

17500

19900

22400

24900

27400

29900

32400

34900

4.0

3000

6100

9100

12200

15200

18200

21300

24300

27400

30400

33400

36500

39500

42500

4.5

3600

7300

10900

14500

18200

21800

25400

29100

32700

36300

40000

43600

47200

50900

5.0

4300

8500

12800

17100

21400

25600

29900

34200

38500

42700

47000

51300

55600

59800

5.5

5000

9900

14900

19800

24800

29800

34700

39700

44700

49600

54600

59500

64500

69500

6.0

5700

11400

17100

22800

28500

34200

39900

45600

51300

57000

62700

68400

74100

79800


North Dakota State University Sandbagging/Dike Building Video Link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5XxJbVimQ8