Riri zippers are not only intended for high-fashion garments but, increasingly, also find application in highly technical sectors, including hydraulics and civil engineering. In partnership with Carpi Tech, a Swiss specialist contractor for waterproofing geomembrane systems, Riri has developed an innovative watertight zip, characterized by an ‘extra-large’ tape and chain, which was recently installed in the Grand Canal d’Alsace.
Sibelonmat® project, born from the partnership between Carpi Tech and EDF (Centre d’Ingénierie Hydraulique), involves the installation of a special watertight mattress made of PVC geomembrane which can stop water leakage without interrupting the flow. This new technique could improve the safety and preservation of hydric resources, without the need to empty the canals to proceed with the work, which leads to wasting water.
Thanks to meticulous research by the R&D team, Riri created a watertight zipper, exclusively for Carpi Tech, which was mounted on the geomembrane flaps and can be adjusted to easily connect the rolls at curves and bridges. The zip, whose tightness was tested in a laboratory with water pressure up to 90 metres, was pulled underwater by a trolley and closed by hand.
The Sibelonmat® project recently received the Gold Icold Innovation award during the last edition of Icold-CIGB in Marseille, the international event dedicated to new corporate projects in the field of sustainable development.
To learn all the details about the project, check out this video:
Oerlikon Riri
