Decision analysis on mobile flood wall barrier implementation for a government school using cost-benefit analysis

Abstract

Floods have caused disturbances around the world, including in Malaysia, which can exacerbated due to the global effects of climate change. Mobile floodwall barriers (MFWB) on a building or its compound have emerged as one possible solution to reduce the impact of flooding especially from low to moderate floods (i.e., approximately floods of less than a meter high). This study analyses how MFWB can reduce floods effectively in terms of costs and risk reduction benefits. The effects of MFWB are analysed based on what-if scenarios combined with hydrology and hydraulic simulations of floods at a SK Sri Kembangan primary school located at Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. The results show that in all tested scenarios of MFWB wet-proofing performance, it is difficult to have return on investment when the price of MFWB is higher than the actual costs (around RM2,000 to RM3,000 per panel of one meter long). It is advisable that the costs are lowered down to have ensure return of investment. At the same time, MFWB functionality need to be ensured such that intrucion of flood water is at a minimum.