The Effectiveness of CCB-SH Sponge Bags as an Alternative for Flood Absorbing Barriers

Document Types

Paper Presentation

Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)

Materials Engineering (MEN)

School Name

National University - MOA

Track or Strand

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Balili, Jun P. & Marticio, Jordan Austin O.

Start Date

25-6-2026 10:30 AM

End Date

25-6-2026 12:00 PM

Zoom Link/ Room Assignment

Online- https://zoom.us/j/92594857524 Meeting ID: 925 9485 7524 | Passcode: research

Abstract/Executive Summary

Flooding remains a persistent and worsening problem in the Philippines, damaging infrastructure and livelihoods. Slow-rising floods increase the vulnerability of urban and coastal areas due to prolonged inundation and disruption of essential services. Conventional flood barriers provide immediate mitigation but are often time-consuming to deploy, costly, and non-biodegradable, posing environmental concerns. A sustainable alternative is the use of agricultural waste, particularly corn cobs. Cornstarch hydrogel forms a superabsorbent biodegradable polymer, while pyrolyzed corn cobs produce biochar, a porous and water-retentive material. The combination of these materials forms corn cob biochar-starch hydrogel (CCB-SH), a lightweight and biodegradable flood-absorbing barrier. This experimental-comparative quantitative study evaluates the effectiveness of CCB-SH sponge bags as an alternative for flood-absorbing barriers like sandbags by determining their water absorption capacity and rate, leakage rate, and durability. The methodology involved preparing the CCB-SH mixture, developing the prototype, and testing under control a slow-rising flood setup. The optimal biochar-hydrogel mixture was selected and compared with sandbags across three trials for each parameter. An Independent Samples T-Test was used to determine significant differences. Results revealed that CCB-SH sponge bags exhibited significantly higher water absorption capacity and rate, lower leakage rate, and greater durability than sandbags. These findings indicate that CCB-SH sponge bags are more effective in water retention and structural performance. Thus, they have strong potential as a practical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative for flood-absorbing barriers in flood-prone communities. Future studies may explore large-scale testing, varied flood conditions, and long-term durability to further validate and expand their real-world application.

Keywords

corn cob biochar, corn starch hydrogel, flood-absorbing barriers, agricultural waste, flood mitigation

Statement of Originality

yes

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Jun 25th, 10:30 AM Jun 25th, 12:00 PM

The Effectiveness of CCB-SH Sponge Bags as an Alternative for Flood Absorbing Barriers

Flooding remains a persistent and worsening problem in the Philippines, damaging infrastructure and livelihoods. Slow-rising floods increase the vulnerability of urban and coastal areas due to prolonged inundation and disruption of essential services. Conventional flood barriers provide immediate mitigation but are often time-consuming to deploy, costly, and non-biodegradable, posing environmental concerns. A sustainable alternative is the use of agricultural waste, particularly corn cobs. Cornstarch hydrogel forms a superabsorbent biodegradable polymer, while pyrolyzed corn cobs produce biochar, a porous and water-retentive material. The combination of these materials forms corn cob biochar-starch hydrogel (CCB-SH), a lightweight and biodegradable flood-absorbing barrier. This experimental-comparative quantitative study evaluates the effectiveness of CCB-SH sponge bags as an alternative for flood-absorbing barriers like sandbags by determining their water absorption capacity and rate, leakage rate, and durability. The methodology involved preparing the CCB-SH mixture, developing the prototype, and testing under control a slow-rising flood setup. The optimal biochar-hydrogel mixture was selected and compared with sandbags across three trials for each parameter. An Independent Samples T-Test was used to determine significant differences. Results revealed that CCB-SH sponge bags exhibited significantly higher water absorption capacity and rate, lower leakage rate, and greater durability than sandbags. These findings indicate that CCB-SH sponge bags are more effective in water retention and structural performance. Thus, they have strong potential as a practical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative for flood-absorbing barriers in flood-prone communities. Future studies may explore large-scale testing, varied flood conditions, and long-term durability to further validate and expand their real-world application.

https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2026/BoA_MEN/1