EP1268947B1 - Method for establishing a foundation in a seabed for an offshore facility and the foundation according to the method - Google Patents
Method for establishing a foundation in a seabed for an offshore facility and the foundation according to the method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1268947B1 EP1268947B1 EP01915111A EP01915111A EP1268947B1 EP 1268947 B1 EP1268947 B1 EP 1268947B1 EP 01915111 A EP01915111 A EP 01915111A EP 01915111 A EP01915111 A EP 01915111A EP 1268947 B1 EP1268947 B1 EP 1268947B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- foundation
- bed
- seabed
- chambers
- rim
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
- E02B17/00—Artificial islands mounted on piles or like supports, e.g. platforms on raisable legs or offshore constructions; Construction methods therefor
- E02B17/0017—Means for protecting offshore constructions
- E02B17/0021—Means for protecting offshore constructions against ice-loads
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
- E02B17/00—Artificial islands mounted on piles or like supports, e.g. platforms on raisable legs or offshore constructions; Construction methods therefor
- E02B17/02—Artificial islands mounted on piles or like supports, e.g. platforms on raisable legs or offshore constructions; Construction methods therefor placed by lowering the supporting construction to the bottom, e.g. with subsequent fixing thereto
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
- E02B17/00—Artificial islands mounted on piles or like supports, e.g. platforms on raisable legs or offshore constructions; Construction methods therefor
- E02B2017/0056—Platforms with supporting legs
- E02B2017/0073—Details of sea bottom engaging footing
- E02B2017/0078—Suction piles, suction cans
Definitions
- the present invention concerns a method for establishing a foundation in the seabed for an offshore facility, comprising a bed foundation for placing at the sea bed and carrying a structure for supporting a facility above sea level. Furthermore, the invention concerns a foundation for use in the method.
- offshore facilities is meant offshore constructions in the widest sense, including both facilities on open sea and in lakes, including such for oil and gas platforms and sea based windmills as well as quay facilities and bridges.
- seabed is also meant coastal areas as in harbours and lake bottom. The invention finds application on depths less than 50 m.
- bed foundations are made as caissons which are towed out to the location and then submerged with water and possibly supplied with ballast.
- the constructions are made in concrete and suitable in case of large constructions.
- the weight of the caisson ensures the stability on the seabed but is at the same time as relatively expensive way of establishing the foundation. In certain cases it is also desirable to remove the foundation again which is particularly difficult when speaking of caissons.
- WO 9406970 From WO 9406970 is known a construction where the legs of the offshore facility is placed in the seabed by having a structure lowermost on the leg and which is suited for being sucked down into the bed.
- the structure consists of a number of chambers.
- pumps are activated in each chamber, evacuating the water and thereby inducing an underpressure which causes the chambers to be sucked down into the seabed.
- spray nozzles may be mounted on the lowermost edges of the structure which by means of water pressure may loosen these hard layers and thereby enhance the sinking down of the structure into the bed.
- a foundation with a doubled walled skirt known.
- the foundation structure is equipped with fluidisation means at the bottommost edges of the skirt structure.
- These fluidisation means are in the form of nozzles through which a high pressure water jet can be directed against the bottom material under the skirt structure. The material hereby becomes loosened due to the action of the high pressure water jet and allows for the foundation structure to penetrate through the bottom materials.
- GB 288077 is known a basic system of placing an open-end caisson onto and partly into a seabed using the caisson as a pressure tight chamber.
- the caisson is placed in the desired location, and the inside of the caisson is evacuated, whereby the caisson may sink into the seabed.
- the sinking action is facilitated by the fact that the partial vacuum inside the caisson, causes water to loosen the material along the lower rim of the caisson, such that the loosened and washed out material facilitates the sinking of the caisson.
- the purpose of the invention is to provide a method and a foundation as indicated above which is lighter than the known constructions and which simultaneously may be secured in a simple and stable way in the seabed.
- the invention addresses this by providing a method for installing a foundation of the type discussed above, but which further is particular in that the method comprises the further features and processes wherein at least one substantially pressure tight cavity is formed inside the foundation, after which, by pumping out the contents of the cavity, an underpressure of such a magnitude is established inside the cavity in the double wall construction so that a water current occurs through the seabed material about the rim from the surroundings around the foundation and inwards towards the cavity and so that a fluidization and removal of seabed material at the rim occurs with the consequence that the foundation sinks down into the seabed, and that the pumping is continued until the seabed foundation has attained a desired level in the seabed, and that there is arranged a device with a number of evenly distributed nozzles along the lower rims of the skirts, and that the nozzles are arranged to receive and distribute a lubricant, whereby the nozzles distribute the lubricant as a lubricating film along the foundation walls during the placing of the foundation.
- the peculiar feature of the foundation according to the invention is that the bed foundation is hollow, downwardly open and provided with parallel or unidirectional sides and with a downwardly facing rim surrounding the formed opening and mainly extending in the same plane.
- the bed foundation may thereby be made as a relatively light steel construction which in design largely resembles a bell with double wall construction and which is preferred made as cylinder, though other geometries are possible, for example, with elliptical or polygonal cross-section.
- the foundation, including the submarine structure is shipped out on location and put on the bed which is levelled approximately as a plane.
- hoses are connected and led up to a vessel on the water surface. With pumps in the vessel a vacuum may be formed inside the cavity in the double wall construction, and the water standing inside the cavity may be pumped away in a controlled way.
- the water surrounding the bed foundation will therefore seek into the cavity through the material in the sea bed which in practice consists of sand or silt in a sufficiently deep surface layer. Thereby, a quicksand-like condition is formed at the lower rim of the bed foundation, after which the entire foundation sinks down into the sea bed. The downward movement is stopped by stopping the pump operation when the bed foundation is sufficiently deeply sunk into the seabed.
- an underpressure may be create by pumping from the cavity formed inside the foundation within the inner skirt which is limiting the cavity at the rim.
- the underpressure in the inner cavity is, however, to be limited so that the seabed is not destroyed due to disintegration.
- a protective layer may be laid out the foundation zone, for example, in the form of a stone layer which may keep the seabed down but allow water transport.
- a filter may be arranged, either alone or in combination with other means inside the foundation for avoiding removal of material within the rim.
- a righting layer may also be laid out on the bed.
- the seabed consists of a sand layer at the top, which possibly may shift, i.e. due to current
- the thickness of the layer may vary and it may be an advantage to remove a part of the shifting sand layer at first.
- the foundation may be placed on a more stable bed.
- the foundation is ensured a secure founding as by removing the shifting sand layer completely or partly it is ensured that the founding depth does not become less due to shifting sand.
- shifting sand layer or soft silt layers and mud can not provide the needed sealing around the foundation in order that the needed underpressure may be established so that the foundation can sink down into the seabed.
- vibration units arranged detachably on the foundation so that, when there are hard soil layers under the location of the foundation, the combination of underpressure, fluidization at the rim and vibrations may co-operate in enhancing the sinking down of the foundation.
- the foundation inclines and where a stone pad is laid out as levelling layer, the foundation may advantageously be vibrated through this layer as it is often not possible to establish underpressure through the porous stone layer.
- the preferred embodiment comprises a row of nozzles arranged evenly distributed along the lower rims of the foundation, both on the outer and the inner skirt, in such a way that the object or device, in which the nozzles are provided, has a width greater than the thickness of the material in the wall materials of the skirts.
- the nozzles are connected with a supply device which may supply a sliding agent to the nozzles, for example, a bentonite suspension, boring mud or similar non-contaminating agent with lubricating properties.
- the device may advantageously be designed as a triangle, where one point is turning downward in relation to the foundation but the device may have any geometric shape, the important part being that the device is projecting out over the foundation wall as mentioned above so that the lubricating film may be formed between the clay and the foundation wall.
- a hollow will appear above the nozzle device along the foundation wall and will be filled out by the supplied lubricant, whereby a film of lubricant is formed between the foundation wall and the clay.
- the friction between the clay and the foundation is broken, and the lowering of the foundation is advanced.
- the different processes are combined so that fluidization at the rim is used through the sand/silt layers as described above.
- the underpressure in the inner of the foundation is adjusted, i.e. within the rim, so that disintegration of the bed is avoided.
- these can not be fluidised to the same degree as the sand/silt layers, why lubricant is added as described above.
- the invention provides a possibility of displacing this foreign matter away from the course of bringing down of the foundation.
- the invention has some further advantages.
- the mills In connection with windmill operation, there are situations where the mills are to be stopped, which may be due to technical service or stoppage in connection with too high wind speeds.
- the stoppage may apply large dynamic forces, though very limited in time, to the foundation as well as the construction will typically experience vibrations in connection with the natural oscillations of the construction in the natural frequency range. The same is the case when starting the mill again.
- overconsolidation overconsolidation
- the bed foundation is divided into separate chambers of which several mutually pressure tight chambers are evenly distributed between the outer and the inner skirt, and where different pressures or underpressures are established in different chambers so that a moment about a substantially horizontal axis is induced.
- the bed foundation is divided into separate chambers of which several mutually pressure tight chambers are evenly distributed along the side of the bed foundation.
- a valve is mounted in each chamber with each their hose connection to the pump equipment on the vessel at the surface.
- the first embodiment of the foundation according to the invention shown on Figs. 1-3 consists of a bottom part 1 or bed foundation which has cylindric shape with a flat top sheet 3.
- a columnar structure 5 forming connection between the bottom part 1 and the facility 6 to be placed in a sea or lake area; the water surface is designated 8 and the seabed 10.
- the structure has a conical transition 7 between the bottom part 1 and a columnar section 9.
- annular, concave body 11 of the columnar section 9 for use in waters with ice load.
- the body 11 is known per se and may be omitted in ice-free waters.
- the entire foundation is made in welded steel sheets, and thereby the construction may be made relatively light; for small constructions on depths up to 10 m, the construction will often weigh less than 200 t.
- the foundation may also be made in other materials like concrete, composite materials and similar.
- the bottom part 1 consists of an outer skirt 13 and an inner skirt 15 concentric therewith which together constitute a double wall construction.
- Both skirts 13,15 extend from their lower rims 17 and 19 to the underside of the top sheet 3 whereby a cylindric cavity 21 is formed within the inner skirt 13 and an annular cavity between the skirts 13 and 15.
- radially extending partitioning walls or bulkheads 23 are found, dimensioned for resisting differential pressures so that different pressures may be maintained between mutually adjoining elongate cavities 25 formed thereby between the skirts 13 and 15.
- the inner cavity may in another, not shown embodiment be provided with mutually perpendicular sheets 27 as outlined with stippled lines on Fig. 2 with regard to the strength and stability of the bottom part 1. These sheets 27 does not have to be dimensioned or sealed along the edge with regard to differential pressure as well as they do not have to extend in the full height of the bottom part 1.
- a second embodiment shown on Fig. 4 has a cylindric outer skirt 30 which is slotted and provided with four cylindric chambers 32 which are open downwards and closed upwards by one or more top sheets.
- the skirt forms a cavity 21.
- the chambers 32 have the same function as the chambers 25 above in the subsequent description. This embodiment may be varied with another number of chambers 32 than shown.
- a further version of the embodiment on Fig. 4 would be to omit slotting the skirt 30 and to dispose the elongate chambers at the outer side of the skirt 30 (not shown).
- the bottom part 1 is not provided with inner skirt 13 and bulkhead 23 so that only one cavity exists.
- a not shown support which may guide the entire foundation so that it is guided vertically during the bringing down into the seabed.
- FIG. 5-7 A preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is shown on Figs. 5-7 where the foundation according to Figs. 1-3 is used as example.
- the foundation according to the invention is shipped out to the location and placed on the bottom of the sea.
- the seabed 10 is levelled so that an approximately horizontal surface is achieved on the place of erection.
- the levelling or preparing of the seabed may occur by flushing away loose material or by laying out a stone pad and/or a filter layer in the form of a geo-fabric or similar.
- the rims 17 and 19 then rest on the seabed.
- the chambers 25 there are water and possibly some air.
- At the top of each chamber 25 there is a not shown valve opening to which is connected a suction hose 40.
- a pump unit 44 In a barge 42 from which the operation is controlled, there is a pump unit 44 with a branch with connection to, in this case, six hoses 40 for the shown embodiment of the bottom part 1.
- an underpressure is then provided with the pump unit 44 down to an absolute pressure in the magnitude 40 hPa (1/25 bar) as the content of the chambers 25 is pumped out.
- the pumping pressure is adjusted according to the nature of the seabed, and the indicated values are thus only examples of a typical seabed of the indicated type.
- Surface air may initially stand in the chambers 25 but is quickly led out, and water is pumped out instead.
- the difference between the pressure in the water at the seabed 10 and the pressure inside the chambers 25 is then atmospheric pressure plus the water pressure determined by the water depth minus the absolute pressure in the chambers. On 10 meters of water, the difference is close to 2000 hPa (2 bar).
- the units 50 may be hydraulic hammer devices known per se which are fastened detachably on a flange on the bottom part 1, and after the use the fastening is released by actuation from the surface 8, and the units 50 are hoisted up into the barge 42.
- Fig. 8 illustrates a detail of a foundation wall where on the lower rim there is arranged a device 60, in which is arranged a number of nozzles 61 evenly distributed along the whole periphery of the lower rims of the foundation 1.
- Fig. 9 is illustrated a cross-section of the foundation rim at the bottom with a device arranged according to an example of the invention.
- the nozzles 61 are connected with a supply device 63 which can supply the nozzles 61 with a sliding agent, for example, a bentonite suspension, boring mud or similarly non-contaminating agent with lubricating properties.
- the device 60 may advantageously be designed as a triangle where one point is facing downward in relation to the foundation.
- a hollow will appear above the nozzle device 60 along the foundation wall 13,15 which becomes filled out by the supplied lubricant whereby between the foundation wall and the clay is formed a film 62 of lubricant.
- the friction between the clay and the foundation is broken, and the lowering of the foundation is advanced.
- Fig. 8 it is illustrated how the nozzles 61 form a clay film 62 on the walls 13,15 of the foundation.
- the foundation is to be removed after use, it is considerably easier to lift up or cut off over the bed than concrete foundations constructed as caissons. Removal of the foundation may be facilitated by using reversed technique compared with the bringing down, namely by pumping water into the chambers 21,25 and thereby create overpressure in the chambers 21,25, whereby the foundation is pressed up from the bed again. Removal may be further assisted by using hammer devices which in principle are mounted and work, though only upwards or sidewards, as the units 50. This is of significance in waters where the authorities require removal of foundations after use.
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Abstract
Description
- The present invention concerns a method for establishing a foundation in the seabed for an offshore facility, comprising a bed foundation for placing at the sea bed and carrying a structure for supporting a facility above sea level. Furthermore, the invention concerns a foundation for use in the method. By offshore facilities is meant offshore constructions in the widest sense, including both facilities on open sea and in lakes, including such for oil and gas platforms and sea based windmills as well as quay facilities and bridges. By seabed is also meant coastal areas as in harbours and lake bottom. The invention finds application on depths less than 50 m.
- Normally, bed foundations are made as caissons which are towed out to the location and then submerged with water and possibly supplied with ballast. The constructions are made in concrete and suitable in case of large constructions. The weight of the caisson ensures the stability on the seabed but is at the same time as relatively expensive way of establishing the foundation. In certain cases it is also desirable to remove the foundation again which is particularly difficult when speaking of caissons.
- From
WO 9406970 - The construction disclosed in
WO 9406970 - From
GB 2277547 - From
GB 288077 - By small facilities where there is need for columnar foundations there may be need for securing the foundation in the bed. This implies that the foundation has to be relatively heavy in order to secure the construction against overturning moments caused by wave motion and ice.
- The purpose of the invention is to provide a method and a foundation as indicated above which is lighter than the known constructions and which simultaneously may be secured in a simple and stable way in the seabed.
- The invention addresses this by providing a method for installing a foundation of the type discussed above, but which further is particular in that the method comprises the further features and processes wherein at least one substantially pressure tight cavity is formed inside the foundation, after which, by pumping out the contents of the cavity, an underpressure of such a magnitude is established inside the cavity in the double wall construction so that a water current occurs through the seabed material about the rim from the surroundings around the foundation and inwards towards the cavity and so that a fluidization and removal of seabed material at the rim occurs with the consequence that the foundation sinks down into the seabed, and that the pumping is continued until the seabed foundation has attained a desired level in the seabed, and that there is arranged a device with a number of evenly distributed nozzles along the lower rims of the skirts, and that the nozzles are arranged to receive and distribute a lubricant, whereby the nozzles distribute the lubricant as a lubricating film along the foundation walls during the placing of the foundation.
- The peculiar feature of the foundation according to the invention is that the bed foundation is hollow, downwardly open and provided with parallel or unidirectional sides and with a downwardly facing rim surrounding the formed opening and mainly extending in the same plane.
- The bed foundation may thereby be made as a relatively light steel construction which in design largely resembles a bell with double wall construction and which is preferred made as cylinder, though other geometries are possible, for example, with elliptical or polygonal cross-section. The foundation, including the submarine structure, is shipped out on location and put on the bed which is levelled approximately as a plane. At the upper side of the bed foundation hoses are connected and led up to a vessel on the water surface. With pumps in the vessel a vacuum may be formed inside the cavity in the double wall construction, and the water standing inside the cavity may be pumped away in a controlled way. The water surrounding the bed foundation will therefore seek into the cavity through the material in the sea bed which in practice consists of sand or silt in a sufficiently deep surface layer. Thereby, a quicksand-like condition is formed at the lower rim of the bed foundation, after which the entire foundation sinks down into the sea bed. The downward movement is stopped by stopping the pump operation when the bed foundation is sufficiently deeply sunk into the seabed.
- In a preferred embodiment, an underpressure may be create by pumping from the cavity formed inside the foundation within the inner skirt which is limiting the cavity at the rim. Thus we are speaking of an inner cavity and an outer, coaxially arranged, cavity in the double wall construction.
- Also, by creating underpressure in the inner cavity, the total downward sucking force is increased. As mentioned above under prior art, the underpressure in the inner cavity is, however, to be limited so that the seabed is not destroyed due to disintegration.
- In order to prevent local destruction of the seabed during the sucking, a protective layer may be laid out the foundation zone, for example, in the form of a stone layer which may keep the seabed down but allow water transport. Likewise, a filter may be arranged, either alone or in combination with other means inside the foundation for avoiding removal of material within the rim. In case of inclining seabed, a righting layer may also be laid out on the bed.
- Where the seabed consists of a sand layer at the top, which possibly may shift, i.e. due to current, the thickness of the layer may vary and it may be an advantage to remove a part of the shifting sand layer at first. Hereby, several objects are achieved. Firstly, that the foundation may be placed on a more stable bed. Besides, the foundation is ensured a secure founding as by removing the shifting sand layer completely or partly it is ensured that the founding depth does not become less due to shifting sand. A further advantage is that shifting sand layer or soft silt layers and mud can not provide the needed sealing around the foundation in order that the needed underpressure may be established so that the foundation can sink down into the seabed.
- In a further advantageous embodiment, there are vibration units arranged detachably on the foundation so that, when there are hard soil layers under the location of the foundation, the combination of underpressure, fluidization at the rim and vibrations may co-operate in enhancing the sinking down of the foundation. Likewise, where the foundation inclines and where a stone pad is laid out as levelling layer, the foundation may advantageously be vibrated through this layer as it is often not possible to establish underpressure through the porous stone layer.
- By placing objects in sand or sand-like materials, it is the resistance at the end of the object to be placed which has to be overcome, whereas when objects are to be placed in clay, it is the friction on the sides of the object which is to be overcome and not the resistance at the end of the object.
- Where the foundation is to be placed in seabed with clay layer, in a further, the preferred embodiment comprises a row of nozzles arranged evenly distributed along the lower rims of the foundation, both on the outer and the inner skirt, in such a way that the object or device, in which the nozzles are provided, has a width greater than the thickness of the material in the wall materials of the skirts. The nozzles are connected with a supply device which may supply a sliding agent to the nozzles, for example, a bentonite suspension, boring mud or similar non-contaminating agent with lubricating properties. When the foundation is to completely or partly penetrate through a layer of clay, the device in which the nozzles are provided will displace the clay. The device may advantageously be designed as a triangle, where one point is turning downward in relation to the foundation but the device may have any geometric shape, the important part being that the device is projecting out over the foundation wall as mentioned above so that the lubricating film may be formed between the clay and the foundation wall. By adding lubricant and continued lowering, a hollow will appear above the nozzle device along the foundation wall and will be filled out by the supplied lubricant, whereby a film of lubricant is formed between the foundation wall and the clay. Hereby the friction between the clay and the foundation is broken, and the lowering of the foundation is advanced.
- Where the foundation is to be placed on seabed with sand/silt and layers of clay, the different processes are combined so that fluidization at the rim is used through the sand/silt layers as described above. Here, the underpressure in the inner of the foundation is adjusted, i.e. within the rim, so that disintegration of the bed is avoided. When the foundation is to go through clay layers, these can not be fluidised to the same degree as the sand/silt layers, why lubricant is added as described above. Furthermore, where large stones or other foreign matter are encountered in the underground, by the detachably mounted vibration units, the invention provides a possibility of displacing this foreign matter away from the course of bringing down of the foundation.
- Where the foundation is used in connection with placing windmills at sea, the invention has some further advantages. In connection with windmill operation, there are situations where the mills are to be stopped, which may be due to technical service or stoppage in connection with too high wind speeds. The stoppage may apply large dynamic forces, though very limited in time, to the foundation as well as the construction will typically experience vibrations in connection with the natural oscillations of the construction in the natural frequency range. The same is the case when starting the mill again. In such situations there may be created a temporary over-suction (overconsolidation) in and around the foundation. By creating an over-suction a greater part of the seabed around the foundation will become an active part in the foundation, i.e. the carrying ability/securing ability of the foundation is temporarily increased. This implies that a foundation may be dimensioned for the situation of use but the extra security due to the overconsolidation so that it may resist the peak load, like storm, braking or starting. Likewise, the natural frequency of the construction may be changed to a certain degree during braking/starting.
- In a preferred embodiment of the method, the bed foundation is divided into separate chambers of which several mutually pressure tight chambers are evenly distributed between the outer and the inner skirt, and where different pressures or underpressures are established in different chambers so that a moment about a substantially horizontal axis is induced. In a preferred embodiment of the foundation according to the invention, the bed foundation is divided into separate chambers of which several mutually pressure tight chambers are evenly distributed along the side of the bed foundation.
- In this embodiment where typically 4-6 chambers are used along the side of the bed foundation, though the invention otherwise is not limited to a certain number of chambers, a valve is mounted in each chamber with each their hose connection to the pump equipment on the vessel at the surface. Combined with pressure tight bulkheads between the chambers it is possible to choose different pressures in the chambers and thereby different degree of fluidizing of the sand bed under different parts of the rim of the bed foundation as the greatest fluidization or quicksand effect will be achieved where the differential pressure compared with the ambient water and thereby the water current under the rim is the greatest. Thereby may be established righting moments on the foundation during the bringing down of the bed foundation into the seabed so that the foundation stands completely vertical when the bringing down is finished, for example if the seabed is not completely horizontal at the outset or the bed conditions are irregular so that the sinking down of the rim is not the same along the entire periphery with the same pressure difference everywhere.
- The invention will now be described more closely with examples of preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings, where
- Figs. 1 - 3
- show a first embodiment of a foundation according to the invention as seen from the side, in section along the line II-II in Fig. 1, and in perspective from below, respectively,
- Fig. 4
- show in a perspective view from below a second embodiment of a foundation according to the invention,
- Figs. 5 - 7
- show in principle three different steps during performing the method according to the invention,
- Fig. 8
- shows a detail of the lower edge of the rim in a modified embodiment, and
- Fig. 9
- shows a outlined section of the rim shown in Fig. 8.
- The first embodiment of the foundation according to the invention shown on Figs. 1-3 consists of a
bottom part 1 or bed foundation which has cylindric shape with a flattop sheet 3. On thetop sheet 3 is constructed acolumnar structure 5 forming connection between thebottom part 1 and thefacility 6 to be placed in a sea or lake area; the water surface is designated 8 and theseabed 10. The structure has a conical transition 7 between thebottom part 1 and a columnar section 9. At the top, there is an annular,concave body 11 of the columnar section 9 for use in waters with ice load. Thebody 11 is known per se and may be omitted in ice-free waters. - In this embodiment, the entire foundation is made in welded steel sheets, and thereby the construction may be made relatively light; for small constructions on depths up to 10 m, the construction will often weigh less than 200 t. The foundation may also be made in other materials like concrete, composite materials and similar.
- The
bottom part 1 consists of anouter skirt 13 and aninner skirt 15 concentric therewith which together constitute a double wall construction. Both skirts 13,15 extend from theirlower rims top sheet 3 whereby acylindric cavity 21 is formed within theinner skirt 13 and an annular cavity between theskirts skirts bulkheads 23 are found, dimensioned for resisting differential pressures so that different pressures may be maintained between mutually adjoiningelongate cavities 25 formed thereby between theskirts cavities 25 but fewer, e.g. four, or more, e.g. eight, are also possible. The inner cavity may in another, not shown embodiment be provided with mutually perpendicular sheets 27 as outlined with stippled lines on Fig. 2 with regard to the strength and stability of thebottom part 1. These sheets 27 does not have to be dimensioned or sealed along the edge with regard to differential pressure as well as they do not have to extend in the full height of thebottom part 1. - A second embodiment shown on Fig. 4 has a cylindric
outer skirt 30 which is slotted and provided with fourcylindric chambers 32 which are open downwards and closed upwards by one or more top sheets. The skirt forms acavity 21. Thechambers 32 have the same function as thechambers 25 above in the subsequent description. This embodiment may be varied with another number ofchambers 32 than shown. - A further version of the embodiment on Fig. 4 would be to omit slotting the
skirt 30 and to dispose the elongate chambers at the outer side of the skirt 30 (not shown). - Finally, in a not shown and simpler embodiment, the
bottom part 1 is not provided withinner skirt 13 andbulkhead 23 so that only one cavity exists. In such an embodiment, instead of the below described differential pressure control for righting the foundation by means of thechambers 25 there may be used a not shown support which may guide the entire foundation so that it is guided vertically during the bringing down into the seabed. - A preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is shown on Figs. 5-7 where the foundation according to Figs. 1-3 is used as example.
- On Fig. 5, the foundation according to the invention is shipped out to the location and placed on the bottom of the sea. The
seabed 10 is levelled so that an approximately horizontal surface is achieved on the place of erection. The levelling or preparing of the seabed may occur by flushing away loose material or by laying out a stone pad and/or a filter layer in the form of a geo-fabric or similar. Therims chambers 25 there are water and possibly some air. At the top of eachchamber 25 there is a not shown valve opening to which is connected asuction hose 40. In abarge 42 from which the operation is controlled, there is a pump unit 44 with a branch with connection to, in this case, sixhoses 40 for the shown embodiment of thebottom part 1. - In the
chambers 25, an underpressure is then provided with the pump unit 44 down to an absolute pressure in themagnitude 40 hPa (1/25 bar) as the content of thechambers 25 is pumped out. The pumping pressure is adjusted according to the nature of the seabed, and the indicated values are thus only examples of a typical seabed of the indicated type. Surface air may initially stand in thechambers 25 but is quickly led out, and water is pumped out instead. The difference between the pressure in the water at theseabed 10 and the pressure inside thechambers 25 is then atmospheric pressure plus the water pressure determined by the water depth minus the absolute pressure in the chambers. On 10 meters of water, the difference is close to 2000 hPa (2 bar). Thereby is achieved a water current through the relatively loose bottom material from the outside to the inside of thebottom part 1 as shown with thearrows 46, see Fig. 6. The water current runs from the surface of the seabed, down through the bed material, under therim 17 and up through the bed material and into thechambers 25. Also, a current is formed through the bottom material in thecavity 21 and as shown with thearrow 48. The water current which does not have any significant size, typically about 300 1/min, is sufficient for forming a quicksand-like condition under therims sharp rims columnar structure 5 may in this case be filled with water. - If the seabed is not or has not been able to be made quite level before setting down the foundation on the
bed 10, by this embodiment of the invention it is possible to have different pressures indifferent chambers 25. By, for example, having lower pressure in three chambers, all situated at one side of a diameter line in the cross-section in the bottom part (see Fig. 2), than in the threeother chambers 25, a greater water current 46,48 may be created along therims bottom part 1. Thereby, a greater degree of fluidization or quicksand condition will occur in the former part, and thebottom part 1 will sink more at this side. Hereby is induced a turning of the entire foundation about a horizontal axis, the direction of which is determined by the position of the different pressures in thechambers 25. By suitable control of the suction for eachchamber 25 in the pump unit 44, for example, by a level control registering on the foundation itself, a certain righting of the foundation during the bringing down into theseabed 10 may occur and thereby compensation for a bed not quite in level. The same kind of adjustment may be usable by irregularities in the bed material caused by different kinds of sediments, stones etc. A controlled regulation of the water current is used for avoiding detrimental reduction of the carrying capacity in the bed material under therims - By the occurrence of layers of hard clay sorts in the
seabed 10 or by displacing large stones, for assisting the bringing downvibration units 50 may be added and provided, for example, on thetop sheet 3 of thebottom part 1. Theunits 50 may be hydraulic hammer devices known per se which are fastened detachably on a flange on thebottom part 1, and after the use the fastening is released by actuation from thesurface 8, and theunits 50 are hoisted up into thebarge 42. - Fig. 8 illustrates a detail of a foundation wall where on the lower rim there is arranged a
device 60, in which is arranged a number ofnozzles 61 evenly distributed along the whole periphery of the lower rims of thefoundation 1. In Fig. 9 is illustrated a cross-section of the foundation rim at the bottom with a device arranged according to an example of the invention. - Where the foundation is to be placed in seabed with clay layers, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 there are arranged a row of
nozzles 61 evenly distributed along the edges lowermost on therim foundation 1, both on the outer and theinner skirt device 60 in which thenozzles 61 is provided has a greater width than the thickness of the material in thewall materials nozzles 61 are connected with a supply device 63 which can supply thenozzles 61 with a sliding agent, for example, a bentonite suspension, boring mud or similarly non-contaminating agent with lubricating properties. When thefoundation 1 is to penetrate a layer of clay completely or partly, thedevice 60 in which the nozzles are provided with press the clay aside. Thedevice 60 may advantageously be designed as a triangle where one point is facing downward in relation to the foundation. By adding lubricant and by continued lowering, a hollow will appear above thenozzle device 60 along thefoundation wall film 62 of lubricant. Hereby, the friction between the clay and the foundation is broken, and the lowering of the foundation is advanced. This is outlined in Fig. 8 where it is illustrated how thenozzles 61 form aclay film 62 on thewalls - When the
bottom part 1 of the foundation is sufficiently deep lowered into thebed 10 as shown on Fig. 7, the pumping is stopped, and concrete 49 may possibly be injected (shown with hatching) for securing the foundation in the remaining cavity between thebed 10 and thetop sheet 3. - If the foundation is to be removed after use, it is considerably easier to lift up or cut off over the bed than concrete foundations constructed as caissons. Removal of the foundation may be facilitated by using reversed technique compared with the bringing down, namely by pumping water into the
chambers chambers units 50. This is of significance in waters where the authorities require removal of foundations after use.
Claims (9)
- A method for establishing a foundation in the seabed for an offshore facility, comprising a bed foundation for placing at the sea bed and carrying a structure for supporting a facility above sea level, which structure is hollow, downwardly open, and provided with parallel or unidirectional side walls, of which the side consists of a double wall construction made up of an outer skirt (13) and inner skirt (15) concentric therewith, and a rim (17, 19) at the bottom of each skirt substantially extending in the same plane, are positioned with the rim (17,19) on the seabed (10), characterised in that at least one substantially pressure tight cavity (25) is formed inside the foundation (1), after which, by pumping out the contents of the cavity, an underpressure of such a magnitude is established inside the cavity (25) in the double wall construction so that a water current occurs through the seabed material (10) about the rim (17, 19) from the surroundings around the foundation (1) and inwards towards the cavity (25) and so that a fluidization and removal of seabed material at the rim occurs with the consequence that the foundation (1) sinks down into the seabed (10), and that the pumping is continued until the seabed foundation (1) has attained a desired level in the seabed (10), and that there is arranged a device (60) with a number of evenly distributed nozzles (61) along the lower rims (17,19) of the skirts (13,15), and that the nozzles (61) are arranged to receive and distribute a lubricant (62), whereby the nozzles (61) distribute the lubricant (62) as a lubricating film (62) along the foundation walls (13,15) during the placing of the foundation.
- A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the bed foundation (1) is divided into separate chambers (25) of which several mutually pressure tight chambers are evenly distributed along the side of the bed foundation, and where different pressures or underpressures are established in different chambers (25) for righting the foundation during the establishing so that a moment about a substantially horizontal axis is induced.
- A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that vibration units (50) are detachably mounted on the bed foundation (1).
- A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that an overconsolidation may be established in the sea bed for limited periods in and around the foundation (1) by increasing the underpressure in the chambers (25,21) whereby the foundation temporarily may resist larger actions of force.
- A foundation for use in the method according to claim 1 and for offshore facilities, comprising a bed foundation for placing at the seabed and carrying a structure for supporting a facility above sea level, wherein the bed foundation (1) is hollow, downwardly open and provided with parallel or unidirectional sides, of which the side consist of a double wall construction which is made up of an outer skirt (13) and an inner skirt (15) concentric therewith and with a downwardly facing rim (17,19) on each skirt surrounding the formed opening which mainly extends in the same plane so that at least one pressure tight chamber (25) is formed, characterised in that a connection possibility for a pump to at least one pressure tight chamber (25) exists in the foundation, whereby fluidization of the bed material around and between the skirts (13,15) may be created and that on the lowermost edges of the rim (17,19) there is arranged a device (60) with evenly distributed nozzles (61) communicating with a supply device (63) for a lubricant (62).
- A foundation according to claim 5, characterised in that the rim is divided into separate chambers (25) of which several mutually pressure tight chambers (25) are evenly distributed along the periphery of the bed foundation.
- A foundation according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that vibration units (50) are detachably arranged on or around the foundation (1).
- A foundation according to claims 5 - 7, characterised in that the device (60) has greater dimension perpendicularly to the rim (17,19) than the thickness of the skirt material whereby the nozzles (61) are free and face opposite the direction of placing of the foundation (1).
- A foundation according to claim 5, characterised in that the bed foundation is designed with an annular jacket and with the pressure tight chambers provided at or externally of the jacket in the shape of mutually separated, vertically extending sections.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DKPA200000490 | 2000-03-23 | ||
DK200000490 | 2000-03-23 | ||
PCT/DK2001/000189 WO2001071105A1 (en) | 2000-03-23 | 2001-03-22 | Method for establishing a foundation in a seabed for an offshore facility and the foundation according to the method |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1268947A1 EP1268947A1 (en) | 2003-01-02 |
EP1268947B1 true EP1268947B1 (en) | 2008-01-02 |
Family
ID=8159369
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP01915111A Expired - Lifetime EP1268947B1 (en) | 2000-03-23 | 2001-03-22 | Method for establishing a foundation in a seabed for an offshore facility and the foundation according to the method |
Country Status (8)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1268947B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE382746T1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2001242311A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60132182T2 (en) |
DK (1) | DK1268947T3 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2299477T3 (en) |
PT (1) | PT1268947E (en) |
WO (1) | WO2001071105A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1507929B1 (en) | 2002-05-27 | 2008-03-05 | Vestas Wind System A/S | Methode of mounting a wind turbine, a wind turbine foundation anda wind turbine assembly |
DK175261B1 (en) * | 2003-04-04 | 2004-08-02 | Logima V Svend Erik Hansen | Vessel is for transporting windmill to offshore windmill park and involves windmill with base divided into at least three ballast tanks and at discharge point vessel |
US7234409B2 (en) | 2003-04-04 | 2007-06-26 | Logima V/Svend Erik Hansen | Vessel for transporting wind turbines, methods of moving a wind turbine, and a wind turbine for an off-shore wind farm |
LT2010718T (en) | 2006-04-10 | 2019-12-10 | Mbd Offshore Power As | Method of installing bucket foundation structure |
NO335586B1 (en) * | 2009-08-20 | 2015-01-05 | Compocean As | Suction anchors made of fiber-reinforced plastic |
DK177372B1 (en) | 2012-02-10 | 2013-02-25 | Universal Foundation As | Method of installing a foundation in the sea bed and such foundation |
KR200483528Y1 (en) * | 2012-11-21 | 2017-05-26 | 대우조선해양 주식회사 | Suction anchor for marine structure |
NO340424B1 (en) * | 2013-04-26 | 2017-04-18 | Ces Tech As | A suction anchor, a composite module segment for a suction anchor as well as a method for assembling such segments |
KR101584856B1 (en) * | 2013-07-17 | 2016-01-21 | 현대건설주식회사 | Suction Pile with inner support |
GB201407991D0 (en) | 2014-05-06 | 2014-06-18 | Renewable Hydrocarbons Ltd | Sub-sea piling |
DE102017115817A1 (en) * | 2017-07-13 | 2019-01-17 | Ramboll IMS Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH | Foundation for an offshore wind energy plant |
EP3444403A1 (en) | 2017-08-17 | 2019-02-20 | Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S | Segmented suction bucket |
CN110499777A (en) * | 2019-09-17 | 2019-11-26 | 大连理工大学 | A kind of novel nail type bottom hull basis |
GB2592892B (en) | 2019-12-20 | 2023-02-01 | Subsea 7 Norway As | Hollow Subsea Foundations |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB1451537A (en) * | 1974-04-01 | 1976-10-06 | Langner K E | Method of forming a subaqueous anchorage |
FR2486562A1 (en) * | 1980-07-09 | 1982-01-15 | Coyne Bellier Bureau Ingenieur | FOUNDATION DEVICE FOR STRUCTURE, SUCH AS A PLATFORM, INCLUDING SELF-LIFTING, BASED ON A SUB-MARINE BASE, AND PLATFORMS OF THIS TYPE |
SE445473B (en) * | 1984-11-09 | 1986-06-23 | Offshore Ab J & W | FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF BUSINESS PROVIDED FOR UNDERWATER USE AND APPLICATION OF THIS |
NO170596C (en) * | 1989-01-02 | 1992-11-04 | Norske Stats Oljeselskap | PROCEDURE FOR INSTALLATION OF SEARCHABLE PLATFORM FOR SEA |
NO176215B (en) * | 1992-09-24 | 1994-11-14 | Norske Stats Oljeselskap | Device for foundation of a timber structure or subsea installation at sea |
GB9308905D0 (en) * | 1993-04-29 | 1993-06-16 | Erbrich Carl T | Foundation with installation skirt device |
-
2001
- 2001-03-22 DK DK01915111T patent/DK1268947T3/en active
- 2001-03-22 PT PT01915111T patent/PT1268947E/en unknown
- 2001-03-22 AU AU2001242311A patent/AU2001242311A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-03-22 DE DE60132182T patent/DE60132182T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-03-22 ES ES01915111T patent/ES2299477T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-03-22 EP EP01915111A patent/EP1268947B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-03-22 AT AT01915111T patent/ATE382746T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2001-03-22 WO PCT/DK2001/000189 patent/WO2001071105A1/en active IP Right Grant
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
PT1268947E (en) | 2008-04-11 |
DE60132182T2 (en) | 2009-01-02 |
ES2299477T3 (en) | 2008-06-01 |
DK1268947T3 (en) | 2008-05-13 |
AU2001242311A1 (en) | 2001-10-03 |
EP1268947A1 (en) | 2003-01-02 |
DE60132182D1 (en) | 2008-02-14 |
WO2001071105A1 (en) | 2001-09-27 |
ATE382746T1 (en) | 2008-01-15 |
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