GB2570486A

GB2570486A - Assembly for protecting structures

Info

Publication number: GB2570486A
Application number: GB1801334.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Wickham Andrew
Original assignee: Buoyant Works Ltd
Current assignee: Buoyant Works Ltd
Priority date: 2018-01-26
Filing date: 2018-01-26
Publication date: 2019-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2038-01-26
Also published as: GB201801334D0; GB2570486B

Abstract

An assembly for protecting structures, preferably landing piles 6 of offshore wind turbines (4, Figure 1), having a first, preferably flexible and resilient inner member 20, which may be a sheet, with a first surface 22 extending over the surface of the structure to be protected and a second surface 24. There is a second member 30, which may be a flexible and resilient outer sheet, extending over the second surface 24 of the first member 20 and that is spaced apart from the second surface 24. There is also a support apparatus, which may be a flexible and resilient support sheet 40 with ribs 50, that extends between the first member 20 and second member 30. There is also an apparatus for protecting structures in which the first 20 and second 30 members have first and second hardness respectively, with the first hardness being greater than the second. Also provided is a method of transferring items between a vessel (9, Figure 1) and an offshore wind turbine (4, Figure 1).

Description

ASSEMBLY FOR PROTECTING STRUCTURES

The present invention relates to an assembly for protecting structures, for example the piles of offshore installations, such as wind turbines.

Many structures are constructed having members, including vertical members, such as columns or piles, that require protection, for example from impact damage. One such structure is a wind turbine, in particular off-shore wind turbines. Generally, off-shore wind turbines comprise a central tower or monopole provided with one or more members or piles extending vertically on the outside of the tower. The vertical members provide support, for example for a platform or provide protection for a turbine access ladder. More particularly, the vertical members provide a means for transferring personnel and equipment between the wind turbine and a vessel. In use, when it is desired to transfer personnel and/or equipment to and from the wind turbine, the vessel is manoeuvred to be in contact with one or more vertically extending members or landing piles. To ensure the vessel remains in contact with the landing piles, the vessel maintains thrust, forcing the vessel into contact with the piles, thereby reducing or overcoming the tendency of the vessel to move relative to the piles under the action of incident waves. As will be appreciated, this practice can lead to the landing piles experiencing significant impact forces from the vessel, in turn leading to damage of the piles. To reduce the damage caused to the landing piles, it is known to provide vessels with buffers or fenders to contact the piles. Such buffers or fenders also provide grip to hold the vessel in contact with the landing piles. However, landing piles are frequently damaged, particularly in heavy seas and require regular maintenance.

There is a need to reduce the damage caused to landing piles of wind turbine installations as a result of impacts from vessels. In particular, it would be advantageous if a way can be found to reduce the impact loadings applied by vessels to landing piles and the monopile. The reduction in loadings on the landing piles will also have a consequent effect in reducing the impact loadings on the vessels and the parts thereof. The reduction in damage would reduce the specific damage to paint and coatings on the landing piles and monopile, in turn reducing the need for maintenance and reducing the effects of corrosion on the structures.

It would also be advantageous if the amount of thrust required from the vessel to maintain contact between the vessel and the landing piles could be reduced, as this would reduce fuel consumption, in turn extending the operating window of the vessel, especially in marginal weather conditions. In addition, it would be advantageous if the level of grip between the vessel and the landing piles for any given amount of thrust applied by the vessel could be increased, providing a safer and more predictable connection during crew transfer operations.

It would also be advantageous if these problems could be solved in a way that is simple to install and requires little to no ongoing maintenance.

An assembly has now been found that offers significant improvements in the protection afforded to structures, such as the landing piles of offshore wind turbines.

According to the present invention, in a first aspect there is provided an assembly for protecting structures, the assembly comprising:

a first member having a first surface for extending over the surface of the structure to be protected and a second surface;

a second member extending over the second surface of the first member and spaced apart from the second surface; and a support assembly extending between the first member and the second member.

The assembly of the present invention may be used to provide protection to a wide range of structures. The assembly may be employed on any member of the structure requiring protection, including members extending vertically or horizontally. The assembly finds particular use in the protection of members of structures that are subject or vulnerable to impact. The assembly finds particular use in the protection of members of structures that are off-shore or adjacent bodies of water, in particular structures that are subject to impacts from water-borne vessels. A particularly advantageous use of the assembly of the present invention is to protect the exposed members of offshore wind turbine installations, in particular to protect landing piles of offshore wind turbines.

The members or portions of the structure that may be protected using the assembly of the present invention may have any shape or form. The members may be elongate, for example tubular. The members may have any desired crosssectional shape, for example circular.

The assembly comprises a first member. The first member is generally planar or sheet-like, having first and second major surfaces. In use, the first member extends across the outer surface of the structure to be protected with the first surface of the first member in contact with the outer surface of the structure.

The first member may be rigid. In this case, the first member is formed to match the contour of the outer surface of the structure to be protected. The first member is preferably formed from a flexible material, more preferably a resilient material. Suitable materials for forming the first member of the assembly include polymers, for example elastomers, including polyurethane elastomers, thermoplastics, including thermoplastic urethanes, and composites.

One particularly preferred material for forming the first member is polyurethane elastomer.

The first member may be of any suitable dimensions. The length and width of the first member will be determined by such factors as the area of the structure to be protected and the shape and size of the members of the structure on which the assembly is mounted. The thickness of the flexible member may be any suitable thickness to provide the required level of protection to the structure and its components. The thickness of the first member will depend upon such factors as the material from which the first member is formed.

In one preferred embodiment, the first member has a thickness of at least 2mm, preferably at least 3mm, more preferably at least 4mm, still more preferably at least 5mm, more preferably still at least 6mm. In one preferred embodiment, the first member has a thickness of up to 20mm, preferably up to 18mm, more preferably up to 16mm, still more preferably up to 14mm, more preferably still up to 12mm, especially up to 10mm. A thickness of from 6 to 10mm, preferably from 7 to 9mm is preferred for many embodiments. The first member has a thickness of about 8mm in one preferred embodiment.

The assembly comprises a second member. The second member is generally planar or sheet-like, having first and second major surfaces. The second member extends over the second surface of the first member. The second member is spaced apart from the first member and connected thereto by the support assembly, described in more detail below.

The second member may be rigid. In this case, the second member is formed to follow the contour of the outer surface of the structure to be protected. The second member is preferably formed from a flexible material, more preferably a resilient material. Suitable materials for forming the second member of the assembly include polymers, for example elastomers, including polyurethane elastomers, thermoplastics, including thermoplastic urethanes, and composites.

One particularly preferred material for forming the second member is polyurethane elastomer.

In one embodiment, the second member is formed from the same material as the first member. More preferably, the second member is formed from a different material than the material of the first member, as described in more detail below.

The second member may be of any suitable dimensions. The length and width of the second member will be determined by such factors as the area of the structure to be protected and the shape and size of the members of the structure on which the assembly is mounted. In one preferred embodiment, the second member overlies at least 80% of the area of the second surface of the first member, preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% of the area of the second surface of the first member.

The thickness of the second member may be any suitable thickness to provide the required level of protection to the structure and its components. The thickness of the second member will depend upon such factors as the material from which the second member is formed.

In one preferred embodiment, the second member has a thickness of at least 5mm, preferably at least 7mm, more preferably at least 9mm, still more preferably at least 11mm, more preferably still at least 13mm. In one preferred embodiment, the second member has a thickness of up to 30mm, preferably up to 26mm, more preferably up to 22mm, still more preferably up to 20mm, more preferably still up to 18mm, especially up to 16mm. A thickness of from 10 to 20mm, preferably from 12 to 18mm is preferred for many embodiments. The second member has a thickness of about 15mm in one preferred embodiment.

The first and second members may have the same thickness. Preferably, the first and second members are of different thickness, more preferably with the second member having a greater thickness than the first member.

In one preferred embodiment, the ratio of the thickness of the first member to the thickness of the second member is at least 1.2, preferably at least 1.4, more preferably at least 1.6, still more preferably at least 1.8. The ratio of the thickness of the first member to the thickness of the second member is preferably up to 3, more preferably up to 2.7, still more preferably up to 2.5, more preferably still up to 2.3, especially up to 2.1. A ratio of from 1.4 to 2.2, preferably from 1.6 to 2.0, more preferably from 1.7 to 1.9 is advantageous for many embodiments. A ratio of from 1.85 to 1.9, preferably about 1.875 is particularly suitable.

As noted above, the assembly of the present invention further comprises a support assembly. The support assembly is an energy absorbing structure and acts to absorb energy arising from forces applied to the assembly as a result of impacts by vessels. The support assembly may have any suitable form that is able to absorb the energy of impacts from vessels and the like.

A preferred form for the support assembly is one having openings or voids thereon, allowing the support assembly to be deformed, crushed or collapse under the action of a force incident on the assembly. The voids in the support assembly may be of any suitable shape. For example, the voids may be polygonal in crosssection, preferably rectangular or, in one preferred embodiment, triangular. In one preferred embodiment, the voids are elongate and preferably extend longitudinally or laterally between the first and second members. In one preferred embodiment, the voids extend longitudinally along part or all of the length of the assembly.

The support assembly may be rigid. The support assembly is preferably flexible, most preferably resilient and thereby able to return to its original form once the incident force has been removed.

In one preferred embodiment, the support assembly has a form and/or is arranged to provide a support arrangement that is compressible and provides an increasing resistance to a compression force as the support arrangement is compressed.

Suitable materials for forming the support assembly include polymers, for example elastomers, including polyurethane elastomers, thermoplastics, including thermoplastic urethanes, and composites.

One particularly preferred material for forming the support assembly is polyurethane elastomer.

In one embodiment, the support assembly is formed from the same material as the second member. This allows the second member and the support assembly to be formed as a single component, for example by extrusion or moulding.

In one embodiment, the support assembly comprises a foam structure. Suitable foams for use in the support assembly are known in the art and include polyurethane foams and polyolefin foams, such as polyethylene and polypropylene foams.

In one preferred embodiment, the support assembly comprises a plurality of supports extending between the first member and the second member. In this way, the first and second members are held in a spaced apart relationship, with the position of the second member relative to the first member being fixed by the supports.

In use, with the assembly installed on a structure, the outer surface of the assembly is provided by a surface of the second member and it is against this outer surface that impact forces are applied. Under the action of an impact force, the nature of the second member and the supports allows the assembly to partially collapse, with a portion of the second member moving towards the first member, thereby absorbing energy from the impact.

The supports may be rigid. The supports are preferably flexible so as to be deformable under the action of an impact force applied to the assembly, more preferably resilient, allowing the assembly to return to its original form after an impact.

The supports may have any suitable form. In one preferred embodiment, as noted above, the supports have a form and/or are arranged to provide a support arrangement that is compressible and provides an increasing resistance to a compression force as the support arrangement is compressed. In this way, the supports and the assembly provide an increasing resistance to an impact force as the assembly deforms under the action of the incident force. This support arrangement may be achieved, for example, by having each support member tapered and/or by having adjacent support members to be in a tapered arrangement, such as a V-shaped or triangular arrangement.

In one preferred embodiment, each support is in the form of a rib extending between the first member and the second member. The ribs may have any suitable length. In one preferred embodiment, one or more, preferably all, ribs extend from one end or side of the assembly to the opposing end or side. For example, in the case of an assembly to be mounted to a vertical member of a structure to be protected, the ribs are preferably arranged to extend vertically in use, more preferably extending from the lowermost side or end of the assembly to the uppermost side or end.

Each support may extend between the first and second members perpendicular to both of the first and second members. More preferably, each support extends at angle to the first and second members such that an included angle between the support and a line perpendicular to the first and second members is acute. Preferably, the included angle is at least 10°, more preferably at least 15°, still more preferably at least 20°, more preferably still at least 25°, especially at least 30°. Preferably, the included angle is up to 50°, more preferably up to 45°, still more preferably up to 40°. An included angle of from 30° to 40° is particularly preferred, especially about 35°.

The angle of each support is selected to provide the assembly with the desired properties to deform under the action of an impacting force and preferably return to its original form.

The supports may all extend at the same or different angles to the first and second members.

In one preferred embodiment, adjacent supports extend at opposing angles, whereby adjacent supports are arranged in a V-shape, as noted above. The angle of the V-shape between adjacent supports may be selected to provide the required deformation characteristics of the supports and resistance to an impact force. The angle is preferably greater than 50°, more preferably greater than 55°, still more preferably greater than 60°. The angle may be up to 85°, preferably up to 80°, still more preferably up to 75°. An angle of from 65° to 75° is preferred, with an angle of about 70° being particularly advantageous in many embodiments.

In one preferred embodiment, each support is arranged to form a V-shape with each adjacent support, with the V-shapes alternating in direction. In this way, the supports define a plurality of alternating triangular cavities between adjacent supports.

Each support may have a uniform thickness along its span between the first and second members. Preferably, each support is tapered, such that its thickness varies along the span between the first and second members. More preferably, each support is tapered and has its end portion closest to the first member of a lower thickness than the end portion closest to the second member. The taper on each support can be expressed in terms of the angle between opposing sides of the support. Preferably, the angle is at least 2°, more preferably at least 3°, still more preferably at least 4°, more preferably still at least 5°, especially at least 6°. The angle is preferably up to 12°, more preferably up to 10°, still more preferably up to 9°, more preferably still up to 8°. An angle from 6° to 9° is particularly suitable, preferably from 7° to 8°, especially about 7.5°.

The supports may have any suitable thickness to provide the required resistance to an impact force. In one preferred embodiment, each support has a thickness at its widest part of at least 4mm, preferably at least 6mm, more preferably at least 7mm, still more preferably at least 8mm, more preferably still at least 9mm. In one preferred embodiment, the second member has a thickness of up to 25mm, preferably up to 20mm, more preferably up to 17mm, still more preferably up to 15mm, more preferably still up to 14mm, especially up to 12mm. A thickness of from 5 to 15mm, preferably from 7 to 12mm is preferred for many embodiments. The second member has a thickness of about 10mm in one preferred embodiment.

In one embodiment, the supports of the support assembly extend from the second surface of the first member to the second member. In a preferred embodiment, the support assembly comprises a support member overlying the second surface of the first member. The support member is preferably spaced apart from the second member, with a support material therebetween, for example a foam or with each support extending from the support member to the second member.

The support member is general planar or sheet-like, having first and second major surfaces. The support member may be rigid. The support member is preferably formed from a flexible material, more preferably a resilient material.

Suitable materials for forming the support member of the assembly include polymers, for example elastomers, including polyurethane elastomers, thermoplastics, including thermoplastic urethanes, and composites.

One particularly preferred material for forming the support member is polyurethane elastomer.

In one embodiment, the support member is formed from the same material as the supports. This allows the support member and the plurality of supports to be formed as a single component, for example by extrusion or moulding. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the second member, the plurality of supports and the support member are all formed from the same material. This allows the second member, the plurality of supports and the support member to be formed as a single component, for example by extrusion or moulding.

The support member may be of any suitable dimensions. The length and width of the support member will be determined by such factors as the area of the structure to be protected and the shape and size of the members of the structure on which the assembly is mounted. In one preferred embodiment, the support member overlies at least 80% of the area of the second surface of the first member, preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% of the area of the second surface of the first member.

The thickness of the support member may be any suitable thickness to provide the required level of protection to the structure and its components. The thickness of the support member will depend upon such factors as the material from which the support member is formed.

In one preferred embodiment, the support member has a thickness of at least 5mm, preferably at least 7mm, more preferably at least 9mm, still more preferably at least 11mm, more preferably still at least 13mm. In one preferred embodiment, the support member has a thickness of up to 40mm, preferably up to 35mm, more preferably up to 30mm, still more preferably up to 25mm, more preferably still up to 20mm. A thickness of from 5 to 40mm, preferably from 7 to 35mm is preferred for many embodiments. The support member has a thickness of about 15mm in one preferred embodiment.

As noted above, it is particularly preferred that the first member and the second member are formed from different materials. As noted above, it is preferred that components of the assembly formed from the same material are formed together as a single component, for example by moulding or extrusion. The components formed of different materials are bonded together.

Forming the first member and the second member from different materials allows the properties of these members to be selected independently. In particular, it is preferred that the hardness of the first member is different to the hardness of the second member, more preferably with the first member having a greater hardness than the second member. In this way, the second member can be provided to absorb the energy of an impact force, for example by flexing and moving to compress or deform with the support assembly, while the first member can act as a shield to protect the underlying structure.

The first member may have a Shore A hardness of greater than 70, preferably greater than 75, more preferably greater than 80, still more preferably greater than 85. The Shore A hardness of the first member may be up to 120, preferably up to 110, more preferably up to 105, still more preferably up to 100. A Shore A hardness of about 95 is particularly preferred. The first member may have a Shore D hardness of from 45, preferably from 60, more preferably from 70, still more preferably up to 80.

The second member may have a Shore A hardness of greater than 50, preferably greater than 55, more preferably greater than 60, still more preferably greater than 65. The Shore A hardness of the second member may be up to 95, preferably up to 90, more preferably up to 85, still more preferably up to 80. A Shore A hardness of about 75 is particularly preferred.

The ratio of the Shore A hardness of the first member to the Shore A hardness of the second member is preferably at least 1.1, more preferably at least 1.15, still more preferably at least 1.2, more preferably still at least 1.25. The ratio of the Shore A hardness of the first member to the Shore A hardness of the second member is preferably up to 1.5, more preferably up to 1.45, still more preferably up to 1.4. A ratio of from 1.2 to 1.4 is preferred, in particular a ratio of from 1.25 to 1.35, with a ratio of about 1.27 being especially preferred for many embodiments.

As noted, a particularly advantage assembly is one having the first member having a first hardness and the second member having a second hardness, with the first hardness being greater than the second hardness.

Accordingly, in a further aspect, the present invention provides an assembly for protecting structures, the assembly comprising:

a first member having a first surface for extending over the surface of the structure to be protected and a second surface; and a second member extending over the second surface of the first member surface;

wherein the first member has a first hardness and the second member has a second hardness, the first hardness being greater than the second hardness.

The materials of the first and second members and their properties are as described above.

The second member is preferably spaced apart from the second surface of the first member, more preferably by a support assembly as hereinbefore described, in particular a support assembly comprising a plurality of supports extending between the first and second members, again as described above.

The assembly of the present invention is attached or mounted to a structure or parts thereof to be protected. The assembly may be attached or mounted to the structure or parts thereof in any suitable manner. In one preferred embodiment, the assembly is attached to the structure to be protected by one or more straps or bands, preferably with the straps or bands extending around the structure or a member thereof. Suitable straps and bands are known in the art and include nylon bands. One suitable commercial product for attaching the assembly to a structure to be protected or a part thereof are the Smart® Bands available from HCL Fasteners Ltd.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a structure comprising an assembly as hereinbefore described attached to at least a part of the structure.

As noted above, the assembly of the present invention may be used to protect a wide range of structures. The assembly finds particular use in the protection of structures adjacent or in bodies of water, including marine and off-shore structures. The assembly offers particular advantages in the protection of off-shore wind turbine structures, in particular the parts thereof that may be contacted by vessels, including but not limited to crew transfer vessels, especially landing piles of the off-shore wind turbine.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a general view of an offshore wind turbine structure comprising landing piles having an assembly of the present invention mounted thereto;

Figure 2 is a first perspective view of the landing piles of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the landing piles of Figure 2 in the direction of the arrow

III; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the landing pile and assembly of Figure 3 along the line IV-IV.

Turning first to Figure 1, there is shown a view of an offshore wind turbine installation, generally indicated as 2. The installation comprises a tower or monopole 4 of known configuration having mounted to the exterior thereof a plurality of vertical, cylindrical landing piles 6. Each landing pile 6 is provided with an assembly 8 of the present invention, as shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3.

In use, when personnel and/or equipment are required to landed on or removed from the installation 2, a crew transfer vessel 9 is manoeuvred against the landing piles 6. The engines of the vessel are operated to maintain thrust to hold the vessel against the piles 6. The vessel is positioned to be in contact with the assembly 8 of each landing pile 6. In this way, the assembly 8 provides protection for the landing pile 6 against damage from the vessel.

As shown in Figure 3, each assembly 8 is attached to its respective landing pile 6 by a plurality of bands 10, in particular Smart® Bands available commercially from HCL Fasteners Ltd.

Turning to Figure 4, there shown a cross-sectional view of an assembly 8 in position around a landing pile 6. The assembly 8 comprises a first flexible member in the form of an inner sheet 20 having a first or inner surface 22 in contact with the outer surface of the landing pile 6 and a second or outer surface 24. The inner sheet 20 is formed from polyurethane having a Shore A hardness of 95 and has a thickness of 8mm. The inner sheet 20 overlies a major portion of the outer circumference of the landing pile 6.

The assembly 8 further comprises a second flexible member in the form of an outer sheet 30. The outer sheet 30 extends across the second surface 24 of the inner sheet 20 and is spaced apart therefrom. The outer sheet 30 is formed from polyurethane having a Shore A hardness of 75 and has a thickness of 15mm.

A flexible support member in the form of a support sheet 40 extends over and is in contact with the second surface 24 of the inner sheet 20. The support sheet 40 has a thickness of 10 to 15mm.

A plurality of supports in the form of ribs 50 extend from the support sheet 40 to the outer sheet 30. Each rib 50 extends between the inner sheet 20 and the outer sheet 30 in a longitudinal direction, so as to be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the landing pile 6. Adjacent ribs 50 are parallel. Other orientations of the ribs 50 may also be employed.

The ribs 50 and the support sheet 40 are formed from the same polyurethane material as the outer sheet 30 and are formed integrally with the outer sheet 30 as a single component, for example by moulding or extrusion. The support sheet 40 is fused or bonded to the inner sheet 20.

Each rib 50 is tapered in the direction extending from the support sheet 40 to the outer sheet 30, with the widest portion of the rib being adjacent the outer sheet 30 and the narrowest portion or the rib being adjacent the support sheet 40. The angle a of the taper of each rib is 7.5°, as indicated in Figure 4. Each rib 50 is 10mm thick at its thickest portion.

Adjacent ribs 50 extend between the support sheet 40 and the outer sheet 30 at an angle to the line perpendicular to the sheets (that is a radial line as viewed in Figure 4), so as to form a V-shape. The angle β of each rib 50 to the perpendicular line is 35°, as indicated in Figure 4, giving an angle of 70° between adjacent ribs 50. The ribs 50 are arranged to have each rib in a V-shaped arrangement with each adjacent rib, thereby defining a plurality of alternating triangular cavities between the adjacent ribs, when viewed in cross-section as shown in Figure 4.

In use, the assembly 8 is attached to the landing piles 6 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the assembly 8 is subject to an impact, for example from a crew transfer vessel as described above, the outer sheet 30, the ribs 50 and, in the case of higher impact forces, the support sheet 40 deform under the action of the impacting force, thereby absorbing energy from the impact. As the ribs 50 are compressed and deform under the action of the incident force, the arrangement of the ribs 50 in a plurality of V-shapes provides increasing resistance to deformation and compression. This in turn reduces or eliminates any force from the impact 5 being transferred to the landing pile 6. The harder inner sheet 20 acts to prevent the entire assembly deforming and provides a shield protecting the landing pile 6.

The dimensions of the inner sheet 20, outer sheet 30, the support sheet 40, the number, size and angle of the ribs, and the materials of construction can be varied to provide resistance against the expected impact forces of a given io installation.

Claims

1. An assembly for protecting structures, the assembly comprising:

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first member is flexible.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first member is resilient.

4. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the first member is formed from a polyurethane elastomer.

5. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the first member has a thickness of from 4 to 18mm.

6. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the second member is flexible.

7.

The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the second member is resilient.

8. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the second member is formed from a polyurethane elastomer.

9. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the second member has a thickness of from 7 to 26mm.

10. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the second member has a greater thickness than the first member.

11. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein the ratio of the thickness of the second member to the first member is from 1.2 to 3.

12. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support assembly has a plurality of voids therein.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the voids are triangular in crosssection.

14. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support assembly is flexible.

15. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the support assembly is resilient.

16. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support assembly is compressible and provides an increasing resistance to a compression force as the support arrangement is compressed.

17. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support assembly comprises a foam.

18. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support assembly comprises a plurality of supports extending between the first member and the second member.

19. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein each support is tapered and/or adjacent supports are in a tapered arrangement.

20. The assembly according to claim 19, wherein each support is tapered, such that its thickness varies along the span between the first and second members.

21. The assembly according to claim 20, wherein the taper on each support expressed in terms of the angle between opposing sides of the support is from 2 to 12°.

22. The assembly according to any of claims 18 to 21, wherein adjacent supports are in a V-shaped arrangement.

23. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein the angle of the V between adjacent supports is from 50 to 75°.

24. The assembly according to either of claims 22 or 23, wherein each support is arranged to form a V-shape with each adjacent support, with the V-shapes alternating in direction, whereby the supports define a plurality of alternating triangular cavities between adjacent supports.

25. The assembly according to any of claims 18 to 24, wherein each support is in the form of a rib extending between the first member and the second member.

26. The assembly according to any of claims 18 to 25, wherein each support extends at angle to the first and second members such that an included angle between the support and a line perpendicular to the first and second members is acute.

27. The assembly according to any of claims 18 to 26, wherein each support has a thickness of from 4 to 25mm.

28. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support assembly comprises a support member overlying the second surface of the first member.

29. The assembly according to claim 28, wherein the support member is spaced apart from the second member.

30. The assembly according to either of claims 28 or 29, wherein the support member is flexible.

31. The assembly according to claim 30, wherein the support member is resilient.

32. The assembly according to any of claims 28 to 31, wherein the support member is formed from a polyurethane elastomer.

33. The assembly according to any of claims 28 to 32, wherein the second member has a thickness of from 7 to 35mm.

34. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support assembly is formed from the same material as the second member.

35. The assembly according to claim 34, wherein the support assembly and the second member are formed as a single component.

36. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the Shore A Hardness of the material of the first member is from 70 to 120.

37. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the Shore A Hardness of the second member is from 50 to 95.

38. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the first member and the second member are formed from different materials.

39. The assembly according to claim 38, wherein the hardness of the first member is greater than the hardness of the second member.

40. The assembly according to claim 39, wherein the ratio of the hardness of the material of the first member to the hardness of the material of the second member is from 1.1 to 1.5.

41. An assembly for protecting structures, the assembly comprising:

42. The assembly according to claim 41, wherein the Shore A Hardness of the material of the first member is from 70 to 120.

43. The assembly according to either of claims 41 or 42, wherein the Shore A Hardness of the second member is from 50 to 95.

44. The assembly according to any of claims 41 to 43, wherein the ratio of the hardness of the material of the first member to the hardness of the material of the second member is from 1.1 to 1.5.

45. The assembly according to any of claims 41 to 44, further comprising a support assembly disposed between the first and second members.

46. A structure comprising one or members, a member of the structure having an assembly according to any preceding claim mounted thereto.

47. The structure according to claim 46, wherein the member extends substantially vertically.

48. The structure according to either of claims 46 or 47, wherein the structure is adjacent or in a body of water.

49. The structure according to claim 48, being a wind turbine.

50. The structure according to claim 48, wherein the member is a landing pile of the wind turbine.

51. The use of an assembly according to any of claims 1 to 45 in the protection of a member of a structure.

52. The use according to claim 51, wherein the member is a landing pile of an offshore wind turbine.

53. A method of transferring items between a vessel and an offshore wind turbine, the method comprising:

providing a landing pile of the wind turbine with an assembly according to any of claims 1 to 45 on its outer surface;

5 manoeuvring the vessel into contact with the assembly; and applying thrust from the vessel to maintain the vessel in contact with the assembly.