NL2008169C2 - HEI DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE APPLICATION THEREOF - Google Patents

Description

HEI DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE APPLICATION THEREOF

The invention relates to a pile-driving device, and more particularly to a pile-driving device suitable for offshore activities.

In addition, the invention relates to a method for driving a pile downwards into a substrate with such a pile-driving device.

Disadvantages of existing pile-driving devices, in particular for offshore pile-driving, are that such pile-driving devices are very heavy structures. In offshore applications, these are operated by large vessels with heavy cranes fitted on them. The piles are driven into the ground one by one.

The pile-driving itself usually takes place by causing a fall block which forms part of a pile-driving block to fall on the pile from some height, through the intervention of a striking plate. Typical properties of such a hammer for striking a 'monopile' for offshore wind turbines are a length of approximately 15 m and a mass of approximately 140 tonnes (with a fall block of 60 tonnes), as well as an associated pickguard of about 150-200 tons. The impact of the falling crash block drives a pile into the ground, but is accompanied by a considerable noise production. This noise production is undesirable, particularly with offshore activities, since noise in the water is very distant and can therefore disrupt underwater life up to a great distance from the salvation location.

An object of the present invention is to provide a Pile driving device and method for its application, wherein the disadvantages mentioned do not occur, or at least to a lesser extent.

Said object has been achieved with the pile-driving device according to the invention, comprising: 2 - a supporting member arranged in transverse direction on or on a pile pile; - at least one flexible member located above and near the support member that encloses a combustion space with variable volume; - an ignition mechanism which is adapted to ignite a fuel present in the combustion space 10; and - wherein the combustion space is adapted to expand during ignition such that a medium above the support member is displaced at least in an upward direction therefrom and thereby a downward force is exerted on the pile via the support member.

The operating principle is based on Newton's third law: "action = reaction". In other words: if an object A exerts a force on an object B, this force is accompanied by an equally large but opposite directed force from B to A. During expansion, the combustion space (object A) exerts a force on what is above it medium (reaction mass B). According to Newton's third law, the reaction mass (B) exerts an equally large, but oppositely directed (downward) force on the combustion space (A). Because the combustion space is above and near the support member, the reaction force exerted on the combustion space by the reaction mass will be transferred via the support member to the pile. The pile therefore experiences a downward force via the support member, which according to the invention is used for driving the pile downwards into the ground.

3

In addition, the medium moved upwards during expansion of the combustion space will fall down again and collide with the support member, where it again exerts a downward force on the pile via the support member. This operating principle corresponds to the operation of conventional pile-driving machines, whereby a crash block is dropped onto the pile from any height.

Because according to the invention no conventional pile-driving machine is required, a plurality of piles can be driven into a pile almost simultaneously. The driving of several piles for a wind farm at sea can hereby take place in a significantly reduced period of time, which is particularly advantageous for underwater life, which is exposed to noise nuisance as a result of the driving for a much shorter period of time.

In contrast to the typical steel-on-steel impact noise of conventional pile driving, the pile driving process according to the invention is accompanied by another type of noise that is less harmful to underwater life.

A further advantage of being superfluous of a conventional pile-driving machine is that such a heavy construction with correspondingly suitable vessel is superfluous. It is sufficient to place a pile with a crane suitable for this purpose and a vessel suitable for this purpose and only partially driven into the ground, after which the vessel can be replaced with a crane for a smaller vessel. This is particularly advantageous since considerable costs are associated with operating such a large vessel with a conventional pile-driving machine.

Ground piling can occur after pile-driving. It needs time to work out, after which it can be nourished to be able to derive sufficient bearing capacity from the pile. Whereas with a conventional pile-driving technique a large vessel must wait for this effect of the groundwater overvoltage, this is redundant in the pile-driving system according to the invention.

If desired, a small vessel remains behind to give a few after-shocks via the operating principle of the invention, but it is also conceivable that this will take place completely autonomously after some time. For this purpose, it is sufficient that sufficient fuel is present.

The supporting member arranged transversely to the pile according to the invention provides the pile-driving device with an increased bearing capacity when said supporting member is driven onto the underlying ground package. This high load-bearing capacity is derived from the support member which under additional load - in addition to the point resistance and shaft frictional resistance present for each pile - experiences an additional resistance of the ground package being pressed.

According to a preferred embodiment, the flexible member located above the support member comprises a flexible membrane which, together with the support member, encloses the combustion space with variable volume.

Although it is conceivable that the flexible member situated above the support member encloses itself a combustion space with variable volume, such as a sinkable bag-like body, this combustion space is preferably enclosed by the support member and the flexible member together.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the medium located above the support member is separated from the surroundings by a partition wall. Because the medium is in the driven pile and is therefore at least closed off by the wall of the driven pile from the water outside the driven pile, only this medium is displaced as a result of the expansion of the combustion space. Because the displaced medium is isolated from the environment, a shock wave in the surrounding water is prevented. During the pile-driving activities, shock waves that are harmful to aquatic life are thus prevented.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the pile driving device is integrated in the pile, and the separating wall separating the medium above the supporting member from the surroundings is the wall of the pile. Because the pile-driving device is integrated into the pile-driving pile, several piles can be driven into water virtually simultaneously, as a result of which the underwater life is exposed to noise nuisance due to the pile-driving for a much shorter period of time.

According to an alternative preferred embodiment, the pile is slidably received in a post of a truss construction, and the supporting member arranged on the pile is fixed in or on the pile, the partition wall separating the medium above the supporting member from the surroundings pile and / or the wall of the upright of the truss structure.

For locations with a water depth of more than 25 meters, it is customary to use special frames, also called 'space frames'. These half-timbered structures transfer the forces to the seabed via a number of posts, in order to minimize the mass / rigidity ratio. A disadvantage of such trusses is that each pile must be driven separately or each pile must be anchored separately, which, with the conventional pile-driving devices, costs a working time proportional to the number of piles. According to the invention, by incorporating the driven pile extendably in a post of the truss construction (or 6 "space frame"), this truss can be sunk on the seabed, whereafter the driven pile from the truss can be pivoted downwards into the seabed. Because no conventional pile-driving device is required, according to the invention, the different pile-driving piles can be driven into the substrate almost simultaneously. In the system according to the invention, the working time is therefore disproportionate with the number of piles: the piling of three piles takes almost as long as the piling of a single piling pile. This is particularly advantageous for underwater life, which is exposed to noise nuisance as a result of the pile driving for a much shorter period of time.

The system according to the invention is therefore capable of piling pre-assembled constructions - the foundation of which is already attached to the windmill, if desired. Such a structure can be driven in and sunk before the structure is driven.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the medium located above the support member is water. 20 In particular with offshore pile driving, there is an abundance of water, making the inclusion of an alternative medium redundant. A further advantage of water is its high heat transfer coefficient, whereby a rapid discharge and distribution of the heat released during combustion takes place.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the flexible membrane is made of rubber. Rubber can provide the flexible membrane with the desired stretchability and is surprisingly resistant to the temperatures occurring during combustion if a medium with a sufficiently high heat transfer coefficient, such as water, is used as the reaction mass.

7

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the pile-driving device further comprises a fuel supply channel for introducing fuel into the combustion space, and a combustion product discharge channel for discharging combustion products after ignition. Because the combustion space can be filled with fuel and can be emptied from combustion products in a short time, the system is suitable for a series of successive ignition processes in a relatively short period of time.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, at least one closure is provided which, together with the support member and the partition wall, encloses a substantially gas-tight volume, and wherein furthermore a pump is provided for bringing it into and / or out of the substantially gas-tight volume. of a fluid.

The fluid is preferably air and / or water, whereby with the aid of the fluid air a pre-pressure can be applied in the substantially gas-tight sealed space, and the fluid water provides a reaction mass.

A pile driven into the ground experiences a total pile resistance that is the sum of the point resistance and the shaft frictional resistance. Depending on parameters such as the soil type, length of the pile and the shape of the pile, both resistances and thus the total pile resistance vary. By influencing the amount of water and air present in the substantially gas-tight volume with the pump, the pressure build-up profile can be optimized to the pile-driving force desired at that moment. Control means that determine the desired pile-driving force for a specific set of parameters can control the pump accordingly. It has been found experimentally that with only 5 meters of water column when applying a pre-pressure, a peak pressure of 10-15 bar can already be realized. Higher peak pressures can be achieved with a higher water column.

The farther the pile is driven into the subsoil, the stronger it is. In particular, the shaft frictional resistance also increases as the underground length increases. However, because the pile is becoming more solid, more and more reaction mass in the form of a water column can also be carried therein. Due to the increase in the sturdiness of the pile, as a result of which a higher center of gravity of the pile is permissible without the stability being at stake.

The point resistance and / or the shaft frictional resistance can also be reduced by introducing a liquid during the pile driving in, for instance at the head of the pile or along the wall of the pile. An example of such a liquid is grout, a mixture of cement with water. When this grout subsequently hardens, better adhesion of pile and soil is also obtained, so that ultimately the bearing capacity is higher than if this pile would have been driven without this liquid.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, several combustion spaces with variable volume are enclosed between the support member and one or more flexible membranes. By using multiple combustion rooms, the system becomes more flexible to use. For example, it is possible to optimally coordinate successive ignition processes. On the one hand, it is conceivable that a subsequent combustion space is already filled with fuel, while a combustion space just ignited must still be stripped of the combustion products contained therein. On the other hand, when the reaction mass is raised upwards in a previous combustion, the following combustion can take place in such a way that the pressure build-up is optimized for the pile-driving resistance to be overcome at that moment.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, at least two ignition mechanisms are provided which are adapted to selectively ignite the fuel in one or more predetermined combustion spaces. By selectively igniting one or more predetermined combustion spaces, the pile can be exposed to an asymmetrical load. This makes it possible to steer the pile in such a way that it is possible to correct for a possible tilt.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the plurality of combustion spaces are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the pile.

Such an arrangement provides the possibility - depending on the simultaneous or correct selective ignition of the combustion spaces - to exert both a symmetrical and an asymmetrical load on the pile 20.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, control means are provided which are adapted to inject additional fuel into a combustion space during the combustion of the fuel and / or to vary the moment of ignition. This makes it possible to optimize the pressure build-up profile to the desired pile-driving force at that moment. Control means that determine the desired towing force for a specific set of parameters can control injection of additional fuel accordingly.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, a flexible membrane is provided on both the top and bottom of the support member which, together with the support member, encloses a combustion space with variable volume. If a supporting member is arranged in the pile, this can also be used to drive the pile out of the substrate when the supporting structure is dismantled. By providing the underside of the support member with a flexible membrane in addition to the top side 5, which together with the support member encloses a combustion space with variable volume, the pile can be driven out of the subsurface with the same principle as with which it is driven into the subsurface. With a substantially gas-tight connection of the support member to the inner wall of the pile, this expulsion can be effected, for example, or supported by means of a pressure build-up in the volume enclosed by the inner wall of the pile, the support member, and the seabed.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, an opening is provided in the wall of the pile under the support member. It is noted that 'below' refers to the orientation during the pile-driving process, that is to say that the opening is made in the wall part between the support member and the substrate in which the pile is driven. By providing a hole with a certain size (variable or non-variable) under the support member, the outflow speed of the liquid that is under the support member can be regulated. In this way, the sinking speed of the pile can also be limited as a result of a blow. This makes it easier to position the pile using a crane, since there is a risk of 'breaking into the wire' during normal pile driving. "Punching in the wire" refers to a situation where the pile continues to travel an unforeseen large distance, such that the fully available play is exceeded and a large shock load can be transferred to the 11 lifting means of the crane. Such a shock load is undesirable and can cause serious damage to the crane.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the opening is variable, and control means are provided with which the size of the opening can be controlled. This makes the sinking speed of the pile even more controllable.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the combustion space is in gas communication with an underpressure space which is adapted to suck combustion products released during the combustion from the combustion space. By means of an underpressure, the combustion products released during combustion are sucked out of the combustion space in a very short time. As a result, the combustion products can be removed before the medium displaced by the combustion in the upward direction falls back and collides with the supporting member again.

Because the falling medium does not land on a 'gas spring' but really '' strikes '' on the support member, the downward force exerted on the support member by this falling medium can be used almost completely for driving downwards into the substrate. the pile.

The invention further relates to a method for driving a pile downwards into a substrate, comprising the steps of: - igniting a fuel above or on a pile supporting or attachable to a pile, a fuel; - wherein this fuel is located in a flexible member located above the support member which encloses a combustion space with variable volume and expands during ignition; 12 - displacing a medium above it by expanding the combustion space in an upward direction away from the support member; and - driving the driven pile downwards into the ground by the reaction force exerted on the pile.

According to a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: - introducing fuel through a fuel supply channel into the combustion space of the flexible member; - igniting the fuel in the flexible member with the ignition mechanism; - the removal of combustion products after combustion through a combustion product discharge channel; and - repeating these steps in order to drive the pile into the ground stepwise.

According to a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of injecting additional fuel into the combustion space during the combustion of the fuel. This makes it possible to optimize the pressure build-up profile to the desired pile-driving force at that moment.

Control means determining the desired pile-driving force for a specific set of parameters, if desired, controls the injection of additional fuel accordingly.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method, at least one closure is provided which, together with the support member and a partition wall, encloses a substantially gas-tight volume, and the method comprising the step of introducing a pump into and / or out of the substantially gas-tight volume of a fluid. By influencing with 13 the pump the amount of water and air present in the substantially gas-tight volume, the pressure build-up profile can be optimized to the desired pile-driving force at that moment.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the fluid is air which effects a pre-pressure.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the fluid is water that provides a reaction mass.

According to a further preferred embodiment, several combustion spaces with variable volume are enclosed between the flexible membrane and the support member, and the method comprises the step of selectively igniting the fuel in one or more predetermined combustion spaces. By using multiple combustion spaces, the system becomes more flexible to use.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the pile is extendably received in a post of a truss construction, and the method further comprises the steps of: - placing the truss construction at a desired location; and - driving the pile pile stepwise out of the upright of the truss structure into the subsurface in order to anchor the truss structure with respect to the subsurface.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the pile is driven into the substrate to such a depth that the supporting member exerts a pressure on the substrate enclosed by the pile. In addition to the point resistance and shaft frictional resistance present for each pile, the pile experiences an additional resistance of the ground package which is pressed down in the downward direction. This increases the carrying capacity of this pile.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the combustion space is in gas communication with an underpressure space, and the method comprises the step of sucking the combustion products formed therein from the combustion space almost immediately after a combustion, so that these combustion products at least substantially consist of the combustion space have been removed before the medium displaced by the combustion in the upward direction falls back and collides with the support member again.

In the following description, preferred embodiments of the present invention are further explained with reference to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1: a representation of an offshore windmill on a single pole construction;

Figure 2: a schematic representation of the operating principle; Figure 3: a detailed sectional view of the support member of the device shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4: a schematic representation of four successive stages of the pile-driving process of the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5; a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the pile-driving device according to the invention;

6; a representation of an offshore windmill on a 'space frame' construction; Figure 7: a detailed sectional view of the device shown in Figure 6, wherein the pile is slidably received in the 'space frame'; 15

Figure 8: a schematic representation of four successive stages of the pile-driving process of the construction shown in Figures 6 and 7;

Figure 9: a detailed perspective view of the device shown in Figure 7;

Figure 10: an exploded perspective view of the device shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11: a schematic top view of a preferred arrangement of a plurality of 10 combustion spaces;

Figure 12: a schematic representation of four successive stages of the pile-driving process with a further preferred embodiment of a pile-driving device according to the invention; and Figure 13: a schematic representation of four successive stages of the pile-driving process with a still further preferred embodiment of a pile-driving device according to the invention.

The offshore windmill 26 shown in figure 1 relates to a so-called single-pole (or 'monopile') construction and comprises a pile 2 that is stuck into the subsurface 30 below the water level 28.

The operating principle of securing the windmill construction 26 shown in figure 1 is schematically shown in figure 2 with the aid of the stages A, B and C. In the pile pile 2 a supporting member 4 is arranged which is located directly above a flexible member 6.

The flexible member 6 encloses a combustion space 8 that is filled with a fuel. When this fuel 30 burns, the flexible member 6 will expand in a very short time, as a result of which the medium 32 located above the supporting member 4 and flexible member 6 is moved upwardly away from the supporting member 4.

16

Although other media are also suitable, the abundantly available medium of water is preferably used offshore. At stage B, the water column 32 is displaced in upward direction by the expansion of the flexible member 6.

It is noted that the operating principle in Figure 2 is shown enlarged. According to Newton's third law, the upward movement of the water column 32 is accompanied by an equally large and oppositely directed reaction force 10, which causes the pile 2 to move downwards.

The water column 32 driven upwards will then descend again onto the support member 4 where it exerts a further downwardly directed force on the pile 2. At stage C the pile 2 has already been driven downwards into the ground 30 over some downward distance.

Although it is conceivable that in each case a fuel is sunk in a flexible member 6 suitable for this purpose up to or close to the support member 4, it is particularly advantageous to have the flexible member 6 and the support member 4 enclose the combustion space 8 together.

By means of a fuel supply channel 12, an oxygen supply channel 13 and a combustion product discharge channel 14, a device 25 is obtained which is suitable for causing a series of successive burns to take place. It goes without saying that the fuel supply channel 12 and the oxygen supply channel 13 may, if desired, be integrated into a single channel that adds a combustible mixture.

By means of an ignition mechanism 10, the fuel in the combustion space 8 can be brought to combustion, whereafter the flexible member 6 expands and drives the pile 17 2 into the ground in accordance with the operating principle shown in Figure 2. By designing the supporting member 4 as a plate part which is supported on the bottom side via support plates 34 on the pile 2, an optimum force transmission to the pile 2 is guaranteed (figure 5).

An opening 42 is provided in the wall of the pile 2 below the support member 4, through which overpressure can escape to the environment during the pile driving under the support member 4. The opening 42 provides with its restrictive passage, with which the outflow velocity to the environment of the liquid located under the support member 4 can be regulated. In this way, the sinking speed of the pile 2 can also be limited as a result of a blow, as a result of which the opening 42 reduces the risk of an undesired shock load on the crane. The 'breaking in the wire' that occurs during normal driving can be prevented in this way.

Furthermore, figure 3 shows an optional underpressure space 44 which is in gas communication with the combustion space 8 via a valve 36. Due to the opening of the valve 36 just after a combustion, the combustion products released during the combustion are removed from the combustion in a very short time. combustion chamber 8 sucked away to the underpressure chamber 44, in which a lower pressure prevails than in the combustion chamber 8. The combustion products are removed from the combustion chamber 8 before the medium displaced by the combustion in the upward direction falls back and collides with the supporting member again. As a result, the falling medium does not come down to a 'gas spring', but collides with the support member 4. As a result, the downward force exerted on this support member 4 by this falling medium can be used almost completely for driving downwards into the substrate. the pile 2.

18

As a pile 2 is driven deeper into the substrate 30, the pile 2 will get more stability and can carry more mass. The total pile resistance encountered by the pile 2 is the sum of the point resistance and the shaft frictional resistance. The shaft frictional resistance increases as the pile 2 is driven into the substrate 30 to a greater extent. As this situation is also accompanied by a pile 2 which has already obtained some stability, the water column 32 can be increased - see the transition from stage A to stage B as well as the transition from stage B to stage C in Figure 4.

The water column 32 is separated from the environment by a partition wall 5. In the embodiment in which the pile driving device is integrated in the pile 2, the inner wall 3 of the pile 2 forms this partition wall 5 (figures 2-5).

As shown in stages C and D, the support member 4 is driven to some distance in the underlying ground package enclosed by the pile 2. Because the supporting member 4 makes contact with this ground package, the pile 2 has an increased bearing capacity.

According to a further preferred embodiment, a closure 16 is provided which, together with the support member 4 and the inner wall of the pile 2, encloses a substantially gas-tightly sealed volume (figure 5). With a pump 20 air and / or water can be brought into this closed volume, as a result of which the pressure build-up profile as a result of the combustion of fuel in the combustion space 8 of the flexible member 6 can be optimized for driving down the pile 2.

As shown in Figure 5, the water column 32 is higher in stage B than in stage A. Also, the desired pre-pressure due to the amount of air present in the sealed volume 19 can be adjusted to optimize the desired pressure build-up.

From a larger water depth of around 25 meters it is customary to use a truss structure or 'space 5 frame'. Such a framework construction 24 has uprights 22, wherein in the shown embodiment a pile 2 is arranged extendably in such an upright 22.

According to the same operating principle as already explained above, the pile 2 can be moved downwards relative to the upright 22, whereby the pile 2 is driven into the substrate 30 and the truss construction 24 is anchored to the seabed.

As shown in figure 7, a seal 38 is preferably situated between the inner wall of the upright 22 and the outer wall of the plate part 4, in order to prevent that the pressure build-up above the support member 4 is partly between the outer wall of the pile 2 and the inner wall of the upright 22 can flow away.

The water column 32 is again separated from the surroundings by a partition wall 5, which in the embodiment shown in Figure 7 is formed by the inner wall 23 of the upright 2 in which the pile 2 is slidably received.

It is noted that in an embodiment (not shown) in which the closing member 4 is not arranged at the end of the pile 2, the inner wall 3 of the pile 2 together with the inner wall 23 can form the partition wall 5.

In the schematic representation of figure 8 it is shown how a pile 2 in different stages A-D is driven from the upright 22 into the ground 30. Again, the water column 32 can be raised as the pile 2 is deeper in the substrate 30 (see stages B and C).

Since the pile 2 is extendable relative to the upright 22, the fuel and oxygen supply channels 12, 13 according to a preferred embodiment are supplied centrally from the top, from where they end up in an annular combustion space 8. The combustion space 8 is enclosed by a flexible member 6 and the support member 10. After the ignition mechanism 10 has ignited the fuel present in the combustion space 8, the combustion products can escape from the combustion space 8 via the valve 36 in the space below the support member 4.

An opening (not shown) in the inner wall below the support member 4 makes it possible for these combustion products to subsequently escape from the pile 2 into the environment. This (not shown) opening in the wall is furthermore necessary to prevent a build-up of pressure under the support member 4 when the pile 2 is driven downwards.

In the schematic top view of figure 11 a possible configuration of combustion spaces is shown, which are preferably arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center longitudinal axis 40 of the pile 2. By successively pairing or selectively igniting fuel in one or more of the combustion spaces 8 shown, the pressure build-up profile can be optimized and the pile 2 can be corrected for a possible low tilt if desired. For example, it is conceivable that the fuel in the combustion space 8a is brought to combustion, and when the water column 21 32 which is moved upwards thereby descends, a pairwise combustion of combustion spaces, for example 8b and 8e, takes place simultaneously. Because the combustion spaces 8b and 8e are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the center longitudinal axis 40 of the pile 2, a symmetrical downward force will be exerted on the pile 2. However, if it is desired to correct the pile 2 for some tilt, the fuel present therein can, for example, be brought to combustion in a single combustion space, such as, for example, 8c.

The pressure build-up profile can also be optimized by, if desired, injecting additional fuel into a combustion chamber during the ignition.

According to the further preferred embodiments shown in Figures 12 and 13, the pile driving device 1 is placed on top of a pile 2 in order to thereby drive the pile 2 downwards into the substrate 30. The pile-driving device comprises for this purpose a supporting element 4 which can be arranged on a pile 2.

The embodiment shown in Figure 12 relates to a telescoping pile-driving device 1, wherein pipe segments 50, 52 and 54 together form the partition wall 5. The pipe segment 50 of the pile-driving device 1 is connected with a carrying arm 48 to a vessel (not shown).

When the pile 2 is driven further into the ground 30, the third segment 54 slides out of the first segment 50 and the second segment 52 (stage B).

When the pile 2 is driven further into the ground 30, the second segment 52 also slides out of the first segment 50 (stage C).

Because the segments 52, 54 of the pile driving device 1 slide telescopically out of the segment 50, the length of the pile driving device 1 increases. As a result, additional 22 (not shown) water column 32 can be arranged above the closing member 4. This water column 32 (not shown) is thereby separated from the environment 5 by the partition wall 5, which is formed by the wall of the segments 50, 52, 54.

In stage D, the pile 2 has reached the desired depth in the substrate, and the pile-driving device 1 is in a retracted state.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 13 operates almost identically to the embodiment of Fig. 12, with the difference that the pile-driving device consists of a single segment 50 that slides through an enclosing guide part 46.

This enveloping guide part 46 is connected with a carrying arm 48 to a vessel (not shown).

The embodiments described above, although showing preferred embodiments of the invention, are only intended to illustrate the present invention and not to limit the description of the invention in any way. In particular, it is noted that a person skilled in the art can combine technical measures of the different embodiments, such as for instance the embodiments shown in figures 12 and 13 provided with a closing plate part 16 as described with reference to figure 5. The rights described are determined by the following claims in the scope of which many modifications are conceivable.

Claims (29)

Piling device (1), comprising: - a supporting member (4) arranged or arranged in transverse direction on or on a pile (2); - at least one flexible member (6) located above and near the support member which encloses a combustion space (8) with variable volume; - an ignition mechanism (10) which is adapted to ignite a fuel present in the combustion space; and - wherein the combustion space is adapted to expand during ignition such that a medium located above the support member is displaced at least in an upward direction therefrom and thereby a downward force is exerted on the pile (2) via the support member. 2. Piling device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible member located above the support member comprises a flexible membrane which, together with the support member (4), encloses the combustion space (8) with variable volume. 3. Piling device according to claim 2, wherein the medium located above the support member is separated from the surroundings by a partition wall (5). 4. Pile driving device according to claim 3, wherein the pile driving device is integrated in the pile (2) and wherein the partition wall separating the medium above the support member from the surroundings is the wall of the pile. Piling device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pile is slidably received in a post (22) of a framework structure (24) and the supporting member arranged on the pile is mounted in or on the pile, and wherein the partition wall (5) which separates the medium above the support member from the environment is the wall (3) of the pile (2) and / or the wall (23) of the upright (22) of the truss construction (24). Piling device as claimed in any of the claims 2-5, wherein the medium above the support member is water. Piling device according to one of the claims 2-6, wherein the flexible membrane is made of rubber. 8. Piling device as claimed in any of the claims 2-7, further comprising: - a fuel supply channel (12) for introducing fuel into the combustion space; and - a combustion product discharge channel (14) for discharging combustion products after ignition. 9. Piling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein: - at least one closure (16) is provided which, together with the support member (4) and the partition wall (5), encloses a substantially gas-tight volume (18); and - a pump (20) is provided for bringing a fluid therewith into and / or from the substantially gas-tight volume. The pile driving device according to claim 9, wherein the fluid is air and / or water. Piling device as claimed in any of the claims 2-10, wherein a plurality of combustion spaces (8a-8g) of variable volume are enclosed between support member (4) and one or more flexible membranes. 12. Piling device as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least two ignition mechanisms are provided which are adapted to selectively ignite the fuel in one or more predetermined combustion spaces (8a-8g). Piling device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the plurality of combustion chambers (8a-8g) are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the central longitudinal axis (40) of the pile (2). Piling device as claimed in any of the claims 2-13, wherein control means are provided which are adapted to inject extra fuel during a combustion of the fuel in a combustion space and / or to vary the moment of ignition. Piling device according to one of claims 2-13, wherein a flexible membrane is provided on both the top and bottom of the support member which, together with the support member (4), encloses a combustion space (8) with variable volume. 30 Piling device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an opening (42) is arranged in the wall of the pile (2) under the support member (4). Piling device according to claim 16, wherein the opening (42) is variable and control means are provided with which the size of the opening (42) can be controlled. 5 18. Piling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the combustion space (8) is in gas communication with an underpressure space (44) which is adapted to suck combustion products released during the combustion from the combustion space (8). 19. Method for driving a pile (2) downwards into a substrate, comprising the steps of: - igniting a fuel (4) arranged above or mounted on or on a pile (2) in a supporting direction; - wherein this fuel is located in a flexible member (6) located above the support member, which encloses a combustion space (8) of variable volume and expands during ignition; - by expanding the combustion space in upward direction away from the support member (4) moving a medium located above it; and - driving the pile downwards into the ground by the reaction force exerted downwards on the pile (2). 30 The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of: - introducing fuel through a fuel supply channel (12) into the combustion space of the flexible member; - igniting the fuel in the flexible member with the ignition mechanism (10); - after combustion through a combustion product discharge channel (14) discharging combustion products; and - repeating these steps in order to drive the pile (2) stepwise into the substrate. 21. Method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the step of injecting additional fuel into the combustion space during the combustion of the fuel. 22. Method as claimed in any of the claims 19-21, wherein at least one closure (16) is provided which, together with a partition wall (5), encloses a substantially gas-tight volume (18), and comprising the step of pumping (20) introducing a fluid into and / or out of the substantially gas-tight volume. 23. Method according to claim 22, wherein the fluid is air and causes a pre-pressure. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein the fluid is water and provides a reaction mass. A method according to any of claims 19-24, wherein several combustion spaces (8a-8g) of variable volume are enclosed between the flexible membrane and the support member (4), and comprising the step of selectively igniting the fuel in one or more predefined combustion areas (8a-8g). A method according to any of claims 19-25, wherein the pile is slidably received in a post (22) of a truss structure (24), and comprising the steps of: - placing the truss structure at a desired location; and 10. driving the pile pile stepwise out of the upright of the truss structure into the subsurface in order to anchor the truss structure with respect to the subsurface. A method according to any one of claims 19-26, wherein the pile (2) is driven into the substrate to such a depth that the supporting member exerts a pressure on the substrate enclosed by the pile. A method according to any of claims 19-27, wherein the combustion space (8) is in gas communication with an underpressure space, and the method comprises the step of sucking away from the combustion space (8) almost immediately after a combustion the combustion products formed therein, so that these combustion products are at least substantially removed from the combustion space (8) before the medium displaced by the combustion in upward direction falls back and collides with the support member (4) again. 30 A method according to any of claims 19-28, wherein a pile-driving device according to any of claims 1-18 is used.