WO2012136944A1

WO2012136944A1 - Offshore port structure

Info

Publication number: WO2012136944A1
Application number: PCT/FR2012/050767
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pierre Armand Thomas; Jean Claude NOGARO
Original assignee: Pierre Armand Thomas; Nogaro Jean Claude
Priority date: 2011-04-07
Filing date: 2012-04-06
Publication date: 2012-10-11
Also published as: FR2973816A1; FR2973816B1

Abstract

The offshore port structure (1) comprises at least one self-jacking platform (10) having very large dimensions, which is movable between a floating position and a position raised out of the water, on legs (11), each of which has in its lower part a foundation (12) for resting on the seabed. On one side, the platform has an anti-swell wall (20) and on the opposite side a ship berthing wall (50), said walls each being mounted so as to be able to be slid on the corresponding side of the platform (10) by at least one adjacent supporting leg (11) between a position retracted into the floating position of the platform and a position protruding beneath this platform in the raised position of said platform.

Description

Port structure at sea

The present invention relates to a port structure at sea.

In many countries in the world, port areas are subject to a significant increase in maritime traffic and must accommodate ships of increasingly larger size.

This is particularly the case for cruise ships that can now reach

330 meters long for a displacement greater than 170 000 tons and which carry about 5000 people.

Very few ports are equipped to accommodate ships of this size so that at stopovers several thousand people must be transferred to shore by smaller vessels, while ensuring their safety and comfort.

To accommodate these people ashore, appropriate infrastructure must be built in urban areas which creates significant inconvenience to residents for periods that may exceed several years.

In addition, the necessarily heavy work in civil and coastal engineering creates disorders harmful to the environment at the level of marine flora and fauna.

The invention aims to provide a port structure at sea that avoids these disadvantages.

The invention therefore relates to an offshore port structure, of the type comprising at least one self-elevating platform of very large dimensions movable between a floating position and an elevated position on the carrying legs by means of drive mechanisms. for moving said load-bearing legs between a raised position and a position resting on the seabed, each leg having at its lower part a bearing foundation on the seabed, characterized in that the platform carries, on one side , an anti-wave wall and, on the opposite side, a ship docking wall, said walls being each mounted movable by sliding on the corresponding side of the platform by at least one adjacent supporting leg between a retracted position in the floating position of the platform and a projecting position below this platform in the raised position of said platform.

According to particular embodiments, the platform may include one or more of the following features:

the anti-wave wall comprises a frame formed by vertical uprights interconnected and movable by sliding in supports carried by the platform,

the vertical uprights form between them solid panel positioning passages, such as, for example, prefabricated reinforced concrete segments, the framework of the anti-wave wall is carried by the foundation of the said at least one adjacent supporting leg by at least one sliding support,

the framework of the wave-preventing wall comprises means of anchoring in the seabed,

the anchoring means comprise at least one vertical skirt extending below the lower edge of the framework and able to penetrate into the seabed,

the anchoring means comprise at least one vertical pile disposed in a sleeve and movable between a passive position retracted and held in the sleeve by at least one breakable member in the floating position of the platform and an active position pressed into the seabed in the raised position of said platform,

the framework of the anti-wave wall is connected to the foundation of the said at least one adjacent leg by at least one connecting member formed for example by a rod articulated at each end,

the docking wall is connected to the foundation of the adjacent supporting leg by at least one vertical pole articulated on said foundation,

the docking wall comprises at its bottom part at least one opening,

- The docking wall comprises a frame formed by vertical uprights connected thereto and movable by sliding in supports carried by the platform,

the vertical uprights form between them solid panel positioning passages, such as, for example, prefabricated concrete segments,

the carrying legs are arranged in at least two longitudinal and parallel rows of at least two legs and in at least two transverse and parallel lines of at least two legs, and

- The foundations of the legs of said at least two rows and the foundations of the legs of said at least two lines are interconnected by at least one connecting member formed for example by a rod articulated at each end.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view from above of an offshore harbor structure, according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure during its float transport,

FIG. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the installed structure; 4 is a schematic view in cross section and partial of an anti-wave wall fitted to one side of the structure, according to the invention, FIG. 5 is a partial view of the lower part of the wave wall anchored in the seabed, and

FIG. 6 is a partial side view of the structure with the means of driving the lower part of the anti-wave wall in the seabed.

In FIG. 1 schematically shows a port structure generally designated by the reference 1 and which comprises at least one self-elevating platform for example of a length of the order of 200 meters. In the embodiment shown in the figures, this platform 10 has a rectangular shape, all other forms being possible.

The port structure 1 may be composed of several platforms 10 placed next to each other and assembled together by appropriate means of known type.

The platform 10 compotes several levels of integrated floors and serving as a basis for example for parking areas of vehicles, technical rooms and also for bunkering and boarding or disembarking rooms.

The upper deck can support a range of land-based facilities, such as hotels, conference and exhibition centers and, for example, along the seafront of shops, apartments or offices.

The platform 10 is movable between a flotation position (Fig. 2) for transportation from a manufacturing and assembly site to an operating site and an elevated position out of the water (Fig. 3) on its operating site.

This platform 10 is movable between these positions by carrying legs

11 and which are movable between a raised position (Fig. 2) in the floatation configuration of the platform 10 and a position resting on the seabed (Fig. 3) in the operating configuration of said platform (Fig. 10).

Each carrying leg 1 1 is equipped at its lower end with a foundation

12 of support on the seabed F.

As shown in FIG. 1, the platform 10 comprises at least two longitudinal and parallel rows R of at least two carrying legs 1 1 and at least two transverse and parallel lines L of at least two carrying legs January 1.

In this example, the platform 10 comprises three rows R of legs 1 1 and 12 lines L of carrying legs January 1.

For example, each of the carrying legs January 1 have a square section and these carrying legs January 1 may also have any other section, such as a circular or square section, or triangular. In known manner and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each supporting leg January 1 is formed of four members 1 1 a interconnected by a mesh of metal beams 1 1 b.

The frames 1 1 a comprise teeth, not shown, to form on each frame 1 1 a racks, not shown, diametrically opposed and intended to cooperate with drive mechanisms of known type and not shown, carried by the plate -form 10 and intended to move the carrying legs 1 1, and the platform 10 on these carrying legs 1 1. Each drive mechanism is formed by geared motor assemblies each driving an output gear cooperating with the racks disposed on the frames 1 1 a of each carrier leg January 1.

The platform 10 is also equipped with a locking system of known type, not shown, on each supporting leg January 1 to maintain this platform in its raised position.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 1 to 3, the platform 10 has on its side intended to be placed in front of the swell, an anti-wave wall 20 and on its opposite side intended for the docking of ships, a berthing wall 50.

In general, these walls, respectively anti-wave 20 and docking 50, which will be described later, are mounted on the platform 10 each slidably movable on the side of said platform 10 by at least one supporting leg 1 1 adjacent between a retracted position (Fig. 2) in the float position of the platform 10 and a projecting position (Fig. 3) below this platform 10 in the raised position of said platform 10 and in which the foundations 12 of the carrying legs 1 1 are supported on the seabed F.

Preferably, the walls, respectively anti-wave 20 and docking 50 extend over the entire length of the corresponding side of the platform 10.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 to 5, we will describe the anti-wave wall 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, the anti-wave wall 20 comprises a framework 21 preferably made of metal vertical uprights 22 interconnected by horizontal beams 23 and slidably movable in supports 24 of complementary shape to the uprights 22.

The supports 24 are carried by the platform and fixed on the edge of the side of this platform 10 intended to receive the anti-wave wall 20.

The longitudinal edges of the uprights 22 have for example on each longitudinal edge a sole having the shape of a T and the supports 24 have for example a complementary shape also in T to allow the vertical sliding of the frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20. Other forms can also be envisaged.

As shown in FIG. 4, the vertical uprights 22 of the frame 21 form between them solid panel positioning passages 25, such as precast segments of reinforced concrete.

Preferably, the solid panels 25 are mounted on the frame 21 when the platform 10 has been placed on its operating site, as will be seen later.

The frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20 is always resting on the foundations 12 of the adjacent row R of the carrying legs 11, that is to say both in the floating position of the platform 10 that in the operating position of this platform 10 raised with respect to the water level and with the foundations 12 of these supporting legs 1 1 resting on the seabed F.

For this, the frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20 is provided with at least one sliding support 26 (FIG 5) for bearing on the foundation 12 of the corresponding supporting leg 1 1.

Preferably, the frame 21 comprises at least one sliding support 26 for each foundation 12 of the carrying legs 1 1 of the adjacent row R.

Each sliding support 26 is formed for example by an inverted U-shaped hook 26a intended to cap a projecting rim 12a carried by the foundation 12 of each supporting leg January 1.

In the operating position of the platform 10, as shown in FIG.

3, that is to say with the foundations 12 of the supporting legs resting on the seabed F and with the platform 10 raised above the water level, the frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20 is supported horizontally at the level of the inner bottom of the platform 10 by means of appropriate members 27 (FIG 3) providing the horizontal connection of the wall 20 with the platform 10 on the one hand, and a sliding vertical hanging, on the other hand.

The range of the uprights 23 of the frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20 is reduced in a horizontal plane by the addition of connecting elements 30 bearing on one side substantially one third of the range of the corresponding vertical upright and on the other side on the foundation 12 of the adjacent supporting leg 1 1. Each connecting member is constituted for example by a connecting rod 30 (FIG 1) articulated at both ends.

The frame 21 of the anti-wave wall 20 comprises anchoring means in the seabed.

These anchoring means in the seabed F, shown in FIG. 5, comprise at least one rigid vertical skirt 31 extending below the lower edge of this frame 21 and able to penetrate the seabed F. The anchoring means comprise at least one vertical pile 33 disposed in a sleeve 34 secured to the frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20.

This pile 33 is movable between a passive position retracted and maintained in the corresponding sleeve 34 in the float position of the platform 10 and an active position pressed into the seabed F in the raised position of said platform 10.

The pile 33 is held in a passive position retracted by at least one breakable member 35, such as for example a peg, disposed in the sleeve 34.

In FIG. 5, the pin 33 has been represented in solid lines in the retracted and dotted passive position in the active position driven into the seabed F after the breaking of said at least one breakable member 35.

Preferably, several piles 33 are distributed over the entire length of the frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20. According to the conditions of the operating site, that is to say the nature of the ground, the height of the swell and the depth of water, the anchoring means may be constituted by the skirt 31 or by the piles 33 or by the skirt 31 and the piles 33.

Like the anti-wave wall 20, the docking wall 50 comprises a frame 51 formed by vertical uprights, not shown, interconnected by horizontal beams, not shown, and slidably movable in supports 52 carried by the platform 10. The shape of the vertical uprights and support means 52 of the docking wall 50 are identical to those of the anti-wave wall 20 described above.

Similarly, the vertical uprights of the frame 51 form between them solid panel positioning passages 53, such as prefabricated concrete segments.

The docking wall 50 is connected to the foundation 12 of each supporting leg 1 1 of the adjacent row R by at least one vertical post 54 connected for example by at least one ball 56 to said foundation or resting on each foundation by the less a sliding support of the type described for the anti-wave wall 20. This docking wall 50 has at its lower part, at least one opening 55 formed between two posts 54 and, preferably, a multitude of openings 55 extending the entire length of the docking wall 50.

The docking wall 50 comprises docking devices, mooring points and access means necessary for refueling the ships docked along this wall and means of access for transferring passengers and men to crew. The platform 10 and the carrying legs 1 1 provided with the foundations 12 as well as the frames of the walls, respectively anti-wave 20 and docking 50 are assembled in a shipyard and the structure thus constituted is brought back by flotation until operating site. During this transport and as shown in FIG. 2 the carrying legs 1 1 are in the raised position and the foundations 12 rows R of the supporting legs adjacent to the walls, respectively anti-wave 20 and docking 50, maintain the frames of these walls in the raised position, also shown in FIG. . 2.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the foundations 12 of the carrying legs 1 1 of the rows R and the foundations 12 of the carrying legs 1 1 of the lines L are interconnected by at least one connecting member formed for example by a link 45 articulated at each end so to stabilize the whole, while allowing the foundations 12 to take their position. Preferably, two links are mounted between two adjacent foundations 12.

Once the structure 1 arrived at destination, the carrying legs 1 1 are gradually lowered by the drive means until support of the foundations 12 on the seabed F. Simultaneously, the frames of the walls, respectively anti-swell 20 and docking 50 descend and follow the movement of the supporting legs 1 1 of the fact that these frames are supported by the foundations 12 of the adjacent R rows of the carrying legs 1 1. These frames slide along the corresponding side of the platform 10. When the foundations reach the seabed January 1, the drive means lift the platform 10 to a predetermined level above the surface of the water .

In this configuration, the platform 10 is stable and the frames of the waveguide 20 and docking walls 50 can withstand the action of the swell.

In relatively calm weather, the wave-preventing wall 20 is completed by the addition of the solid panels 25 put in place for example by means of a lifting gantry which introduces these panels 25 into the framework 21. Each panel 25 is accosted to the adjacent panel by crushing a captive joint, not shown, and these panels surround the soles of the vertical uprights 22 of the frame 21 while the space left between these panels and these soles is filled with a grout cement to call the assembly and protect the frame 21 against corrosion. The weight of the panels 25 supported by the framework 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20 contributes to the completion of the penetration of the skirt 31 and to the vertical loading of the piles 33 without loading the foundations 12, since the wave-preventing wall 20 is connected to these foundations 12 by the support 26 sliding vertically. The piles 33 are for example driven by a threshing hammer, not shown, and during the driving of these piles the breakable members 35 are broken.

As shown in FIG. 6, to facilitate the penetration of the skirt 31 and / or piles 33, in the seabed F, the vertical uprights 22 of the frame 20 can be loaded by lifting the platform 10 by the drive means and by loading step by step the weight of the platform 10 on these vertical uprights 22 by means of brackets 48 articulated along a vertical axis on the corresponding edge of this platform 10.

Each console 48 is foldable so as not to hinder the sliding of the frame 21 of the wave-preventing wall 20 along the edge of the platform 10.

Similarly, the lifting gantry places the panels 53 in the frame 51 of the docking wall 50.

The docking wall 50 makes it possible to avoid the agitation of the body of water under the platform 10 which could be caused by the approach of ships during the berthing and also to reduce the berthing efforts by the berth. effect of water cushions between the ship's plating and said wall 50.

As shown in FIG. 3, the large platform 10 is elevated to a height sufficient for the circulation of small pleasure craft below this platform.

The port structure 1 formed of modular platforms 10 allows the creation of a set of dikes ready for use as soon as they are installed, of great length and large area.

This structure allows the creation of significant areas taken on the sea without upsetting the ecosystem given the low rate of footprint that is of the order of less than 10% of the area created on a level. Platforms can have multiple levels.

The modular design of the port structure according to the invention lends itself well to development per phase, which makes it possible to plan developments in relation to the growth forecasts and the associated financing means.

Claims

1. - Offshore harbor structure, of the type comprising at least one platform (10) self-elevating very large dimensions movable between a floating position and an elevated position out of the water, on supporting legs (1 1) to means of drive mechanisms for moving said carrier legs (1 1) between a raised position and a position resting on the seabed, each supporting leg

(1 1) comprising at its lower part a foundation (12) for bearing on the seabed, characterized in that the platform (10) carries, on one side, an anti-wave wall (20) and on the opposite side, a docking wall (50) of ships, said walls (20, 50) being each mounted movable by sliding on the corresponding side of the platform (10) by at least one supporting leg (1 1) adjacent between a retracted position in the float position of the platform (10) and a projecting position below this platform (10) in the raised position of said platform (10).

2. - Port structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the anti-wave wall (20) comprises a frame (21) formed by vertical uprights (22) interconnected and movable by sliding in supports (24) carried by the platform (10).

3. - Port structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the vertical uprights (22) form between them solid panel positioning passages (25), such as precast segments in reinforced concrete.

4. - Port structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the frame (21) of the anti-wave wall (20) is supported by the foundation

(12) of said at least one supporting leg (1 1) adjacent by a sliding support (26).

5. - Port structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the frame (21) of the wave-preventing wall (20) comprises means

(31, 33) anchoring in the seabed.

6. - Harbor structure according to claim 5, characterized in that the anchoring means comprise at least one vertical skirt (31), extending below the lower edge of the frame (21) and able to penetrate into the seabed.

7. A harbor structure according to claim 5, characterized in that the anchoring means comprise at least one vertical pile (33) disposed in a sleeve (34) and movable between a passive position retracted and held in the sleeve (34). by at least one breakable member (35) in the float position of the platform (10) and an active position pressed into the seabed in the raised position of said platform (10).

8.- Port structure according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the frame (21) of the wave-preventing wall (20) is connected to the foundation of said at least one supporting leg (1 1) adjacent by at least one connecting member (30) formed for example by a rod articulated at each end.

9. Port structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the docking wall (50) is connected to the foundation (12) of the supporting leg (1 1) adjacent by at least one vertical pole 54 articulated on said foundation (12).

10.- port structure according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the docking wall (50) has at its lower part at least one opening (55).

1 1 .- Port structure according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the docking wall (50) comprises a frame (51) formed by vertical uprights interconnected and movable by sliding in supports (52) carried by the platform (10).

12. - Port structure according to claim 1 1, characterized in that the vertical posts of the frame (51) form between them solid panel positioning passages (53), such as prefabricated concrete segments.

13. - Port structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrying legs (1 1) are arranged in at least two longitudinal and parallel rows of at least two legs (1 1) and in at least two transverse and parallel lines of at least two legs (1 1).

14. - Port structure according to claim 13, characterized in that the foundations (12) of the carrying legs (1 1) of said at least two rows and the foundations (12) of the carrying legs (1 1) of said at least two lines are interconnected by at least one connecting member (45) formed for example by a rod articulated at each end.