TENDON FOR A STAYED LEG PLATFORM AND STAYED LEG PLATFORM INCLUDING SUCH TENDON

Abstract

A tendon (224) for a tension leg platform (202), TLP, is provided. The TLP comprises a foundation (206), connectable to a bottom (208) of a body of water, and a buoyant hull (216). The tendon has a length, a proximal end (223), and a distal end (225). The tendon comprises a proximal end fitting at the proximal end and a distal end fitting at the distal end. The tendon is connectable with the proximal end fitting to the hull and with the distal end to the foundation to provide a pulling force on the hull. The length of the tendon is at least 300 meters. The tendon comprises basalt fibres for transferring the pulling force from the proximal end fitting to the distal end fitting.

Description

1 / 39 TENDON FOR A STAYED LEG PLATFORM AND STAYED LEG PLATFORM INCLUDING SUCH TENDON

[001] The invention relates to a tendon for a braced leg platform according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a braced leg platform.

[002] A cable-stayed platform of this type is used as support for offshore activities (far from the coast), such as oil or gas production. A relatively new use that is currently being explored is for offshore wind turbines.

[003] A tension leg platform (TLP) of this type is known from document US-2013 / 183163-A1 (US'163). Document US'163 describes a TLP wind turbine with a hollow steel central body comprising a lower axial cylindrical tubular float topped by a group of upper coaxial cylindrical tubular sections, over which there is a smaller cross-section coaxial cylindrical tubular tower. At the top of the tubular tower is a yaw casing that supports a conventional wind turbine. Connected and radially spaced uniformly around the floating central body are eight horizontal steel stabilizer arms, whose distal ends are interconnected by a ring of horizontal steel reinforcements. Each supports a connection to the upper end of a Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 18 / 67 2 / 39 respective flexible steel cable that descends to a counterweight on the seabed. US document 163 describes, as a variant, that the cables can be made of Kevlar™. It is noted that US document 163 uses the terms “float” and “tether,” while this descriptive report refers, respectively, to the terms “hull” and “tendon.”

[004] A TLP provides relatively stable support for offshore activities, as it minimizes vertical movements that are usually induced in floating bodies. However, a known disadvantage of TLPs at greater depths is that movements, particularly rolling and pitching movements, which are relatively small at the water surface level, cause a relatively large oscillating motion at the top of tall operating structures. Such high movement is unacceptable for certain applications. This is particularly a problem for wind turbines, because they require a tall tower to accommodate a large rotor, while the rotor itself can only withstand a small amount of movement.

[005] It is the common opinion of experts in the field that a TLP is only suitable for wind turbines at relatively shallow depths. As stated on the English Wikipedia page “Tension-leg platform” (version available at the time of filing this application): Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 19 / 67 3 / 39 “Researchers estimate that they [TLPs with wind turbines] can operate at depths between 100 and 650 feet (200 m).

[006] The invention aims to solve at least one of these problems or, at least, to provide an alternative. In particular, the invention aims to provide a tendon for a braced leg platform that reduces the rolling and pitching movements of the braced leg platforms at greater depths.

[007] This objective is achieved by means of a tendon for a platform of braced legs according to claim 1.

[008] A tendon is designed for a tie-leg platform comprising a foundation and a floating hull. The foundation is connectable to the bottom of a body of water, for example the seabed or ocean floor. The tendon has a length, a proximal end and a distal end. The tendon comprises a proximal end fitting at the proximal end and a distal end fitting at the distal end. The tendon is connectable, with the proximal end fitting, to the hull of the tie-leg platform and, with the distal end, to the foundation to provide a tensile force on the floating hull. The length of the tendon is at least 300 meters. The tendon comprises basalt fibers to transfer the tensile force from the proximal end to the distal end fitting.

[009] The invention is based on the perception that Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 20 / 67 4 / 39 Para-aramid fibers, such as those marketed under the Kevlar™ brand described in US document 163, while theoretically capable of providing the necessary strength, present an inherent problem when used as load-bearing fibers for a relatively long tendon. The problem the inventor perceived is that a relatively long para-aramid tendon will exhibit excessive elongation under tension, resulting in rolling and pitching movements in the TLP deck structure of unacceptable magnitude for certain applications, such as wind turbines. An obvious solution would seem to be to increase the tendon diameter by adding more fibers, since stiffness is determined by E · A, where E is the Young's modulus and A is the cross-sectional area.The inventor of the present invention found that increasing the diameter does not solve the problem, since para-aramid fiber has non-linear material properties: the Young's modulus is not constant at relatively low stress values. Adding more fibers to the tendon, with the aim of increasing stiffness, will result in lower stress per fiber and thus a decrease in Young's modulus. This decrease was discovered by subjecting a series of para-aramid cables, with increasing diameters, to the ASTM D7269 standard test and calculating the Young's modulus from the test results. The observed decrease in Young's modulus exceeds the increase in area, so that... Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 21 / 67 5 / 39 total stiffness E·A does not reach the required value. The inventor found that basalt fibers practically do not exhibit this non-linear effect at low tension values. Basalt fibers already reach approximately 95% of their maximum Young's modulus at low tension values. Therefore, as many fibers as necessary can be added to obtain the required stiffness. An additional advantage of basalt compared to para-aramid fibers is that a tendon made of basalt fibers, with comparable elongation, is approximately 2.5 times cheaper.

[0010] It is observed that another type of fiber that can provide the necessary strength for a tendon is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMwPE, marketed under the brand name Dyneema®). However, the Young's modulus of this type of fiber is much lower than that of basalt fibers, while the cost of this type of fiber would result in a price for tendons approximately 2.8 times the price of a tendon made of basalt with the same elongation. The high cost of UHMwPE fibers would result in a total cost for tendons for deeper water conditions that would exceed the cost of the TLP and the wind turbine combined. UHMwPE, therefore, is not an economical solution to the problem described above.

[0011] Preferred modes are defined in Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 22 / 67 6 / 39 dependent claims and in the following paragraphs.

[0012] In a particular modality, the length of the tendons is at least 400 meters, more particularly at least 500 meters, more particularly at least 700 meters, more particularly at least 1000 meters.

[0013] As explained above, the invention enables the use of TLPs at depths greater than 300 meters, reaching up to 1000 meters. Such depths were previously unfeasible with conventional tendons made of, for example, Kevlar™.

[0014] In one modality, the basalt fibers extend parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the tendon.

[0015] Arranging the basalt fibers parallel in the longitudinal direction of the tendon aligns the fibers with the tensile load exerted on them during use. This ensures that the load-bearing capacity of the fibers is fully utilized, or at least nearly fully utilized. In addition, providing parallel fibers reduces friction between the fibers, thus reducing fiber abrasion and extending the lifespan of the tendon.

[0016] In one embodiment, the basalt fibers are untwisted.

[0017] Fibers in a rope can be twisted at various levels: within a strand, to form a sub-strand, Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 23 / 67 7 / 39 and by combining the substrings into a single strand or cable. The term “untwisted” in the context of the present invention applies to all these levels. By providing untwisted fibers, friction between fibers is reduced. This reduces fiber abrasion and thus prolongs tendon life.

[0018] In one embodiment, the tendon comprises a plurality of strands. The strands comprise basalt fibers. Each of the plurality of strands has a length that corresponds to the length of the tendon. Each strand has a proximal strand end that is connected to the proximal end socket and a distal strand end that is connected to the distal end socket.

[0019] The length of the wires corresponds to the length of the tendon, that is, the length of the wires is substantially the same as the length of the tendon, with less than 1% difference. The tendon as a whole may be slightly longer than the wires, for example, due to the end fittings extending a few centimeters or decimeters beyond the ends of the wires.

[0020] The tendon is at least 300 meters long, in particular at least 400 meters, more particularly at least 500 meters, more particularly at least 700 meters, more particularly at least 1000 meters. By providing yarns of corresponding length, the tendon can be produced with minimum fiber lengths, for example, in comparison Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 24 / 67 8 / 39 with the fibers wrapped between the two end fittings.

[0021] In one embodiment, at least one of the distal or proximal end fittings comprises a hollow part having a cavity whose width increases towards the respective tendon end, in which the threads extend into the cavity of the hollow part and diverge within the cavity.

[0022] At each end of the tendon, the basalt fiber strands diverge so that spacing is provided between the strands. In contrast, in the tendon volume that extends between the end sockets, the fibers are grouped closer to each other. The divergence of the strands locks the strands within the end socket cavity.

[0023] In one embodiment, the cavity comprises a truncated cone shape.

[0024] The truncated cone shape closely follows the strands as they gradually fan out, thus ensuring that the cavity wall remains close to, or even in contact with, the outer strands. In other words, the truncated cone-shaped cavity closely corresponds to the volume occupied by the diverging strands. This means that less adhesive or resin is needed to fill the cavity, for example, compared to a rectangular cavity. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 25 / 67 9 / 39

[0025] In one embodiment, the cavity is filled with a matrix that secures the diverging wires. The wires and the matrix form a plug that locks the wires into the end socket. The matrix used to secure the diverging wires is, for example, a resin, such as an epoxy resin.

[0026] In one embodiment, a retaining body is provided in the cavity that keeps the diverging strands spaced apart, the retaining body having a shape that is complementary to a shape of the cavity. In particular, a matrix, resin or adhesive is provided to connect the strands to the retaining body and / or to the cavity surface and / or to fill remaining cavities between the diverging strands.

[0027] For example, in a design with a truncated cone cavity, the retention body is wedge-shaped. In particular, the retention body has a truncated cone or conical shape. The retention body helps to lock the wires in their spaced configuration. In addition, less matrix, resin, or adhesive is needed to fix the wires, since the retention body fills part of the cavity volume.

[0028] In one embodiment, the tendon is formed by pultrusion to group basalt strands with a covering, in particular a polymeric covering.

[0029] The polymer may, for example, comprise a thermosetting polymer, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 26 / 67 10 / 39 In particular, subchords are formed by pultrusion of a plurality of parallel basalt strands that are arranged parallel to each other, and the subchords are grouped parallel to each other to form the tendon.

[0030] In one embodiment, the tendon comprises at least one strand comprising basalt fibers. The proximal end socket comprises a first eyelet and the distal end socket comprises a second eyelet. The first eyelet and the second eyelet are provided at opposite ends of the tendon. The at least one strand extends from the first eyelet to the second eyelet, loops around the second eyelet, extends from the second eyelet to the first eyelet, and loops around the first eyelet. In this configuration, the strand forms loops around the first and second eyelets, and each eyelet supports a stack of a plurality of layers of strand loops.

[0031] In the context of this document, an eyelet is defined as a ring of any shape and made of any material around which at least one wire is wound. In the context of this document, a turn of wire can be a semi-continuous loop or a continuous loop. The term semi-continuous loop refers to the fact that the wire has a finite length with distinct ends, whereas in a continuous loop a wire has no ends. Thus, in a semi-continuous loop, at least one wire is wound around the first and second eyelets a plurality of times. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 27 / 67 11 / 39 forming a plurality of loops around these eyelets, which is not completely continuous, since the ends of the wire are not connected to each other. Each eyelet supports a stack of layers of turns of at least one wire.

[0032] In one embodiment, an adhesive is provided in at least one of the first and second eyelets only and mutually connects at least two of the plurality of yarn turns in the stack of the respective first or second eyelets, to retain a tangential orientation of the respective yarn layers to each other when the tendon is subjected to a load. The stack of the plurality of yarn turns of each eyelet engages the respective eyelet along a portion of the circumference of the respective eyelet. The adhesive that is provided in said at least one of the first and second eyelets extends over at least a portion of said circumferential part of the respective first or second eyelets.

[0033] The adhesive is provided in a respective layer of yarn in only one of the eyelets, or in both eyelets only, and not in the yarns between the end fittings along the entire length of the tendon, or in the yarns between the end fittings without curing the adhesive, so that the part of the tendon that extends between the end fittings remains flexible. The expression “an adhesive is provided in at least one of the first and second eyelets only” is interpreted, in the context of this descriptive report, as Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 28 / 67 12 / 39 compliance.

[0034] Providing and curing an adhesive on the threads along the entire length of the tendon would result in a rigid rod instead of a tendon with some flexibility. Some tendon flexibility is desirable, for example, to coil or bend the tendon for transport.

[0035] Since the wires go around the eyelets, each eyelet supports the wires only along a portion of its circumference, while the wires are not supported along another portion of the eyelet's circumference. The adhesive extends over at least a portion of the circumferential part of the eyelet that supports the wires. Preferably, no adhesive is applied to the wires in a portion of the end fitting where the wires are not supported by the eyelet.

[0036] Additional layers of wire may also comprise adhesive to connect wires of such layers to each other within a respective stack. In one particular example, substantially all layers in at least one of the eyelets are connected by adhesive.

[0037] In one embodiment, the adhesive extends only over a portion of the circumferential part. In particular, said portion is centered around the longitudinal geometric axis of the tendon.

[0038] For example, the adhesive extends over less Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 29 / 67 13 / 39 of 50% of the circumferential part, for example less than 25% of the circumferential part, in particular less than 10% of the circumferential part. The adhesive extends over more than 1% of the circumferential part, in particular more than 2% of the circumferential part, more in particular more than 5% of the circumferential part.

[0039] When a tendon is rolled or folded for transport, fibers on the outer radial side of the roll are subjected to tension, while fibers on the inner radial side of the roll are compressed. This results in a slight displacement of the yarn layers relative to each other in the stacks of one or both eyelets. This displaced position may remain at least partially after the tendon is unwound, resulting in uneven fiber lengths, which in turn results in uneven loading on the fibers when the tendon is subjected to a load. Because basalt fibers have a relatively high Young's modulus, this results in one part of the yarns being subjected to a lower load than designed and another part being subjected to a higher load than designed, causing premature failure of the yarns in the more heavily loaded part.Connecting at least two layers together using an adhesive prevents relative movement of these layers and thus prevents uneven loading of the threads on one side of the tendon compared to the threads on the other side. The adhesive is applied to at least a central portion of the part. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 30 / 67 14 / 39 circumferential of the eyelet that holds the wires, which is sufficient to prevent displacement caused by tendon coiling, while the cost of applying the adhesive only to the central portion is less than applying it to the entire circumferential part.

[0040] In another embodiment, the adhesive extends over the entire circumferential part of the eyelet that holds the wires.

[0041] In addition to preventing the wires from shifting when wrapping the tendon, applying adhesive over the entire circumferential part of the eyelet that holds the wires further prevents relative movement of the layers when subjected to load cycles. The wire length in the eyelet is greater in an outer layer of wire turns than in an inner layer of turns. Although this difference in length is small in absolute terms from one layer to the next, it results in different wire elongation under load because the amount of elongation corresponds to the wire length for a given Young's modulus, cross-section, and tension in the wire. When a tendon is subjected to load cycles by repeatedly increasing and decreasing a tensile load on the eyelets, the difference in elongation results in a reciprocal movement of each layer of wire turns relative to neighboring layers. This movement causes microabrasion of the wires. Another failure mechanism, also Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 31 / 67 15 / 39 caused by load cycles, the stack of yarn layers is slightly compressed because the longitudinal tension in each of the yarn layers is transferred to the eyelets as a radial inward pressure through the intermediate yarn layers. This inward pressure results in a slight compression of the intermediate layers, which results in a reciprocal movement of the outer yarn layers relative to the inner layers and thus in microabrasion. By providing the adhesive over the entire support area, microabrasion is avoided or at least reduced.

[0042] In another aspect, the invention relates to a platform with braced legs according to claim 14.

[0043] A cable-stayed platform comprises a foundation, connected to the bottom of a body of water, a plurality of tendons according to any of the embodiments described above, a floating hull and a deck structure connected to the floating hull and designed to extend above a water level of the body of water, wherein each tendon is connected with the proximal end fitting to the floating hull and, at the distal end, to the foundation to provide a tensile force on the floating hull. The tendons pull the floating hull towards the foundation, thereby increasing the displacement of the hull. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 32 / 67 16 / 39 floating so that it is greater than the total weight of the floating hull and deck structure.

[0044] In the context of this descriptive report, a foundation connected to the bottom of a body of water should be understood as any type of connection that enables the tendon to exert the necessary force on the TLP, including connections by form fit, friction, suction, and weight.

[0045] In a first example, the floating hull is designed to extend partially below and partially above the water level. In a second example, the floating hull is designed to be entirely below the water level.

[0046] The deck structure is connected to the hull, for example, using coupling means such as nuts and bolts or by welding. In another example, the deck structure and the hull are connected by being formed as a single integral piece.

[0047] In a particular embodiment, the deck structure comprises a wind turbine comprising a mast (also known as a tower). More particularly, the floating hull comprises part of the mast, that is, a lower part of the mast.

[0048] In one embodiment, the floating hull comprises a body. In another embodiment, the floating body Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 33 / 67 17 / 39 comprises a plurality of interconnected bodies.

[0049] In one embodiment, the tendons are connected to the floating hull by means of connecting means. In particular, the connecting means comprise length adjustment means. In particular, the connecting means comprise fixed connecting members.

[0050] In one embodiment, the foundation comprises one or more elements from a list comprising anchor, pile and counterweight.

[0051] The invention, its effects and advantages will be explained in more detail based on the schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a cable-stayed leg platform (CSL) according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of a TLP according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of a TLP according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 schematically shows a cross-section of a tendon according to embodiments of the invention, the cross-section taken along line IVIV in Figure 1, and an enlarged detail of said cross-section; Figure 5 shows a schematic section. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 34 / 67 18 / 39 longitudinal section of a tendon according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 schematically shows a cross-section of the tendon from Figure 5, taken along line VI-VI in Figure 5, and an enlarged detail of said cross-section; Figure 7 schematically shows a longitudinal section of a tendon according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 schematically shows a section Transverse section of the tendon in Figure 6, taken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 7; Figure 9 shows a tendon according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 shows a partially exploded section of Figure 9 along line XX in Figure 12; Figure 11 shows an enlarged detail of Figure 10; Figure 12 shows a top view of the tendon from Figure 9; Figure 13 shows section XIII-XIII of Figure 12; and Figure 14 shows section XIV-XIV of Figure 12.

[0052] Figure 1 shows a Tied Leg Platform (TLP), which is designated in its entirety with the reference number 2, supporting a wind turbine 3, with a mast 4, a rotor 5 with a casing and three blades, and a Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 35 / 67 19 / 39 15 MW generator inside the rotor casing. The 15 MW generator is designed to convert wind energy into electrical energy. The diameter of the rotor with blades in the embodiment shown is 190 meters. TLP 2 comprises a foundation 6 that is connected to a bottom 8 of a water body 10. In this embodiment, the foundation 6 is formed by a plurality of concrete blocks 12, acting as counterweights, which are anchored to the seabed 8 by piles 14. TLP 2 additionally comprises a floating hull 16. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the hull 16 comprises a floating platform 18 that is provided below the water level 20 and an upper hull structure 22. The floating platform 18 provides buoyancy to the hull 16, for example, by means of air chambers or by the use of materials that have a density lower than the density of water. The upper hull structure 22 of this type also provides buoyancy to the hull 16, for example, by including air chambers in its vertical supports.

[0053] In this embodiment, the deck structure of the TLP 2 is formed by the wind turbine 3 which extends above the water level 20. The rotor is provided at an upper end of the mast approximately 180 meters above sea level 10. The wind turbine 3 is mounted to a horizontal upper portion of the hull 16, formed by a horizontal portion of the upper hull structure 22. A Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 36 / 67 20 / 39 foundation 6 and floating hull 16 are connected by tendons 24. A proximal end 23 of the tendons 24 is connected to the floating hull 16 and a distal end 25 of the tendons 24 is connected to the foundation 6 with connecting means (not shown). Although Figure 1 shows tendons 24 connecting two foundation blocks 12 to the floating hull 16, it is understood that any suitable number of foundation blocks 12 and tendons 24 may be used. The present embodiment comprises four foundation blocks 12 at mutual distances of 75 meters. In a variant, more than one tendon 24 may be used per block 12. The tendons 24 are represented as extending vertically. It is understood that the tendons 24 are provided substantially vertically, such as at an angle of up to 10°. The tendons 24 are not made to scale. In particular, the length of the tendons in the illustration is reduced to fit the page, as indicated by the dashed-dotted diagonal line.In reality, the 24 tendons are at least 300 meters long. In this modality, the 24 tendons are 1000 meters each.

[0054] Figure 2 shows a different TLP 102. This TLP 102 is also used to support a wind turbine 103, of which only a part of the mast is illustrated, with a rotor (not shown) possessing an 18 MW generator. In this embodiment, a foundation 106 is formed as a single element with a triangular shape with sides of 80 x 80 x 80 meters. A Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 37 / 67 21 / 39 foundation 106 is fixed to the seabed 108 by its weight. For example, the foundation 106 has chambers that are filled with gravel, sand, or concrete to provide the necessary weight to keep it on the seabed 108. The TLP 102 further comprises a floating hull 116 comprising fully submerged floating platforms 118 and a partially submerged upper hull structure comprising uprights 121 supporting a platform 122. Each upright 121 is mounted on one of the floating platforms 118. The floating platforms 118 are connected to each other by means of beams 119.

[0055] In the embodiment of Figure 2, three floating platforms 118 are present, but it is understood that in other embodiments, any suitable number of floating platforms 118 may be provided, for example, four, six or eight floating platforms. In another embodiment, the floating platforms 118 are connected to each other in a triangular, square, hexagonal or octagonal arrangement.

[0056] An upper structure in the form of a wind turbine 103 is mounted on top of the floating hull 116. As in Figure 1, the floating hull 116 is connected to the foundation 106 by means of tendons 124, with at least one tendon 124 per floating platform 118. The tendons 124 have a proximal end 123 connected to the hull 116 and a distal end 125 connected to the foundation 106. The tendons 124 of this embodiment Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 38 / 67 22 / 39 have a length of 600 meters.

[0057] Figure 3 shows yet another embodiment of a TLP 202, provided with a wind turbine 203 and a foundation 206. The foundation 206 is a single element, as in Figure 2, which in this embodiment has a circular shape with a diameter of 80 meters, and is connected to the ocean floor 208 by piles 214 that have been driven into the ground, as in Figure 1. The TLP 202 has a floating hull 216 which is formed as a central column 218 that provides buoyancy, for example, by means of an air chamber inside the central column 218 or by the use of a material with a density lower than that of water. The hull 216 further comprises connecting means which, in this embodiment, comprise length adjustment means (not shown) and fixed connecting members in the form of beams or arms 219 which are radially spaced uniformly around the central column 218 and connected to it.Tendons 224 connect the foundation 206 to the floating hull 216 by means of length adjustment means and each of the arms 219 of the hull 216, with one or more tendons 224 per arm 219. Tendons 224 have a proximal end 223 connected to the hull 216 and a distal end 225 connected to the foundation 206. Tendons 224 are 800 meters long.

[0058] Figures 1 to 3 show a 3, 103, 203 wind turbine as a deck structure. It is understood that Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 39 / 67 23 / 39 different deck structures can be provided within the scope of the present invention, such as an oil production facility.

[0059] A cross-section of one of the tendons 24, 124, 224 of Figures 1 to 3 is shown schematically in Figure 4 (not to scale). Tendon 24 comprises a plurality of strands 26 of basalt fibers 27. The strands 26 are covered by a sheath 28 which groups the strands 26 into a compact bundle and acts as a protective covering. The sheath 28 comprises one or more layers which, for example, include a coating and / or sealing tape and / or a mesh.

[0060] A design value for the Young's modulus of basalt is 84 gigapascals. As described above, basalt fibers provide approximately 95% of their maximum Young's modulus at low stress values. Therefore, as many basalt fibers as necessary can be added to obtain the required stiffness. Thus, the use of basalt fibers allows the production of tendons that have the length and stiffness required to employ TLPs in deep sea, i.e., at least 300 meters deep.

[0061] In the modality with a 24-meter tendon of 1000 meters in length, the required stiffness is 35 giganewtons. This results in a tendon with a cross-section of 0.605 m2e, thus an approximate diameter of 88 cm. In the modalities with shorter 124-meter and 224-meter tendons, the section Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 40 / 67 24 / 39 transversal is proportionally smaller.

[0062] An additional advantage of basalt fibers is that the resulting tendon is much heavier than a tendon made of high-performance plastic fibers. Plastic fibers, such as UHMwPE, even provide upward buoyancy, which adds to the total load on the foundation. In contrast, the tendon made of basalt fibers according to the invention is much heavier than water, which even reduces the load on the foundation, resulting in a lower foundation design load. The tendon 24 described above, with a length of 1000 meters and a diameter of 88 cm, has an approximate weight of 1200 tons. Due to this length and diameter of tendon 24, the load difference is on the order of 1000 tons. An additional advantage of basalt fibers is that they exhibit virtually no creep, reducing or even eliminating the need to compensate for tendon elongation during use.

[0063] Another advantage of using basalt fibers for tendons, instead of other types of fibers such as carbon fibers and plastic fibers, is a significant reduction in costs. For a good comparison, costs are evaluated considering the costs per meter per meganewton (MN). In other words, the costs to provide a tendon with one unit of stiffness per unit meter are considered. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 41 / 67 25 / 39

[0064] The costs to provide a UHMwPE fiber tendon 1 meter long and 1 MN stiffness are 2.5 times greater than the costs of a basalt fiber tendon of the same length and stiffness. The costs of a carbon fiber or para-aramid fiber tendon (such as those marketed under the Twaron® brand) are more than 1.6 times greater than the costs of a basalt fiber tendon.

[0065] The cost of tendons accounts for a significant portion of the total construction costs of a wind turbine platform. In fact, for tendons comprising carbon fibers or plastic fibers, tendon costs quickly begin to exceed the costs of the platform and wind turbine as tendon length increases. Typically, a wind turbine platform has at least three tendons, each tendon, for a specific model, requiring a stiffness of approximately 35 GN (giganewtons). If UHMwPE fiber tendons were used for such a platform, the cost of the three tendons would be more than four times the cost of the platform and wind turbine. The cost of a carbon fiber or para-aramid tendon would be more than 2.8 times the cost of the platform and wind turbine. Notably, the costs of the platform and wind turbine are in the tens of millions of euros. It is therefore clear that the reduction in tendon costs through the use of Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 42 / 67 The use of 26 / 39 basalt fibers leads to a significant reduction in the total construction costs of a TLP, particularly with relatively long tendons, for example, of at least 300 meters and, in particular, 500 meters or 1000 meters.

[0066] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a tendon 24 according to a first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, both the proximal end 23 and the distal end 25 of the tendon 24 are provided with the same end fitting 30, of which only one is illustrated. The tendon 24 comprises a bundle of wires 26 (not drawn to scale). The bundle of wires 26 was formed by means of pultrusion, in which a large number of coils with wires, corresponding to the number of wires 26 required for the tendon, are provided on a support and unwound simultaneously by pulling the wires from the coils. The wires 26 are grouped, for example, by guiding them through a screen with a plurality of holes, and provided with an extruded covering of a polymer, such as a thermosetting epoxy or thermoplastic, for example polyvinyl chloride (PVC), around the bundle. The resulting bundle of 26 wires is then cut to the required length.While the 26 threads are grouped together in the main part of the tendon 24, at the end joint 30 the 26 threads diverge, that is, they gradually fan out, within a cavity 31 of a hollow part 32. The walls of the cavity 31 are indicated by a line. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 43 / 67 27 / 39 dotted. The cavity 31 has a truncated cone shape that widens towards the end of the tendon 24. The tendon 24 covering 28 extends partially into the hollow part 32 so that the wires 26 are not exposed. The outer end of the hollow part 32 is provided with an internal thread for connection to a threaded cap 34 comprising an eyelet 36 for connecting the tendon 24 to the hull 16, 116, 216 or to the foundation 6, 106, 206 of a TLP 2, 102, 202. The ends of the wires 26 are fixed in their spaced configuration by a matrix that fills the cavity 31 within the hollow part 32. The matrix is, for example, a resin, such as an epoxy resin. For clarity of illustration, the matrix is ​​not shown in Figure 5. The cross-section in Figure 6 shows that the hollow part 32 includes a plurality of wires 26 (drawn as points to reflect their small dimensions).The enlarged detail on the right side of Figure 6 illustrates the matrix 38 that holds the ends of the wires 26 in their spaced and divergent position.

[0067] The end fitting 30 can be produced in several ways. In a first example, the wires 26 are inserted into the hollow part 32 and their ends are spaced apart, after which the cavity 31 is filled with the die 38. The cap 34 is placed after the die has hardened. In a second example, the end fitting is produced by feeding the tendon 24 through the hollow part 32. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 44 / 67 28 / 39 (with the cap 34 not yet installed) and the exposed ends of the wires 26 are arranged in a mold in a divergent configuration. The mold has a shape that corresponds to the cavity 31 within the hollow part 32, for example, truncated cone. The mold is then filled with a matrix, such as an epoxy resin, to form a plug that contains the spaced ends of the wires. The plug is removed from the mold and the tendon 24 is pulled back through the hollow part 32 until the molded plug fills the cavity 31. Preferably, the molded plug is then fixed in the cavity 31 by an adhesive, for example the same epoxy resin used to form the plug. Finally, the cap 34 is installed by screwing it on.

[0068] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a tendon 124 with an alternative end fitting 130. In this embodiment, both the proximal end 123 and the distal end 125 of the tendon 124 are provided with the same end fitting, of which only one fitting 130 is illustrated. The tendon 124 comprises a bundle of wires 126 (not drawn to scale). While the wires are grouped in the main part of the tendon 124, in the end fitting 130 the wires 126 diverge, that is, gradually fan out, within a cavity 131 of a hollow part 132. The walls of the cavity 131 are indicated by a dashed line. The cavity 131 has a truncated cone shape that widens towards the Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 45 / 67 29 / 39 tendon end 124. The tendon 124 covering 128 extends partially into the hollow part 132 so that the wires 126 are not exposed. Similar to Figure 5, the tendon 124 is inserted into the hollow part 132 and the ends of the wires 126 are arranged to diverge within the cavity 131 of the hollow part 132. In this embodiment, a retaining body 140 is inserted into the hollow part 132 to hold the wires 126 in their spaced position. The retaining body 140 has a wedge shape. In this embodiment, the shape corresponds to that of the cavity 131 of the hollow part 132 and is therefore truncated cone-shaped. While in the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 the wires 2 6 are distributed throughout the volume of the hollow part 32 (Figure 6), in Figures 7 and 8 the retaining body 140 locks the wires 126 against the inner wall of the hollow part 132 (Figure 8). The wires 126, the retaining body 140 and the inner wall of the hollow part 132 are interconnected by means of an adhesive (not shown for clarity).One or more layers of wires 126 can be maintained between the retaining body 140 and the inner wall of the hollow part 132. An advantage of the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 is that less adhesive is required to fix the wires 126 than the amount of epoxy used in the embodiments of Figures 5 and 6.

[0069] Figure 7 also shows an alternative embodiment of the cover 134, with an eyelet 136 that is threaded into an internal threaded portion of a locking nut 142 Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 46 / 67 30 / 39 which closes the hollow part 132. In one variant, the cover 134 has a fixed eyelet, like the eyelet 36 of the previous embodiment. In a variant of the cover 34 of the previous embodiment, the cover 34 has an eyelet that is threaded onto a locking nut, like the eyelet 136.

[0070] Figures 9 to 14 show a tendon 224 according to a third embodiment of the invention. The tendon 224 has a proximal end fitting 229 comprising a first eyelet 244, a distal end fitting 230 comprising a second eyelet 246, and a plurality of strands 226 comprising basalt fibers. The first eyelet 244 and the second eyelet 246 are made of stainless steel, are provided at opposite ends of the tendon 224 and each has a center 247. The plurality of wires 226 comprises, in this embodiment, twenty-four (24) 24,000 dtex basalt fiber wires 226 that extend from the first eyelet 244 to the second eyelet 246, loop around the second eyelet 246, extend from the second eyelet 246 to the first eyelet 244 and loop around the first eyelet 244. In this way, each of the plurality of wires 226 forms a semi-continuous loop around the first and second eyelets.This loop is repeated a plurality of times, in this modality 9800 times. Thus, each of the 226 wires makes 9800 turns, resulting in a total of 235,000 turns of 226 wires. Since each turn involves two wires seen in cross-section, Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 47 / 67 31 / 39 the total number of wires in cross-section is 470,000.

[0071] Figure 10 shows in cross section that eyelet 244 has a support surface 248. Eyelet 244 supports a stack 249 with a plurality of layers 250 of turns of wire 226. This is shown in more detail in Figure 11, which is a heavily enlarged and schematic view of five (5) layers 250 of turns of wire 226. At the top of Figure 10, the stack 249 is shown in an exploded view for clarity. In reality, the entire stack 249 is supported on the first eyelet 244, as shown at the bottom of Figure 10. The second eyelet 246 supports layers of the same turns of wire 226 in the same way and is therefore not shown in detail. The enlarged image in Figure 11 also shows that the threads 226 each comprise a plurality of basalt fibers 227 (indicated as points in Figure 11).

[0072] A plurality of layers of 250 yarns of tendon 224 are connected together by an adhesive, in this embodiment an epoxy resin 251. In this embodiment, the epoxy resin 251 is provided in each end fitting 229, 230 to mutually connect all the layers 250 of yarn turns 226 in the stack of each eyelet 244, 246, and to retain a tangential orientation of the respective layers of yarn 250 to each other when the tendon 224 is coiled for transport and subsequently subjected to a load when used in a Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 48 / 67 32 / 39 TLP, as well as one of the TLPs 2, 102, 202.

[0073] A sheath 252 extends around tendon 224 from the first eyelet 244 to the second eyelet 246 and groups all the turns of wires 226 that extend between the first and second eyelets 244, 246 into a compact bundle 254 in an intermediate section 256 of tendon 224. In this embodiment, the sheath 252 also covers the turns of wires 226 in the end fittings 229, 230. The sheath 252 creates convergent sections 258, 260 of the turns of wires 226 that extend from the respective eyelet 244, 246 to the intermediate section 256.

[0074] Figure 13 shows that tendon 224 in the intermediate section 256, that is, between the end fittings 229, 230, is formed by turns of the wires 226 without the epoxy resin 251, or any other adhesive, being present between the wires 226, so that tendon 224 remains flexible.

[0075] Figure 14 is a schematic longitudinal section through the distal end fitting 230. A longitudinal section through the proximal end fitting 229 is similar in this embodiment and is therefore not shown in detail. It shows the inner contour 262 and the outer contour 264 of the converging section 260 of the bundle of wire turns 226 as it engages and loops around the eyelet 246. As the turns of wire 226 are grouped in the section Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 49 / 67 33 / 39 intermediate 256 and, thus, divided into two halves and diverging towards the eyelet 246, they engage, in this embodiment, at an angle α of approximately 220° from the bearing surface 248 of the eyelet 246. The region of the bearing surface 248 covered by this angle is referred to as the bearing region 266, that is, that part of the circumference of the eyelet on which the wires 226 come into contact and are supported by the eyelet 246. The bearing region 266 covers the angle α, as indicated by the dashed line in Figure 14. In general, an adhesive is applied over a portion 268 of the bearing region 266. In a preferred embodiment, the portion 268 is substantially the entire bearing region 266. This results in the fibers 226 being interconnected throughout the bearing region 266, eliminating movement of the wires 226 relative to each other and, as a result, preventing wear and tear on the basalt fibers which would result in premature failure of the respective tendon 224.

[0076] In an alternative embodiment, the epoxy resin is present in other parts of the respective end fitting, in particular throughout the end fitting.

[0077] In an alternative embodiment, the adhesive covers less than half of the support region 268, such as 1 / 3 of the support region 268, as illustrated in Figure 14. The adhesive portion 268 is centered around the longitudinal geometric axis 270 of the tendon 224. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 50 / 67 34 / 39

[0078] The adhesive connects at least two of the plurality of yarn layers 226 and, in the preferred embodiment, substantially all yarn layers are connected by the adhesive 268. Connecting substantially all yarn layers results in an even greater increase in service life than connecting only two layers. In the context of this descriptive report, substantially all yarn layers are interpreted as at least 80% of the layers, in particular at least 90% of the layers, more particularly at least 95% of the layers.

[0079] In one embodiment, no adhesive is applied to the part of the support surface 248 that does not support the turns of the wires 226, that is, the non-support region that covers the remaining (360° - α) degrees, for example, the remaining 140° in the example of Figure 14.

[0080] In general, turns of wire engage at an angle α from the eyelet's bearing surface in a circumferential direction, where α is more than 180° and less than 360° from the circumference of the eyelet's bearing surface. In one embodiment, α is more than 200°, in particular more than 220°, and more particularly more than 240° from the eyelet's bearing surface. In another embodiment, α is less than 340°, in particular less than 320°, and more particularly less than 300° from the eyelet's bearing surface.

[0081] Several variants are possible within the Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 51 / 67 35 / 39 scope of the appended claims. The features of the preferred embodiments described above may be replaced by any other feature within the scope of the appended claims, such as the features described in other embodiments and in the following paragraphs.

[0082] Each tendon type 24, 124, 224 described above may be used alone or in combination with other tendon types, such as one of the other tendons described 24, 124, 224 or tendons of a type not described in this descriptive report, in any of the TLPs 2, 102, 202 described above or in other TLPs. In other words, in embodiments, a TLP 102 or TLP 202 is provided with tendons 24, a TLP 2 or TLP 202 is provided with tendons 124, or a TLP 2 or TLP 102 is provided with tendons 224.

[0083] A tendon according to the invention may be made of more or less than ten strands, such as one strand, two strands, or at least five strands. The total number of strands, i.e., strands per layer and number of layers, depends on the required strength and stiffness of the tendon, and the strength of an individual strand, as well as the required safety margin. The number of layers depends on the required number of strands and the available width in the eyelet, resulting in a maximum number of strands in the width direction. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 52 / 67 36 / 39

[0084] In one embodiment, layers of yarns in only one of the eyelets are provided with an adhesive. In particular, one eyelet of such embodiment differs from the other eyelet in such a way that an adhesive is less beneficial, for example, if the load on the fibers is lower due to a larger radius and / or greater width of the respective eyelet.

[0085] In one embodiment, the adhesive is applied to the tendon between the eyelets so that the tendon between the eyelets remains flexible. A tendon is considered flexible if it is capable of being coiled, for example, for transport. Such flexibility is present if the different layers of yarn turns in the tendon between the eyelets can move relative to each other in their longitudinal direction. In particular, the adhesive is applied to the tendon extending between the eyelets but not cured and / or the adhesive is applied and cured only on a small portion of the tendon, so that the tendon as a whole remains flexible. In one embodiment, the adhesive is present to connect layers of the covering around the tendon yarns.

[0086] In one embodiment, a tendon comprises more than two eyelets. In this embodiment, at least two eyelets are present at one end of the tendon. Two eyelets in the same end socket form a female end socket, so that a connection with an additional flexible tendon can be established by placing a Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 53 / 67 37 / 39 male end fitting between the eyelets of the female end fitting.

[0087] In one embodiment, another type of resin may be used, such as a polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, or polyamide. In particular, the resin is a thermosetting polymer.

[0088] In one embodiment, the adhesive is applied to only one of the eyelets.

[0089] In one embodiment, the adhesive is applied to the eyelet(s) of one or both end fittings only, and not to the converging sections of the wire turns in the end fitting.

[0090] In one embodiment, the adhesive is applied during the winding process of the wire(s), that is, the adhesive is applied over each layer of wire turns or over each nth layer of wire turns, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one (1) and less than the total number of wire turns in the stack.

[0091] In one embodiment, the adhesive is cured by the addition of a curing agent, such as a polyamine curing agent to a resin. In another embodiment, the adhesive is cured by radiation, such as IR radiation, UV radiation, or microwave radiation.

[0092] In one embodiment, the eyelet is made of a plastic material instead of a metal, or of a metal Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 54 / 67 38 / 39 different from stainless steel, including, but not limited to, different steel alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, and titanium.

[0093] In several embodiments, a tendon is formed by pultrusion, resulting in tendons with strands of finite length. Pultrusion processes typically involve impregnating the fibers in a resin before they are coated. While this impregnation results in a tendon suitable for some applications, it can result in an excessively stiff tendon that cannot be bent for transport. In a preferred embodiment, a tendon is made by dry pultrusion, i.e., without impregnating the fibers in resin before they are bundled. This ensures mobility of the fibers relative to each other, which allows the tendon to be coiled for transport.

[0094] In one variant, the wires are bundled with a braided covering in addition to, or instead of, a PVC covering. In another variant, the wires are bundled with a tape, in particular a helically wound tape, in addition to, or instead of, a PVC covering and / or a braided covering.

[0095] In one embodiment, a tendon is made of a plurality of subchords, each subchord being produced by pultrusion of basalt fibers. The fibers in the subchords are untwisted and the subchords are supplied parallel to each other. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 55 / 67 39 / 39 yes, that is, without twisting, in the tendon, and held together by a covering, such as one or more of the coverings described above.

[0096] Note that British spelling is applied in the descriptive report above for terms such as fibre, mould and centre (respectively, fibra, molde and centro). These terms may be replaced by the corresponding spelling in American English, fibra, molde and centro, without altering the content of this descriptive report. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 56 / 67

Claims

1 / 6 CLAIMS 1. Tendon (24, 124, 224) for a tie-leg platform (2, 102, 202), the tie-leg platform (2, 102, 202) comprising a foundation (6, 106, 206), connectable to the bottom of a body of water, and a floating hull (16, 116, 216), characterized in that the tendon (24, 124, 224) has a length, a proximal end (23, 123, 223) and a distal end (25, 125, 225), and comprises a proximal end fitting (30, 130, 229) at the proximal end (23, 123, 223) and a distal end fitting (30, 130, 230) at the distal end (23, 123, 223), the tendon (24, 124, 224) is connectable, with the proximal end fitting (30, 130, 229), to the floating hull (16, 116, 216) and, with the distal end fitting (30, 130, 230), to the foundation (6, 106, 206) to provide a tensile force on the floating hull (16), and the length of the tendon (24, 124, 224) is at least 300 meters, the tendon (24, 124,224) comprises basalt fibers (27, 227) to transfer tensile force from proximal end socket (30, 130, 129) to distal end socket (30, 130, 230).

2. Tendon (24, 124, 224) for a platform of braced legs (2, 102, 202), according to claim 1, Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 57 / 67 2 / 6 characterized in that the basalt fibers (27, 227) extend parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the tendon (24, 124, 224).

3. Tendon (24, 124, 224) for a tie-leg platform (2, 102, 202), according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the basalt fibers (24, 124, 224) are untwisted.

4. Tendon (24, 124) for a braced leg platform (2, 102, 202), according to any one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tendon (24, 124) comprises a plurality of wires (26, 126) comprising basalt fibers (27), each of the plurality of wires (26, 126) having a length corresponding to the length of the tendon (24, 124) and having a proximal wire end that is connected to the proximal end fitting (30, 130) and a distal wire end that is connected to the distal end fitting (30, 130).

5. Tendon (24, 124) for a strapped leg platform (2, 102, 202), according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the distal end fittings (30, 130) or of the proximal end fitting (30, 130) comprises a hollow part (32, 132) having a cavity (31, 131) whose width increases towards the respective end of the tendon (24, 124), wherein the wires Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 58 / 67 3 / 6 (26, 126) extend into the cavity (31, 131) of the hollow part (32, 132) and diverge within the cavity (31, 131).

6. Tendon (24, 124) for a platform of tie-legs (2, 102, 202), according to claim 5, characterized in that the cavity (32, 132) comprises a truncated cone shape.

7. Tendon (24, 124) for a tie-leg platform (2, 102, 202), according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the cavity (32, 132) is filled with a matrix (38) that secures the divergent wires (26, 126).

8. Tendon (124) for a tie-leg platform (2, 102, 202), according to any one or more of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that a retaining body (140) is provided in the cavity (131) which keeps the divergent wires (126) spaced apart, in particular the retaining body (140) has a shape that is complementary to a shape of the cavity (131).

9. Tendon (24, 124) for a tie-leg platform (2, 102, 202), according to any one or more of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the tendon (24, 124) is formed by pultrusion to group basalt wires (26, 126) with a covering, in particular a polymeric covering.

10. Tendon (224) for a leg platform Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page. 59 / 67 4 / 6 straps (2, 102, 202), according to any one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tendon (224) comprises at least one wire (226) comprising basalt fibers (227), the proximal end fitting (229) comprises a first eyelet (244) and the distal end fitting (230) comprises a second eyelet (246), the first eyelet (244) and the second eyelet (246) are provided at opposite ends of the tendon (224), the at least one wire (226) extends from the first eyelet (244) to the second eyelet (246), loops around the second eyelet (246), extends from the second eyelet (246) to the first eyelet (244) and loops around the first eyelet (224), such that the wire (226) forms loops around the first and second eyelets (244, 246), and each eyelet (244, 246) supports a stack (249) of a plurality of layers (250) of loops of wire (226).

11. Tendon (224) for a platform of tie-legs (2, 102, 202), according to claim 10, characterized in that an adhesive (251) is provided in at least one of the first (244) and second (246) eyelets only and mutually connects at least two of the plurality of layers (250) of wire turns in the stack (249) of the respective first or second eyelets (244, 246) to retain a tangential orientation of the respective layers of Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 60 / 67 5 / 6 wire (250) between themselves when the tendon (224) is subjected to a load, wherein the stack (249) of the plurality of turns of wires (226) of each eyelet engages the respective eyelet along a part (266) of the circumference of the respective eyelet, wherein the adhesive (251) provided in said at least one of the first (244) and second eyelets (246) extends over at least a portion (268) of said circumferential part (266) of the respective first (244) or second eyelets (246).

12. Tendon (224) for a platform of strapped legs (2, 102, 202), according to claim 11, characterized in that the adhesive (251) extends over the entire circumferential part (266).

13. Tendon (224) for a platform of strapped legs (2, 102, 202), according to claim 11, characterized in that the adhesive (251) extends only over the portion (268) of the circumferential part (266), in particular said portion (268) is centered around the longitudinal geometric axis (270) of the tendon.

14. Platform with braced legs (2, 102, 202), characterized in that it comprises a foundation (6, 106, 206), connected to a bottom (8, 108, 208) of a body of water (10, 110, 210), a plurality of tendons (24, 124, 224), as defined in any one or more of the preceding claims, Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 61 / 67 6 / 6 a floating hull (16, 116, 216), and a deck structure (3, 103, 203), connected to the floating hull (16, 116, 216) and designed to extend above a water level (20, 120, 220) of the water body (10, 110, 210), wherein each tendon (24, 124, 224) is connected with the proximal end fitting (30, 130, 229) to the floating hull (16, 116, 216) and with the distal end fitting (30, 130, 230) to the foundation (6, 106, 206) to provide a tensile force on the floating hull (16, 116, 216).

15. Braced leg platform (2, 102, 202), according to claim 14, characterized in that the deck structure comprises a wind turbine (3, 103, 203).

16. A platform with tensioned legs (2, 102, 202), according to claim 15, characterized in that the wind turbine (3, 103, 203) comprises a mast and the floating hull comprises part of the mast. Petition 870250081731, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, pp. 62 / 67

Images