An adaptive automatic pile cutting system and automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of pile foundation construction technology and discloses an adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction. The pile cutting system includes an adaptive pile cutting unit, which comprises: an upper adaptive support device, a lower adaptive rotary cutting device, and a vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device. This invention significantly simplifies the structure and process of the pile cutting system and improves the matching degree between equipment and process. It enhances its adaptability in multiple aspects, enabling it to adapt to different pile bodies, inclinations, working depths, and angles, and to use different cutters. This simultaneously meets the operational requirements for both straight and inclined piles, different types of pile bodies, and different cutting tools. It can achieve pile cutting at any angle cross-section and improves the efficiency, quality, and safety of underwater pile cutting operations, while reducing construction costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pile foundation construction technology, and in particular to an adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction. Background Technology

[0002] In the construction of offshore wind power, offshore bridges and marine ranches, the demand for underwater steel pipe piles is increasing, and their application is becoming more widespread. However, in existing underwater pile foundation construction operations, the problem of underwater cutting of steel pipe piles often needs to be solved. Because underwater steel pipe piles cannot be directly operated by visual inspection, and due to external factors such as weather and hydrology, there are also problems such as large measurement errors, low cutting accuracy, and difficulties in underwater construction during underwater pile cutting operations. Many engineering designs include both straight piles and inclined piles of different diameters, and especially often involve underwater pile cutting operations under conditions such as deep water, inclined piles, and complex environments, which poses a great challenge to existing pile cutting equipment and processes.

[0003] To address these issues, CN117721801A discloses an unmanned cutting device and method for underwater steel pipe piles with different inclination angles. Its cutting mechanism is located inside the positioning ring at the pile bottom and can rotate around the inner ring to cut the steel pipe pile from the outside. However, this method of cutting from the outside is greatly affected by the operating environment, making it difficult to accurately cut steel pipe piles of different diameters in complex environments such as deep water. Its cutting accuracy and adaptability are poor. To overcome the adverse effects of the external environment, CN116252247A discloses a cutting device for underwater steel pile cutting, employing an in-pile cutting method. It includes a lifting beam mechanism, a posture adjustment mechanism, a cutting mechanism, a horizontal attitude sensor, and a processor. However, because its lifting beam mechanism is mounted on the top of the steel pile, the operating depth is adjusted through a telescopic device with a very complex structure and adjustment. The cutting mechanism has a complex structure, low cutting efficiency, and its operating accuracy highly depends on the coordination of complex sensing, calculation, and communication. Its adaptability to different pile sizes and depths is also poor. CN 117182268 A discloses an underwater cutting device for offshore wind power steel pipe piles. This device addresses the challenges of underwater cutting of steel pipe piles, including high difficulty, high risk, and low cutting efficiency. It includes a base, lifting mechanism, pile cutting mechanism, stabilizing support mechanism, real-time monitoring mechanism, and remote control system. However, the overall structure of this device is extremely complex. The pile cutting process involves numerous and error-prone control components such as sensing, communication, and computation (limited by these components). Reliable waterproofing is difficult to achieve, and the device's compatibility with the construction method is low (relying on remote control). Its adaptability to piles of different diameters, cross-sectional shapes, and inclinations is also weak. The deployment process is complex, and the overall cost is too high, making it difficult to meet the needs of actual engineering projects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction. Through various structural improvements, the system significantly simplifies the structure and process of the pile cutting system and improves the matching degree between equipment and process. It also enhances the adaptability of the system in multiple aspects, enabling it to adapt to different pile bodies, inclinations, working depths, and angles, and to use different cutting tools. This allows it to simultaneously meet the operational requirements of both straight and inclined piles, different types of pile bodies, and different cutting tools. It can achieve the cutting of pile bodies at any angle (non-horizontal) and improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of underwater pile cutting operations, while reducing construction costs, thus solving many problems in the prior art.

[0005] This invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] An adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction includes an adaptive pile cutting unit for adaptive pile cutting operations within the pile. The unit includes: an upper adaptive support device, a lower adaptive rotary cutting device, and a vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device.

[0007] The upper adaptive support device is positioned directly above the lower adaptive rotary cutting device, and the vertical adaptive telescopic tension device is positioned at the center of the upper adaptive support device and the lower adaptive rotary cutting device, with the centers of all three on the same axis.

[0008] The aforementioned upper adaptive support device includes multiple adaptive lateral telescopic support mechanisms. During operation, the multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms move laterally outward or inward to adjust the contact position and angle with the inner wall of the steel pipe pile, thereby providing support for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit.

[0009] The lower-level adaptive rotary cutting device includes a rotary drive mechanism, which drives the cutter to rotate inside the steel pipe pile during operation, thereby performing rotary cutting on the steel pipe pile.

[0010] The vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device is installed in the through hole in the center of the upper adaptive support device and the lower adaptive rotary cutting device. During operation, it moves up and down reciprocally, driving the cutter to move horizontally outward or inward to adjust the distance between the cutter and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile, thereby cutting the steel pipe pile.

[0011] The adaptive automatic pile cutting system also includes a multi-point adaptive lifting unit and an automatic control unit.

[0012] An adaptive automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction, which employs the aforementioned adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction, includes the following steps:

[0013] S1. Lower the adaptive pile cutting unit to the required cutting depth inside the steel pipe pile, and obtain the initial angle required for cutting through overall attitude control;

[0014] S2. Multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms installed on the upper adaptive support device move laterally and extend until their front end contacts the inner wall of the steel pipe pile, fixing the angle required for cutting and providing support for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit, thus establishing a stable cutting plane.

[0015] S3. The vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device moves downward, causing the cutter to extend outward and adjust the distance between the cutter and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile until the cutting position is reached.

[0016] S4. The lower adaptive rotary cutting device is activated, driving the cutter to rotate and cut the inner wall of the steel pipe pile. During the cutting process, the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device continues to move downward, gradually increasing the length of the cutter extending outward until the cutter completely cuts through the thickness of the steel pipe pile on the cutting plane.

[0017] The advantages or principles of the present invention are explained below:

[0018] 1. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by this invention focuses on improving its adaptability in multiple aspects through various structural improvements. This significantly simplifies the structure and process of the pile cutting system and improves the matching degree between equipment and process. By simplifying the structure of the adaptive pile cutting unit and reducing its self-weight, it becomes easier to control. It can adapt to different cutting tools for different pile bodies, pile types, inclinations, working depths, and angles, simultaneously meeting the operational requirements for both straight and inclined piles, different types of pile bodies, and different cutting tools. It can achieve pile cutting at any angle (e.g., non-horizontal) and improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of underwater pile cutting operations, enhance overall waterproofing performance, strengthen the protection of the pile cutting system itself, and reduce construction costs, thereby solving many problems in the prior art.

[0019] 2. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by this invention improves the adaptive pile cutting unit for underwater pile foundation construction. Multiple external cranes, in conjunction with multiple wire ropes, transport the adaptive pile cutting unit to the inside of the steel pipe pile. The depth and angle are adjusted before cutting. Through sensors and wire rope positioning, auxiliary measurements are achieved during the sinking process of the adaptive pile cutting unit. The external cranes collaboratively control the sinking speed and angle (attitude) of the adaptive pile cutting unit, ensuring stable operation and obtaining the optimal angle and working plane for the cutting operation, thus improving cutting efficiency and quality. In particular, it can solve the problem of cutting inclined piles and deformed piles.

[0020] 3. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by this invention are equipped with four or more adaptive lateral telescopic support mechanisms. Each support mechanism is designed to be pushed outward and fixed by pre-tightening force to contact the inner wall of the steel pipe pile, forming a stable support platform. Its support cylinder, support ball joint connecting rod and support arc panel cooperate with each other to adapt to different piles, pile types (round piles, square piles), inclinations (inclined piles), and different working depths and angles for pile cutting. It can achieve cutting of the pile body at any angle (non-horizontal) section and improve the efficiency, quality and safety of underwater pile cutting operations.

[0021] 4. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by the present invention has an adaptive tool tensioning device in its adaptive pile cutting unit that can be adapted to different tools, including water jets, plasma arcs, saw blade cutting tools, etc., to simultaneously meet the operational requirements applicable to straight piles and inclined piles, different types of pile bodies, and different cutting tools. It can realize the cutting of the pile body at any angle (non-horizontal) cross section and improve the efficiency, quality and safety of underwater pile cutting operations.

[0022] 5. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by the present invention have an upper adaptive support device, a lower adaptive rotary cutting device, and a vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device that are distributed in a three-dimensional staggered manner, with a reasonable spatial layout, compact structure, small transmission distance, and high transmission efficiency.

[0023] 6. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by the present invention have all components of the adaptive pile cutting unit as waterproof components, thus the overall waterproof performance is good; it is not easy to be damaged when cutting steel pipe piles and immersing each component in water; when the cutting tool is set as a saw blade cutting tool, the torque of the blade is monitored in real time by setting torque monitoring, and abnormal situations such as blade breakage are handled.

[0024] 7. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by the present invention make full use of the relatively stable internal environment of the steel pipe pile, enabling normal construction in harsh environments without the need for manual underwater operations. In addition, by utilizing the waterless environment inside the steel pipe pile, the adverse effects of seawater buoyancy and seawater flow on the efficiency and accuracy of the pile cutting operation can be reduced when cutting from the inside of the steel pipe pile.

[0025] 8. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by this invention eliminates the need for personnel to enter the water, solving the problem of excessively long pipe piles affecting the navigation safety of ships in deep water areas; the cut pipe piles can be safely lifted off and recycled; by introducing automatic control, modular design, and new cutting tools and processes (such as water jet, plasma arc, laser, etc.), the efficiency and safety of pile cutting can be significantly improved.

[0026] 9. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided by the present invention applies a preload force to the wire rope through an external crane during the cutting process, ensuring that the adaptive pile cutting unit and the steel pipe pile remain relatively fixed during the cutting process, avoiding damage to the cutting tool caused by the instantaneous fall of the steel pipe pile during cutting, and further improving the safety and service life of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a front view structural diagram of the working state of the adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of the working state of the adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional shape structure of the adaptive pile-cutting unit from a first-view perspective according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional shape of the adaptive pile-cutting unit from a second perspective in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main view structure of the adaptive pile cutting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the left-side structure of the adaptive pile-cutting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a bottom view of the adaptive pile-cutting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the adaptive pile cutting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] In the picture:

[0036] 1. Upper adaptive support device; 10. Lateral telescopic support mechanism; 101. Support cylinder; 102. Support ball joint connecting rod; 103. Support arc panel; 11. Upper base plate; 111. Upper through hole; 12. Upper support frame;

[0037] 2. Lower layer adaptive rotary cutting device; 21. Lower substrate; 211. Lower through hole; 212. Drive convex ring; 22. Rotary drive mechanism; 221. Annular housing; 222. Rotating part; 223. Drive part; 23. Guide bracket; 231. Guide through hole;

[0038] 3. Vertical adaptive tool tensioning device; 31. Drive motor; 311. Output shaft; 32. Drive screw; 33. Nut adjusting bracket; 331. Nut; 332. Support lug; 34. Tensioning linkage; 35. Tool post; 36. Tool post guide seat;

[0039] 4. Multi-point adaptive lifting unit; 41. Wire rope; 42. Crane;

[0040] 5. Steel pipe piles. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] See Figures 1 to 8 The present invention provides an adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction, which includes an adaptive pile cutting unit for adaptive pile cutting operation inside the pile, a multi-point adaptive lifting unit for lifting in and out of the adaptive pile cutting unit and for assisting in positioning and adjusting the angle, and an automatic control unit for controlling the coordinated operation of the entire pile cutting system.

[0044] The adaptive pile cutting unit includes: an upper adaptive support device 1, a lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2, a vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device 3, and a front-end electrical control module;

[0045] The upper adaptive support device 1 is positioned directly above the lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2, and the vertical adaptive telescopic tension device is positioned at the center of the upper adaptive support device 1 and the lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2, with the centers of the three devices on the same axis.

[0046] The upper adaptive support device 1 includes multiple adaptive lateral telescopic support mechanisms 10. When the multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms 10 are in operation, they move laterally outward or inward to adjust the contact position and angle with the inner wall of the steel pipe pile, so as to provide support for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit.

[0047] The lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2 includes a rotary drive mechanism 22, which drives the cutter to rotate inside the steel pipe pile during operation, and performs rotary cutting on the steel pipe pile.

[0048] The vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device 3 is installed in the through hole (upper through hole 111 and lower through hole 211) in the center of the upper adaptive support device 1 and the lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2. During operation, it moves up and down reciprocally, driving the cutter to move horizontally outward or inward to adjust the distance between the cutter and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile, so as to cut the steel pipe pile 5.

[0049] The aforementioned front-end electrical control module includes multiple actuators, controllers, and sensors, which are installed in the adaptive support device 1 and are electrically connected to the support cylinder 101, the rotary drive mechanism 22, the drive motor 31, and the PLC controller, respectively.

[0050] In the front-end electrical control module, a multi-axis attitude sensor (specifically installed in the upper adaptive support device 1) is also provided, with a built-in inertial measurement unit (IMU). Both the multi-axis attitude sensor and the inertial measurement unit (IMU) are electrically connected to the PLC controller to collect data such as the tilt angle and deformation degree of the inner wall of the steel pipe pile in real time, and feed the data back to the front-end electrical control module. The electrical control module dynamically adjusts the extension length and contact pressure of the transverse telescopic support mechanism 10 according to the sensor data to ensure that the support arc panel 103 is tightly fitted to the inner wall of the pile with different shapes (such as ellipse, oblique surface, plane).

[0051] The automatic control unit includes a PLC controller and a host computer; the PLC controller is electrically connected to the front-end electrical control module and each crane 42; the PLC controller has built-in automatic control software.

[0052] The multi-point adaptive lifting unit 4 includes multiple cranes 42 and wire ropes 41, with each crane 42 independently connected to a wire rope 41. In this embodiment, the number of cranes and wire ropes is 4. The four wire ropes 41 are centrally symmetrical and set at different positions on the upper adaptive support device 1. By adjusting the length of each set of wire ropes 41, the fixed position of the adaptive pile cutting unit as a whole is adjusted, and the angle of cutting the steel pipe pile is adjusted at the same time.

[0053] In this embodiment, the multi-point adaptive lifting unit 4 includes at least three or more wire ropes 41, and a corresponding number of cranes 42 that operate independently and control the lifting of one wire rope 41. The lifting wire ropes 41 are symmetrically arranged at different positions on the upper support frame. By adjusting the length and preload of each wire rope 41, the arrival depth, attitude and the rotation cutting plane of the cutting tool of the adaptive pile cutting unit 1 can be adjusted.

[0054] By adjusting the length of each wire rope 41, the angle between the adaptive pile cutting unit inside the pile and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the angle of the rotary cutting plane (to deal with inclined piles and deformed piles); it is possible to cut the pile body at any angle (non-horizontal) without having to adjust the cutting surface to a horizontal plane and maintain it as in existing technologies.

[0055] An adaptive automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction, which employs the aforementioned adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction, includes the following steps:

[0056] S1. Through the coordinated operation of multiple adaptive lifting units, the adaptive pile cutting unit is lowered to the required cutting depth inside the steel pipe pile, and the overall attitude is controlled to obtain the initial angle required for cutting.

[0057] S2. Multiple transverse telescopic support mechanisms 10 installed on the upper adaptive support device 1 move laterally and extend until their front end contacts the inner wall of the steel pipe pile, fixing the angle required for cutting and providing support for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit, thus establishing a stable cutting plane.

[0058] S3, the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device 3 is activated, moving downwards to extend the cutter outwards and adjust the distance between the cutter and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile until the cutting position is reached, while maintaining stable pressure between the cutter and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile.

[0059] S4. The lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2 is activated, driving the cutter to rotate and cut the inner wall of the steel pipe pile. During the cutting process, the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device 3 continues to move downward, gradually increasing the length of the cutter extending outward, so that the cutter maintains a stable contact pressure with the inner wall of the steel pipe pile on the cutting plane until the thickness of the steel pipe pile is completely cut off.

[0060] In this embodiment of the invention, an adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction is transported to the inside of the steel pipe pile for cutting using an external crane and steel wire rope. Through the setting of position sensors, attitude sensors, and steel wire rope length-assisted positioning, accurate measurement can be achieved during the sinking process of the automatic cutting device. The sinking speed and angle, which are synchronously controlled by multiple external cranes, can ensure stable operation and accurate positioning.

[0061] This embodiment significantly simplifies the structure and process of existing pile cutting systems and improves the matching degree between equipment and process, while enhancing its adaptability in multiple aspects. By simplifying the structure of the adaptive pile cutting unit and reducing its self-weight, it becomes easier to control. It can adapt to different cutting tools for different pile bodies, pile types, inclinations, and different working depths and angles. It can cut the pile body at any angle (e.g., non-horizontal) and improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of underwater pile cutting operations. It also improves the overall waterproof performance, enhances the protection of the pile cutting system itself, and reduces construction costs.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] See Figures 1 to 8 The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided in this embodiment of the invention are further optimized based on Embodiment 1, with a focus on improving the adaptive capability of the adaptive support device, enabling it to adapt to different pile types, pile bodies, different inclination angles, and different cutting sections, especially to inclined piles and deformed piles. The difference lies in:

[0064] The adaptive support device 1 of the adaptive pile cutting unit includes: an upper base plate 11, an upper support frame 12, and multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms 10;

[0065] The upper substrate 11 is a regular polygonal panel with a circular upper through hole 111 inside;

[0066] The upper support frame 12 is a cylindrical regular polygonal vertical plate, which is set on the upper surface of the upper substrate 11. Its diameter is larger than the diameter of the circular upper through hole 111 but smaller than the diameter of the upper substrate 11. It is concentric with the upper substrate 11 and the upper through hole 111, and each side is parallel to the corresponding side on the upper substrate 11.

[0067] The plurality of lateral telescopic support mechanisms 10 are respectively horizontally passing through the thickness of the upper support frame 12 and are centrally symmetrically arranged on the upper support frame 12.

[0068] Each lateral telescopic support mechanism 10 includes, in sequence: a support cylinder 101, a support ball joint connecting rod 102, and a support arc panel 103. When the support cylinder 101 extends or retracts horizontally, it drives the support ball joint connecting rod 102 and the support arc panel 103 to move back and forth horizontally, adaptively adjusting the length of the horizontal outward extension until it reaches the inner wall of the steel pipe pile and maintains the set surface contact pressure. The support arc panel 103 has a spherical groove on the side facing the support ball joint connecting rod 102. The ball joint is inserted into the groove to form a universal joint structure. This design can provide support for the inner wall of traditional circular steel pipe piles, as well as rectangular and deformed steel pipe piles, and can also support the cutting (oblique cutting) of inclined piles. It is applicable to multiple scenarios, better meets the actual project construction needs, and reduces the requirements for working conditions and positioning accuracy.

[0069] Steps S1 and S2 further include the following steps:

[0070] S1-1. The tool is pre-positioned on the front section of the tool holder 35 of the vertical adaptive tool tensioning device 3;

[0071] S1-2 and the PLC controller control each of the cranes 42 and wire ropes 41 in the multi-point adaptive lifting unit 4 to lower the adaptive pile cutting unit to the required cutting depth inside the steel pipe pile 5, and obtain the initial angle required for cutting through overall attitude control.

[0072] S2-1. In the initial angle state, the PLC controller, based on the attitude information collected by the sensors, controls the length of each crane 42 and wire rope 41, and adjusts the extension length and action sequence of each lateral telescopic support mechanism 10. It fine-tunes the specific contact position and angle between the multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms 10 and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile 5. When all the lateral telescopic support mechanisms 10 are in reliable contact with the inner wall of the steel pipe pile 5 (maintaining constant contact pressure), the final angle and stable cutting plane required for cutting are obtained, and a stable support is provided for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit.

[0073] The adaptive pile cutting unit in this embodiment is equipped with four centrally symmetrical adaptive lateral telescopic support mechanisms. Each support mechanism is designed to be independently pushed outward and fixed in contact with the inner wall of the steel pipe pile by pre-tightening force, forming a stable support platform. Its support cylinder, support ball joint connecting rod, and support arc panel cooperate with each other to adapt to different piles, pile types (round piles, square piles), inclinations (inclined piles), and different working depths and angles for pile cutting. It can achieve cutting of the pile body at any angle (non-horizontal) section and improve the efficiency, quality and safety of underwater pile cutting operations.

[0074] Example 3

[0075] See Figures 1 to 8 The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction provided in this embodiment of the invention are further optimized based on the above embodiments 1 and 2, and the differences are as follows:

[0076] The lower adaptive rotary drive device 2 includes: a rotary drive mechanism 22, a lower base plate 21, and a guide bracket 23;

[0077] The rotary drive mechanism 22 is generally disc-shaped, including a non-rotating annular housing 221 and a rotating part 222, and a drive part 223 disposed on one side of the annular housing 221.

[0078] In this embodiment, the rotary drive mechanism 22 is a worm gear rotary drive, such as the Bosch Rexroth GFW series product. It is fully sealed and waterproof, with a radial load capacity of 8 kN and an axial load capacity of 12 kN in the output bearing, supporting the rotational reaction force of various cutting tools (saw blades / plasma arcs). In other embodiments, other horizontal rotary drive products with reverse self-locking function can also be selected.

[0079] The lower substrate 21 is a regular polygonal flat plate (metal plate) with a circular lower through hole 211 inside, and a driving protrusion ring 212 protruding upward is provided around the edge of the circular lower through hole 211.

[0080] The non-rotating annular housing 221 of the rotary drive mechanism 22 is disposed on the bottom surface of the upper substrate 11. The two are concentric and are both stationary components. The rotating part 222 of the rotary drive mechanism is fastened to the driving convex ring 212 (connected by threads, interference fit, keyway fit, etc.). When the rotary drive mechanism 22 is running, its rotating part 222 drives the driving convex ring 212 to rotate, thereby driving the lower substrate 21 to rotate, and thus driving the tool to rotate.

[0081] The guide bracket 23 is a strip-shaped, upwardly protruding inverted trapezoidal support plate. Its lower end is set on the edge of the lower through hole 211 of the lower base plate 21, protruding upward and extending into the upper through hole 111. A guide through hole 231 is provided on its upper horizontal section, and the guide through hole 231, the upper through hole 111, and the lower through hole 211 are all concentric. The guide bracket 23 is used to connect and fix the drive motor 31 and the drive screw 32 in the vertical adaptive tool tensioning device. The coupling (outwardly protruding section) between the output shaft of the drive motor 31 and the drive screw 32 is set in the guide through hole 231, and at the same time, the drive motor 31 and the drive screw 32 are vertically positioned in the upper through hole 111 and the lower through hole 211, with the drive motor 31 on top and the drive screw 32 on the bottom. The lower section of the drive screw 32 is connected to the nut adjusting bracket 33, which together drive the tool tensioning, effectively utilizing the internal space and greatly simplifying the overall structure of the adaptive cutting unit.

[0082] In this embodiment, the upper adaptive support device, the lower adaptive rotary cutting device, and the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device of the adaptive pile cutting unit are arranged in a three-dimensional staggered manner, with a reasonable spatial layout, compact structure, small transmission distance, and high transmission efficiency.

[0083] Example 4

[0084] See Figures 1 to 8 The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction provided in this embodiment of the invention are further optimized based on the above embodiments 1 to 3, and the differences are as follows:

[0085] The vertical adaptive tool tensioning device 3 includes: a drive motor 31, a drive screw 32, a nut adjusting bracket 33, a tensioning connecting rod 34, a tool holder 35, and a tool holder guide seat 36;

[0086] The drive motor 31 is vertically installed in the upper through hole 111, and its output shaft 311 is connected to the drive screw 32 at the front end. The drive screw 32 passes through the upper through hole 111 and the guide through hole 231 in sequence and then extends into the lower through hole 211. Its front end is threadedly connected to the nut adjusting bracket 33. A coupling is provided between the output shaft 311 and the drive screw 32. The coupling is installed in the guide through hole 231 of the guide bracket 23 to fix the two together.

[0087] The output shaft 311, drive screw 32, upper through hole 111, guide through hole 231, and lower through hole 211 are all concentric, and their axis lines are on the same straight line.

[0088] The tool holder guide seat 36 is centrally symmetrically arranged on the lower end surface of the lower base plate 21. It is provided with a guide cylinder 361. The tool holder 35 is arranged in the guide cylinder 361 and can move back and forth along its axis, driving the tool to move back and forth.

[0089] The nut adjusting bracket 33 has a nut 331 in the middle, and multiple lugs 332 are provided on the outer side wall of the nut 331. The front part of the drive screw 32 is inserted into the nut 331, so that the two are threadedly connected. When the drive screw 32 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, it drives the nut 331 to move up and down reciprocally. The drive nut 331 then drives the tool holder 35 to perform horizontal back and forth tensioning and relaxation movements through the lugs 332, the tensioning and relaxation connecting rod 34, and the guide cylinder 361.

[0090] One end of the tension-relaxation linkage 34 is connected to the lug 332 of the nut adjustment bracket 33, and the other end is connected to the tool holder 35, both of which are shaft connections; the front section of the tool holder 35 is provided with a tool interface for connecting different tools;

[0091] The drive motor 31 can be one of a hydraulic motor, a stepper motor, or a servo motor.

[0092] Steps S3 and S4 further include the following steps:

[0093] S3-1, The PLC controller controls the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device 3 to move downward, causing the cutter to extend outward and adjust the distance between the cutter and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile 5 until the cutting position is reached;

[0094] S3-2. Then control each crane 42 in the multi-point adaptive lifting unit 4 to tighten the wire rope 41 and apply a pre-tightening force of 1.3-2 times its own weight to the adaptive pile cutting unit as a whole to prevent the upper steel pipe pile 5 from falling and damaging the components of the adaptive pile cutting unit at the moment the steel pipe pile (5) is cut.

[0095] S4-1, The lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2 is activated, driving the cutter to rotate and cut the inner wall of the steel pipe pile 5; during the cutting process, the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device 3 continues to move downward, gradually increasing the length of the cutter extending outward until the cutter gradually cuts off the thickness of the steel pipe pile 5 on the cutting plane.

[0096] S4-2. When the PLC controller determines that the steel pipe pile 5 has been cut according to the sensor signal, it controls the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device 3 to move upward, so that the length of the cutter extending outward gradually decreases until it retracts back to the initial position. Then, it controls all the horizontal telescopic support mechanisms 10 to retract to the initial position, and then lifts the entire adaptive pile cutting unit out of the water surface.

[0097] To better control and ensure the safe and smooth progress of the cutting operation, a vibration sensor can also be installed on the tool holder 35. The vibration sensor is electrically connected to the PLC controller or the front-end electrical control module to monitor the vibration spectrum generated during the cutting operation in real time. Step S4 also includes: when the vibration sensor detects abnormal vibration at a specific frequency (such as high-frequency vibration of 200-500Hz), it is determined that the tool is not in good contact with the pile wall or the tool is stuck. The PLC controller starts the built-in compensation algorithm of the existing technology, and simultaneously reduces the rotation speed of the rotary cutting device 2 by 5%-10%, and increases the feed speed compensation of the vertical tool tensioning device 3 (compensation coefficient K=1.2-1.5) to force the tool to maintain a constant contact pressure with the pile wall. If the vibration continues for more than 3 seconds after compensation, the emergency retraction procedure is triggered: the tool retracts by 10mm, the rotary cutting device 2 rotates in the opposite direction by 15°, so that the tool re-cuts and continues to cut the pile until the steel pipe pile is completely cut off.

[0098] In this embodiment, in order to better control and ensure the safe and smooth progress of the cutting operation, step S4 may also include steps of monitoring the cross-sectional quality during the cutting process and performing supplementary cutting:

[0099] An ultrasonic flaw detector is installed on the lower adaptive rotary cutting device 2, and the ultrasonic flaw detector is electrically connected to the PLC controller. The preferred model of the ultrasonic flaw detector is Olympus EPOCH 650. The ultrasonic flaw detector scans the cut section and detects the uncut area (the residual thickness >3mm is unqualified). If an unqualified area is detected, the PLC controller marks the defect position (angle θ) and controls the rotary cutting device (2) to rotate to the range of θ±5°. Steps S3-S4 are repeated for local repair cutting. After the repair cutting is completed, the ultrasonic scanning is started again until the section meets the standard.

[0100] The adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction provided in the above embodiments of the present invention design the adaptive support device as including multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms, each independently extending outward, which can form a stable support platform within a certain tilt angle; it is equipped with a circular lower base plate and a cutting tool detachably connected to it, with good compatibility; the cutting tool can be a plasma cutter or a saw blade, etc.; when a saw blade is selected, four circular blades can be equipped for uniform, rotary cutting; the PLC controller can automatically control the rotation speed, outward extension length, cutting contact pressure, etc. of each blade, which can ensure cutting efficiency and quality; when the tool is set as a saw blade, the torque of the blade can be monitored in real time by setting torque monitoring, so as to deal with abnormal situations such as blade breakage in a timely manner.

[0101] This invention provides an adaptive automatic pile cutting system and method for underwater pile foundation construction. During the cutting process, an external crane applies appropriate pre-tension to the wire rope to ensure that the adaptive pile cutting unit and the steel pipe pile remain relatively fixed during the cutting process, and to avoid damage to the cutting tool caused by the sinking of the steel pipe pile at the moment of cutting, thereby further improving the safety and service life of the equipment. After the cut steel pipe pile is safely lifted out of the water, it can be recycled and reused.

[0102] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention; any substitutions and improvements made without departing from the concept of the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction, characterized in that, It includes an adaptive pile cutting unit for adaptive pile cutting operations within the pile, the unit comprising: an upper adaptive support device (1), a lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2), and a vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device (3). The upper adaptive support device (1) is set directly above the lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2), and the vertical adaptive tool tensioning device is set at the center of the upper adaptive support device (1) and the lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2), and the centers of the three are on the same axis. The upper adaptive support device (1) includes multiple adaptive lateral telescopic support mechanisms (10). During operation, the multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms (10) move laterally outward or inward to adjust the contact position and angle with the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5) and provide support for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit. The lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2) includes a rotary drive mechanism (22), which drives the cutter to rotate inside the steel pipe pile (5) during operation, and performs rotary cutting on the steel pipe pile (5); The vertical adaptive cutter tension device (3) is set in the through hole in the center of the upper adaptive support device (1) and the lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2). When running, it moves up and down, driving the cutter to move horizontally outward or inward to adjust the distance between the cutter and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5) to cut the steel pipe pile (5). The adaptive support device (1) includes: an upper substrate (11), an upper support frame (12), and multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms (10); the upper substrate (11) is a regular polygonal panel with a circular upper through hole (111) inside. The lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2) includes: a rotary drive mechanism (22), a lower substrate (21), and a guide bracket (23). The rotary drive mechanism (22) is generally disc-shaped, including a non-rotating annular housing (221) and a rotating part (222), and a drive part (223) disposed on one side of the annular housing (221). The lower substrate (21) is a regular polygonal plate with a circular lower through hole (211) inside, and a driving ring (212) protruding upward is provided around the edge of the circular lower through hole (211). The non-rotating annular housing (221) of the rotary drive mechanism (22) is disposed on the bottom surface of the upper substrate (11), and the two are concentric; the rotating part (222) is fastened to the driving protrusion ring (212). When the rotary drive mechanism (22) is running, its rotating part (222) drives the driving protrusion ring (212) to rotate, thereby driving the lower substrate (21) to rotate. The guide bracket (23) is a strip-shaped, upwardly protruding inverted trapezoidal support plate. Its lower end is set on the edge of the lower through hole (211) of the lower base plate (21), protruding upward and extending into the upper through hole (111). A guide through hole (231) is provided on the upper horizontal section. The guide through hole (231), the upper through hole (111), and the lower through hole (211) are all concentric. The vertical adaptive tool tensioning device (3) includes: a drive motor (31), a drive screw (32), a nut adjusting bracket (33), a tensioning link (34), a tool holder (35), and a tool holder guide seat (36). The drive motor (31) is vertically installed in the upper through hole (111), and the front end of its output shaft (311) is connected to the drive screw (32); the drive screw (32) passes through the upper through hole (111) and the guide through hole (231) in sequence and then extends into the lower through hole (211), and its front end is threadedly connected to the nut adjustment bracket (33). The output shaft (311), drive screw (32), upper through hole (111), guide through hole (231), and lower through hole (211) are all concentric; The tool holder guide seat (36) is centrally symmetrically arranged on the lower end face of the lower base plate (21), and it is provided with a guide cylinder (361). The tool holder (35) is arranged in the guide cylinder (361) and can move back and forth along its axis. The nut adjusting bracket (33) has a nut (331) in the middle and multiple lugs (332) on the outer side wall of the nut (331). One end of the tension link (34) is connected to the lug (332) of the nut adjustment bracket (33), and the other end is connected to the tool holder (35).

2. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper support frame (12) is a cylindrical regular polygonal vertical plate, which is set on the upper surface of the upper substrate (11). Its diameter is larger than the diameter of the circular upper through hole (111) but smaller than the diameter of the upper substrate (11). It is concentric with the upper substrate (11) and the upper through hole (111), and each side is parallel to the corresponding side on the upper substrate (11). The plurality of transverse telescopic support mechanisms (10) are respectively horizontally passing through the thickness of the upper support frame (12) and are centrally symmetrically arranged on the upper support frame (12); Each transverse telescopic support mechanism (10) includes, in sequence: a support cylinder (101), a support ball joint (102), and a support arc panel (103). When the support cylinder (101) extends and retracts in the horizontal direction, it drives the support ball joint (102) and the support arc panel (103) to move back and forth in the horizontal direction, adaptively adjusting the length of the horizontal outward extension until it reaches the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5).

3. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adaptive pile cutting unit also includes a front-end electrical control module, which includes multiple actuators, controllers and sensors, and is installed in the adaptive support device (1), and is electrically connected to the support cylinder (101), the rotary drive mechanism (22) and the drive motor (31) respectively.

4. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The adaptive automatic pile cutting system also includes a multi-point adaptive lifting unit (4). The multi-point adaptive lifting unit (4) includes multiple cranes (42) and wire ropes (41), with each crane (42) independently connected to a wire rope (41). Multiple steel wire ropes (41) are centrally symmetrical and set at different positions on the upper adaptive support device (1). By adjusting the length of each set of steel wire ropes (41), the overall fixed position of the adaptive pile cutting unit is adjusted, and the angle of cutting the steel pipe pile (5) is adjusted at the same time.

5. The adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adaptive automatic pile cutting system further includes an automatic control unit, which includes a PLC controller and a host computer. The PLC controller is electrically connected to the front-end electrical control module and the crane (42).

6. An adaptive automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction, characterized in that, The adaptive automatic pile cutting system for underwater pile foundation construction according to any one of claims 1-5 includes the following steps: S1. Lower the adaptive pile cutting unit to the required cutting depth inside the steel pipe pile (5), and obtain the initial angle required for cutting through overall attitude control; S2. Multiple transverse telescopic support mechanisms (10) set on the upper adaptive support device (1) move laterally and extend until their front end contacts the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5), fix the angle required for cutting, and provide support for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit, and establish a stable cutting plane. S3, the vertical adaptive tool tensioning device (3) moves downward, causing the tool to extend outward and adjust the distance between the tool and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5) until the cutting position is reached; S4. The lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2) is activated, driving the cutter to rotate and cut the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5). During the cutting process, the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device (3) continues to move downward, gradually increasing the length of the cutter extending outward until the cutter completely cuts the thickness of the steel pipe pile (5) on the cutting plane.

7. The adaptive automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction according to claim 6, characterized in that, Step S1 further includes the following steps: S1-1, Pre-set the tool on the front section of the tool holder (35) of the vertical adaptive tool tensioning device (3); S1-2 and PLC controller respectively control each crane (42) and wire rope (41) in the multi-point adaptive lifting unit (4) to lower the adaptive pile cutting unit to the required cutting depth in the steel pipe pile (5), and obtain the initial angle required for cutting through overall posture control.

8. The adaptive automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction according to claim 6, characterized in that, Step S2 further includes the following steps: S2-1. In the initial angle state, the PLC controller, based on the attitude information collected by the sensor, controls the length of each crane (42) and wire rope (41), and adjusts the extension length and action sequence of each lateral telescopic support mechanism (10) to fine-tune the specific contact position and angle between multiple lateral telescopic support mechanisms (10) and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5). When all the lateral telescopic support mechanisms (10) are in reliable contact with the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5), the final angle and stable cutting plane required for cutting are obtained, and a stable support is provided for the entire adaptive pile cutting unit.

9. The adaptive automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction according to claim 6, characterized in that, Step S3 further includes the following steps: S3-1, The PLC controller controls the vertical adaptive tool tensioning device (3) to move downward, so that the tool extends outward and adjusts the distance between the tool and the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5) until the cutting position is reached; S3-2. Then control each crane (42) in the multi-point adaptive lifting unit (4) to tighten the wire rope (41) and apply a pre-tightening force of 1.3-2 times its own weight to the entire adaptive pile cutting unit to prevent the upper steel pipe pile (5) from falling and damaging the components of the adaptive pile cutting unit at the moment the steel pipe pile (5) is cut.

10. The adaptive automatic pile cutting method for underwater pile foundation construction according to claim 6, characterized in that, Step S4 further includes the following steps: S4-1, The lower adaptive rotary cutting device (2) is activated, driving the cutter to make a rotary motion to cut the inner wall of the steel pipe pile (5); during the cutting process, the vertical adaptive cutter tension device (3) continues to move downward, so that the length of the cutter extending outward gradually increases until the cutter is on the cutting plane and gradually cuts off the thickness of the steel pipe pile (5); S4-2, PLC controller controls the vertical adaptive cutter tensioning device (3) to move upward according to the sensor signal, so that the length of the cutter extending outward gradually decreases until it retracts back to the initial position. Then, it controls all the horizontal telescopic support mechanisms (10) to retract to the initial position, and then lifts the entire adaptive pile cutting unit out of the water surface.

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