Elastic Bracket for Offshore Structure Grouting Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Offshore structures experience instability during the curing process due to wave and wind forces, making it difficult to maintain stillness, especially for four-legged structures, which can rock between bases, necessitating good weather conditions for grouting to prevent displacements greater than 3 mm.
Innovation Solution
A method involving connecting a bracket with elastic material to the fastening parts of the structure, allowing it to transmit weight to the seabed base, and using adaptable distance pieces to compensate for base height deviations, ensuring stable load distribution through the use of a device that includes a load distribution plate and varying hardness elastic material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grouting is performed without elastic material compensation, then the structure can be installed quickly, but the structure experiences displacements greater than 3 mm due to wave and wind forces during curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by placing elastic material between the fastening part and the base before grouting. This elastic material compensates for displacements caused by wave and wind forces during the curing process, preventing displacements greater than 3 mm without requiring complex active control systems during installation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If elastic material is added to compensate for base height deviations, then load distribution improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses elastic material as an intermediary element between the fastening part and the base. This intermediary component compensates for base height deviations and improves load distribution stability without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or active control systems.
3Area of stationary object
If four-legged structure is used, then the structure provides greater coverage area, but the structure becomes unstable and rocks about an axis between bases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the connection system by introducing elastic material with specific compression characteristics. This allows the four-legged structure to maintain its large coverage area while the elastic material compensates for rocking movements by compressing and absorbing the instability forces.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method and device enable stable positioning of structures with multiple legs by distributing weight evenly across bases, reducing rocking and allowing grouting in various weather conditions, thereby stabilizing the structure during the curing process.
Implementation Method 1
arranging an elastic material on the bracket... By compression the elastic material will be able to compensate for different base heights, whereby a portion of the weight of the structure is applied to each base
Data Source
AI summary
A method controls force transmission between a structure and its base during grouting-in the fastening parts of the structure in the corresponding bases on or in the seabed. The method may include connecting a bracket to at least one of the fastening parts of the structure; arranging an elastic material on the bracket; displacing the fastening part to an overlapping position with the base until the elastic material transmits at least a portion of the weight of the structure to the base; and filling an opening between the fastening part and the base with a curable mass.