Adjustable Floating Work Platform for Crane-Free Megastructure Construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional construction methods for large-scale megastructures face limitations due to the reliance on large cranes, which impose restrictions on size, require substantial open spaces, demand specialized skills, and increase safety risks, especially at great heights, and are not mobile or flexible.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable height work platform using floating foundation blocks, starting construction from the structure's apex and adding buoyant blocks to elevate the platform, eliminating the need for large cranes and allowing controlled vertical expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If large cranes are used to lift and install heavy components, then the structure can be built, but the size and lifting capacity of the cranes limit the maximum size of the megastructure
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of building from the bottom up using cranes to lift components upward, the patent inverts the approach by constructing the dome from the apex downward. The apex is built first on a work platform, then successive rings are added and lowered, eliminating the need for massive cranes and allowing structures of unprecedented size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic work platform that can be lowered incrementally as construction progresses. This dynamic adjustment of the working height allows continuous construction without requiring increasingly larger cranes, maintaining adaptability throughout the construction process.
2Strength
If large cranes are used for construction, then heavy components can be lifted, but significant open spaces are required for crane operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the crane from the construction system entirely, replacing it with a work platform and lowering mechanism. This eliminates the need for large open spaces around the construction site, as the platform can be positioned directly over the foundation area and lowered vertically without requiring lateral movement space.
3Strength
If large cranes are used, then multi-ton sections can be hoisted, but specialized skills and safety expertise are required for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The work platform is designed to be self-supporting and self-positioning through controlled lowering. The system uses its own weight and the incremental addition of dome rings to drive the construction process, eliminating the need for externally operated complex crane systems and specialized operational skills.
4Productivity
If construction proceeds upward from the foundation, then the structure can be built, but workers must navigate escalating heights with increased safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the construction sequence to build from the apex downward. Workers remain on a work platform that stays at a relatively constant, accessible height while the structure grows downward around them. This eliminates the need for workers to navigate increasingly higher elevations and reduces safety risks associated with working at great heights.
5Stability of the object's composition
If traditional bottom-up construction is used, then the foundation can support the structure, but the process is constrained by crane capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the construction sequence to build from the apex downward rather than from the foundation upward. The apex is constructed first on a work platform, then successive rings are added and the platform is lowered incrementally. This approach maintains foundation support while eliminating constraints imposed by crane capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The work platform is designed with dynamic lowering capability, allowing it to descend incrementally as construction progresses. This dynamic adjustment enables continuous construction without being constrained by fixed crane reach limitations, providing greater methodology flexibility.
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
Enables the construction of unprecedentedly large, safe, and flexible megastructures that can be relocated, reduces environmental impact, and enhances worker safety while providing enhanced protection and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an adjustable height work platform placed on floating foundation blocks whose buoyancy can be altered
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention introduces an innovative process for constructing large-scale megastructures, such as expansive domes, leveraging an adjustable height work platform that eliminates the need for heavy-duty cranes. The adjustable work platform, built upon floating foundation blocks, such as those detailed in patent application Ser. No. 18/765,120, is placed in a water body, enabling an efficient and cost-effective method of vertically expanding the platform's height during construction. The process begins with constructing the structure's apex on the platform, which is then elevated as necessary through the addition of negatively buoyant lifting blocks underneath the existing platform.The elevation of the platform is achieved by discharging high-pressure air into the new blocks' water compartments, forcing water out and increasing their buoyancy. This mechanism raises the entire platform according to the combined carrying capacity of the new layer of blocks. Simultaneously, the developing structure is elevated, creating room for further structural expansion.This top-down construction approach allows for maintaining a constant relative height between the platform and the structure above, negating the need for large-scale cranes. Small systems suffice for the vertical transportation of materials and personnel among different sections, ensuring a safe working environment. Once the construction is complete, the platform's removal involves gradually reducing the buoyancy of the blocks, starting from the bottommost layer, thereby lowering the platform and distancing it from the structure's ceiling. The blocks' air is bled out to allow water re-entry, making them sink, thus achieving the platform's step-by-step descent.Following the platform's removal, the final stages of construction are executed, and the structure is handed over to the owner. If designed to rest on land, the structure is positioned on a fixed foundation with a temporary deep pool for the block levels. Conversely, if intended to be floating, the structure rests on a remaining platform robust enough to support it. The floating design affords the possibility of towing the structure to various locations, offering an unprecedented level of mobility and versatility for megastructures.