Offshore Gangway Composite Sacrificial Panel Impact Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Offshore gangways face damage and reduced operational reliability due to external impacts, leading to unsafe and unreliable performance.
Innovation Solution
The offshore gangway features a composite elongate boom unit with a sacrificial layer panel on its exterior-facing sides, composed of a fiber-reinforced polymer skin layer and a core material like foam or honeycomb, which absorbs impact energy and protects the underlying composite supporting components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a composite supporting component is used in the elongate boom unit, then the structure becomes lightweight and corrosion-resistant, but the resistance to external impact loads is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a fiber-reinforced polymer skin layer with a core material (foam or honeycomb) to create a sandwich structure. This composite construction provides both lightweight properties and enhanced impact resistance, as the skin layer absorbs external impact loads before they reach the underlying composite supporting component.
2Reliability
If a sacrificial layer panel is added to protect the composite supporting component, then the operational reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protective structure by adding a separate sacrificial layer panel (skin layer) that can be independently attached to and removed from the composite supporting component. This segmentation allows the protective function to be added without permanently complicating the core structural design, and enables easy replacement of the sacrificial layer when damaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The sacrificial layer panel functions as a disposable protective element that absorbs impact damage in place of the expensive composite supporting component. When the sacrificial layer becomes damaged, it can be easily replaced rather than repairing the entire boom unit, thereby maintaining operational reliability while keeping the overall system relatively simple.
3Ease of manufacture
If the elongate boom unit is made from laminate composite structure, then corrosion is counteracted and maintenance costs are reduced, but the resistance to external impact loads is lower compared to steel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by attaching a sacrificial skin layer to the exterior facing side of the composite supporting component before operation. This skin layer acts as a cushion that absorbs external impact loads (such as from swinging equipment, tool drops, or hail) before they can damage the underlying composite structure, thereby protecting the corrosion-resistant laminate while maintaining low maintenance requirements.
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 solution enhances the gangway's operational safety and reliability by minimizing damage from external impacts, reduces maintenance costs, and allows for quick replacement of damaged panels, thereby maintaining uptime.
Implementation Method 1
a core sandwiched between the skin layer and the exterior facing side of the at least one composite supporting component... Upon the occurrence of an external impact load on the composite sacrificial layer panel, the damaging impact energy may at least partly be absorbed by the panel
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3
AI summary
An offshore gangway, comprising an elongate boom unit provided with composite supporting components and configured to provide a boom walkway along a boom direction. The elongate boom unit is further provided, at an exterior facing side of at least one of the composite supporting components, with a composite sacrificial layer panel.