CAISSON

• US 20160138239A1
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acciona SA
• Original Assignee: ACCIONA Ingenieria S.A. (Acciona SA), Acciona SA
• Inventors: LVAREZ GRACA-LUBN, Ricardo, GARCA ESPINEL, Jos Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/895,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20160138239A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 23/00 Caissons; Construction or placing of caissons tunnels submerged into or built in open water E02D29/063 ; moles, piers, quays, breakwaters incorporating caissons E02B3/06; foundation formed by caissons E02D27/18 - E02D27/22; caisson-like artificial islands E02B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 23/02 Caissons able to be floated on water and to be lowered into water in situ floating caisson foundations E02D27/06
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 23/08 Lowering or sinking caissons sinking mine shaft E21D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 25/00 Joining caissons, sinkers, or other units to each other under water

Abstract

A caisson for marine works particularly intended for use in vertical dikes which is formed by a plurality of segments (1) meant for being joined co-laterally therebetween by joining means to form a ground slab, wherein the segments (1) comprise an internal sector (2), lateral sectors (3) and an external sector (4), where said external sector (4) incorporates coupling elements; and by a series of voussoirs (5) meant for being disposed co-laterally therebetween and on the ground slab to form a surface of revolution, having an upper side (6), lateral sides (7) with interlocking means for interlocking the voussoirs (5) therebetween and a lower side (8) meant for being inserted in the segment (1) coupling elements. All of the caisson'"'"'s elements are manufactured from fibre-reinforced polymer materials.

Claims

1. A caisson for marine works particularly intended for use in vertical dikes, characterised in that it comprises:

a plurality of segments (1) meant for being co-laterally joined therebetween by joining means to form a ground slab, wherein the segments (1) comprise an internal sector (2), lateral sectors (3) and an external sector (4) wherein said external sector (4) incorporates coupling means; and

a series of voussoirs (5) meant for being disposed co-laterally therebetween and on the perimeter of the ground slab to form a closed surface in the interior of which a main space (15) is created, having an upper side (6), a lower side (8) and lateral sides (7), having interlocking means for interlocking the voussoirs (5) therebetween, the lower side (8) of which is meant for being coupled to the segments (1);

the segments (1) and voussoirs (5) are manufactured from fibre-reinforced polymer materials.

2. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the voussoirs (5) also comprise an outer wall (10) and an inner wall (11) joined together by means of the lateral sides (7), creating an internal space (13).

3. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the segments (1) form a polygonal ground slab.

4. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the segments (1) form a circular ground slab.

5. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, additionally comprising a central body (9), also manufactured from fibre-reinforced polymer materials, that forms part of the ground slab, whereto the internal sectors (2) of the segments (1) are joined by corresponding joining means.

6. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the joining means used are seawater-resistant chemical joining means.

7. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the joining means are rivets.

8. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the joining means are dovetail joints.

9. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the joining means are any combination of seawater-resistant adhesives, rivets and dovetail joints.

10. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the segments (1) comprise a receptacle (12) that is in contact with the external sector (4) meant for housing the lower side (8) of the voussoirs (5).

11. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the voussoirs (5) comprise longitudinal stiffeners.

12. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the fibre reinforced with polymer materials is selected from among fiberglass and carbon fibre with epoxy resin or polyester.

13. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the internal sector (2) of the segments (1) has a geometric shape that matches the shape of the central body (9).

14. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein the voussoirs (5) have a geometric shape that matches the shape of the external sector (4) of the segments (1).

15. A caisson for marine works, according to claim 1, wherein it additionally comprises a plurality of stiffeners in the interior of the main space (15).

16. A process for assembling a caisson for marine works such as that described in claims 1 to 15, wherein it comprises the following stages:

joining the segments (1) co-laterally therebetween using the joining means;

joining the voussoirs (5) co-laterally therebetween using the joining means for joining the voussoirs (5) and to the segments (1) interlocking the lower side (8) with the segment coupling elements to form a revolving body.

17. An assembly process, according to claim 16, wherein it comprises a stage of joining the segments (1) to the central body (9).

18. An assembly process, according to claim 16, wherein the segments (1) and the voussoirs (5) are transported to a pier where the assembly will take place.

19. An assembly process, according to claim 16, wherein it comprises a stage of inserting the lower side (8) of the voussoirs (5) in the interior of the receptacle (12) of the segments (1) during the stage of joining the voussoirs (5) to the segments (1).

20. An assembly process, according to claim 16, wherein it subsequently comprises a stage in which stiffeners are inserted in the interior of the main space (15).

21. An assembly process, according to claim 16, wherein the stiffeners are diametric flat elements meant for joining opposing voussoirs (5) together, giving the caisson (14) greater resistance and rigidity once assembled.

22. An assembly process, according to claim 16, wherein it subsequently comprises the following stages:

launching the caisson (14);

ballasting the caisson (14) by partially filling the main space (15);

towing the caisson (14) by sea to its final location; and

anchoring the caisson (14) by filling the main space (15).