A marine structure including a floating deck attached to a damper configured to control the vertical movement of the deck. The damper allows vertical motion of the floating deck in response to gradual changes in water level such as tidal changes, but resists bouncing of the deck in response to shorter term fluctuations in water level such as boat wakes or wind chop.

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed involving scour protection of undersea monument foundations, such as monopile foundations. A preferred embodiment comprises an Advanced Ecological Scour Protection System (AESPS) that enhances offshore scour protection through an innovative combination of eco-friendly engineering units and natural materials. In a preferred embodiment, an AESPS includes two main features comprising a single-layer rock blanket deployed first at an intended site of the foundation, followed by installation of fronded eco-concrete mattress units to form a peripheral ring border around the rock blanket. The foundation then may be installed directly into and through the rock blanket, with a monument installed on the foundation, and an export cable extending from the monument, over the mattress units, and through the fronds. Such an AESPS may eliminate critical risks of secondary scour damage, cable lateral movement, and marine life deterioration.

Generally, the disclosed technology regards a novel auger annulus adjoinable to a shell useful in encapsulating structural piles to below the earth's surface. The disclosed technology further regards a jacket and auger annulus system useful in encapsulating structural piles. Also provided is a method of positioning a first fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) circular-cylindrical shell at and about the exposed base of a structural pile, thereby encapsulating the pile to below the earth's surface using a jacket and auger annulus.

An example embodiment of the present invention provides a pole cap for covering an end of a pole. The pole cap comprises a sheet that includes a central portion, a first strip, and a flap that has a slit. The central portion is configured to cover a base surface of an end of a pole. The first strip is configured to fold over an edge of the base surface and circumferentially wrap around a portion of a curved surface of the pole. The flap is configured to fold over the edge of the base surface.

A method and apparatus incorporating erosion preventing mats or blankets having oyster spat are placed to prevent or reduce erosion. The method and apparatus incorporates seeding with oyster spat and/or oyster larvae onto a blanket having rough surfaces and comprising calcium. After seeding and setting natural growth of the oyster larvae can create a barrier that helps prevent erosion by breaking the kinetic energy of waves.

The subject invention pertains to a method and apparatus for inducing a lateral load for the purpose of increasing the force needed to lift a pile and/or increasing the downward and/or lateral load bearing capacity of a pile. The pile can be a driven or pushed displacement pile, a driven or pushed non-displacement pile, any type of bored pile, or any combination. In an embodiment, the subject invention can enhance pile performance by increasing (prestressing) permanently the lateral pressure between a pile and its surrounding soil. The subject invention can provide directional displacement through induced lateral loading of installed piles. Embodiments of the subject invention can incorporate embedded lateral loads in one or more piles.

Disclosed is a water-permeable pipe pile system capable of accelerating soil consolidation. The system includes a hollow pile, an aerating device, and a drain device. Holes are evenly distributed on the wall of the pile, the bottom of the pile is closed, and a gas-tight gland is provided on the top of the pile. The aerating device includes a gas pipe and a gas pump, the lower end of the gas pipe passing through the gas-tight gland and extending into the cavity of the pile, and the upper end thereof connected to the gas pump. The drain device includes a drain pipe and a water pump, the lower end of the drain pipe passing through the gas-tight gland and extending towards the bottom of the cavity of the pile, and the upper end thereof connected to the water pump. Combining advantages of a water-permeable pipe pile and features of the high-pressure gas splitting technology, the water-permeable pipe pile system can accelerate dissipation of excess pore water pressure in the surrounding soil mass and rapidly increase the skin friction of the pile. Requirements on the bearing capacity of pipe piles and the service life of a construction are thus satisfied and desirable economic effects are achieved. Besides, the method of using the system is simple.

The method for preventing and controlling glacial lake outbreak flood and related debris flows by the present invention is mainly controlling the scale of the floods by separating water and rocks and dispersing its energy step by step. The cascading amplification effects of floods can be reduced by controlling the initiation of source material with energy dissipation by using ground sills, groups of piles, and placed large stones and prefabricated artificial structures. The diversion dam built in the downstream area discharge floods in different layers, which can quickly guide water to the main river. The preconstructed engineering system can be used in a timely manner to prevent and control floods and debris flows induced by a sudden outburst of glacial lakes in areas with important facilities and inhabitants enduring the risk of natural hazards. Prevention and control systems can separate floods and debris flows and dissipate their energy. The groups of ground sills and check dams gradually dissipate the energy of floods, prevent high-energy boulders, and control the initiation of source materials in the channel and bank. Moreover, the systems can also separate the water and rocks in dilute debris flows or debris flows with high bulk densities but low viscosities. The diversion dams also enhance the separation function and keep the flood and debris flow discharge in the lower and upper channel to the main river.

The method for preventing and controlling glacial lake outbreak flood and related debris flows by the present invention is mainly controlling the scale of the floods by separating water and rocks and dispersing its energy step by step. The cascading amplification effects of floods can be reduced by controlling the initiation of source material with energy dissipation by using ground sills, groups of piles, and placed large stones and prefabricated artificial structures. The diversion dam built in the downstream area discharge floods in different layers, which can quickly guide water to the main river. The preconstructed engineering system can be used in a timely manner to prevent and control floods and debris flows induced by a sudden outburst of glacial lakes in areas with important facilities and inhabitants enduring the risk of natural hazards. Prevention and control systems can separate floods and debris flows and dissipate their energy. The groups of ground sills and check dams gradually dissipate the energy of floods, prevent high-energy boulders, and control the initiation of source materials in the channel and bank. Moreover, the systems can also separate the water and rocks in dilute debris flows or debris flows with high bulk densities but low viscosities. The diversion dams also enhance the separation function and keep the flood and debris flow discharge in the lower and upper channel to the main river.

Foundation integral construction components and support systems where multiple pile foundation components are incorporated into a structure system that is connected to, or otherwise part of the foundation, can further reduce the need for excavation and thus preserve existing contours and drainage properties of the land. These multiple pile foundation systems, are applicable to a wide variety of site and soil conditions and a wide variety of surface structures or buildings. The multiple pile foundation system can reduce the need for site excavation, drainage control, and soil backfill by transferring load from a portion of a structure to the ground.