Pile and method for installing a pile

Abstract

A pile (100) includes a first elongated hollow body (101) having a first end and a second end, the first end being closed by an end member (103) provided with an opening (104). The pile (100) includes a second elongated hollow body (102) having a first end and a second end, the second elongated hollow body (102) being arranged inside the first elongated hollow body (101) so that the first end of the second elongated hollow body (102) extends through the opening (104) and is attached to the end member (103). A method is for installing a pile (100) into the ground.

Claims

1. A pile system, wherein the pile system comprises: a pile comprising: a first elongated hollow body having a first end and a second end, the first end being closed by an end member provided with an opening, and a second elongated hollow body having a first end and a second end, the second elongated hollow body being arranged inside the first elongated hollow body so that the first end of the second elongated hollow body extends through the opening and is attached to the end member; a dredge pump attached to the first end of the second elongated hollow body for dredging soil, and a riser pipe arranged inside the second elongated hollow body for carrying the dredged soil, a first end of the riser pipe being attached to the dredge pump.

2. The pile system according to claim 1, wherein the dredge pump comprises a cutter unit for loosening the soil.

3. The pile system according to claim 1, the dredge pump comprises a water spraying unit for fluidising the soil.

4. The pile system according to claim 1, wherein the pile system comprises a vibrator attached to the first elongated hollow body or the second elongated hollow body for vibrating the pile.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a cross sectional view of a pile according to an embodiment of the invention, and

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of a pile system according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) The same reference signs are used of the same or like components in different embodiments.

(4) FIG. 1 illustrates a cross sectional view of a pile according to an embodiment of the invention. The pile 100 has been installed in a vertical orientation into the seabed so that its upper end is above the sea surface.

(5) The pile 100 comprises two elongated hollow bodies 101, 102 inside each other. The first (i.e. outer) elongated hollow body 101 is closed at its first end by a conical end member 103 that is provided with an opening 104. The conical end member 103 is attached inside the first end of the first elongated hollow body 101. The second (i.e. inner) elongated hollow body 102 is arranged inside the first elongated hollow body 101 in such a manner that a first end of the second elongated hollow body 102 extends through the opening 104 and is attached to the conical end member 103.

(6) The pile 100 comprises outer supports 105, which are attached to an outer surface of the first elongated hollow body 101. The outer supports 105 extend perpendicularly outwards from the outer surface of the first elongated hollow body 101 and are arranged at the same distance from the upper end of the pile 100. The pile 100 also comprises inner supports 106 attached between an inner surface of the first elongated hollow body 101 and an outer surface of the second elongated hollow body 102. The inner supports 106 extend perpendicularly between the inner surface of the first elongated hollow body 101 and the outer surface of the second elongated hollow body 102 and are arranged at various locations along the length of the pile 100.

(7) The space 107 between the first elongated hollow body 101 and the second elongated hollow body 102 has been filled with dredged soil during the installation of the pile 100 into the seabed. After the installation of the pile 100, the upper end of the pile 100 has been closed by a cover 108, which prevents material from passing into and out of the pile 100.

(8) FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of a pile system according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 2, the pile according to FIG. 1 is installed into the seabed.

(9) The pile system comprises a dredge pump 201 that is attached to the first end of the second elongated hollow body 102. The dredge pump 201 is used for dredging soil under the lower end of the pile 100. The dredge pump 201 is releasably attached to the second elongated hollow body 102 so that it can be removed through the second elongated hollow body 102 after the pile 100 has been installed into the seabed. The dredge pump 201 comprises a cutter unit 202 for loosening the soil and a water spraying unit 203 for fluidising the soil. The cutter unit 202 and the water spraying unit 203 facilitate the dredging and thus the installation of the pile 100 into the seabed. The pile system also comprises water spraying pipes 204 for fluidising the soil.

(10) The pile system comprises a riser pipe 205 arranged inside the second elongated hollow body 102 for carrying the dredged soil. A first end of the riser pipe 205 is attached to the dredge pump 201 and a second end of the riser pipe 205 is attached to a tank 206 that receives the dredged soil. From the tank 206, the dredged soil is pumped into the space 107 between the first elongated hollow body 101 and the second elongated hollow body 102 to work as ballast. The soil can be processed in the tank 206 before it is pumped into the pile 100.

(11) As the soil under the lower end of the pile 100 is dredged with the dredge pump 201, and the dredged soil is removed through the riser pipe 205, the pile 100 is drawn into the seabed. The soil is dredged and removed until the pile 100 is at a desired depth in the seabed.

(12) Only advantageous exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in the figures. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted only to the examples presented above, but the invention may vary within the limits of the claims presented hereafter. Some possible embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims, and they are not to be considered to re-strict the scope of protection of the invention as such.