CAISSON

Abstract

A caisson for maritime works, consisting of a base (1) and at least one lateral wall (2) attached to the same and formed by a plurality of voussoirs (3). Within the same a main space (4) is defined, intended to receive granular material as ballast. The voussoirs (3) feature an upper side (5), a lower side (6) and lateral sides (7) and are arranged with the lateral sides (7) of adjacent voussoirs (3) attached to each other, forming horizontal segments (8). Said horizontal segments (8) are attached to other identical horizontal segments (8) to define the lateral wall (2) by means of the union of the lower sides (6) and upper sides (5) of the voussoirs (3) forming the same. The base (1) has a geometric shape which coincides with the geometric shape of the horizontal segments (8). A procedure for the assembly of said caisson for maritime works is also described.

Claims

1. A caisson for maritime works comprising a base (1), and at least one lateral wall (2) attached to the same and formed by a plurality of voussoirs (3) forming a closed surface within which a main space (4), intended to receive ballast material, is defined, and the caisson is characterised in that: the voussoirs (3) have an upper side (5), a lower side (6) and lateral sides (7), and are arranged with lateral sides (7) of adjacent voussoirs (3) joined to each other forming horizontal segments (8), and said horizontal segments (8) are joined to other identical horizontal segments (8) to define the lateral wall (2) of the casing by means of the union of the upper sides (5) and lower sides (6) of the voussoirs (3) forming the same, the base (1) has a geometric shape which coincides with the geometric shape of the horizontal segments (8).

2. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the voussoirs (3) are of fibre-reinforced polymer material.

3. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the base (1) is metallic.

4. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the base (1) is of fibre-reinforced polymer material.

5. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the lateral wall (2) has a cylindrical configuration and the base (1) has a circular configuration.

6. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the joints between horizontal segments (8) are chemical or mechanical joints.

7. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of vertical columns (9) attached to the voussoirs (3).

8. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the joints between the vertical columns (9) and the voussoirs (3) are chemical or mechanical joints.

9. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the vertical columns (9) are formwork intended to receive reinforced concrete in their interior and are configured to transmit the weight of the upper concrete slab, laid on the lateral wall of the casing as a cover for the main space (4), to the base(1).

10. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the formwork is metallic or made of fibre.

11. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the joints between the voussoirs (3) are any combination of chemical or mechanical joints.

12. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1 or 4, characterised in that the fibre of the polymer material is selected between glass fibre and carbon fibre, with epoxy, polyester or vinylester resin.

13. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of primary stiffeners (10) at its base.

14. A caisson for maritime works, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of secondary stiffeners arranged within the main space (4) and attached to the voussoirs (3).

15. A procedure for the assembly of a caisson for maritime works such as that described in claims 1 to 14, characterised in that it comprises the following stages: joining a voussoir (3) to the base (1) by its lower side (6), joining voussoirs (3) adjacent to the aforementioned voissoir by their lateral sides (7) and to the base (1) by their lower sides (6) so as to form a first horizontal segment (8), joining a voussoir (3) by its lower side (6) to the upper side (5) of the voussoirs (3) of the horizontal segment (8) immediately below, joining voussoirs (3) adjacent to the aforementioned voissoir by their lateral sides (7) and to the horizontal segment (8) immediately below by their lower sides (6) so as to form the next horizontal segment (8), repeating the above stages until the lateral wall (2) is completed.

16. A procedure for the assembly of a caisson for maritime works such as that described in claims 1 to 14, characterised in that it comprises the following stages: joining adjacent voissoirs together by their lateral sides (7) to form the horizontal segments (8), joining one horizontal segment (8) to the base (1) by the lower sides (6) of the voussoirs (3) forming said segment, joining together the remaining horizontal segments (8) to said horizontal segment (8) attached to the base (1) to form the lateral wall (2).

17. A procedure for the assembly of a caisson for maritime works such as that described in claims 1 to 14, characterised in that it comprises the following stages: joining adjacent voussoirs together by their lateral sides (7) to form the horizontal segments (8), joining together the horizontal segments (8) by the lower sides (6) and upper sides (5) of the voussoirs of which they are formed, so as to form the lateral wall (2), joining the lateral wall (2) to the base (1) by joining the lower sides (6) of the svoussoirs (3) forming the lowest horizontal segment to the base (1).

18. A procedure for the assembly of a caisson as claimed in one of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that it further comprises a stage of placing vertical columns (9) in the main space (4) and joining said vertical columns (9) to the voussoirs (3).

19. A procedure for the assembly of a caisson as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that it comprises a stage of filling the interior of the vertical columns (9) with reinforced concrete.

20. A procedure for the assembly of a caisson as claimed in one of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that it comprises a stage of joining primary stiffeners (10) to the base (1).

21. A procedure for the assembly of a caisson as claimed in one of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that it subsequently comprises the following stages: launching the caisson in the sea, ballasting the caisson by partially filling the main space (4), towing the casing by sea to its final position, sinking the casing by filling the main space (4).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] As a supplement to the description made herein, and for the purpose of aiding the better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of a practical embodiment of the same, a set of drawings is attached wherein, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following is portrayed:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the caisson for maritime works with a plurality of voussoirs arranged so as to form vertical joints leading from the upper extremity of the caisson to the base of the same.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the caisson for maritime works with the lateral wall sections arranged in a staggered manner.

[0022] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view in which the horizontal segments formed by adjacent voussoirs.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the caisson for maritime works of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the caisson for maritime works where the vertical columns are used as formwork and are filled with reinforced concrete.

[0025] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the caisson for maritime works where some of the vertical columns are used as stiffeners and others as formwork filled with reinforced concrete.

[0026] FIG. 7 shows a view of a horizontal chemical joint between voussoirs of contacting horizontal segments.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0027] An example of an embodiment of the present invention is described below with the aid of FIGS. 1-7.

[0028] As may be observed in FIG. 1, a caisson for maritime works is proposed, comprising a base (1) and at least one lateral wall (2) attached to the same and formed by a plurality of voussoirs (3) within which a main space (4) is defined, intended to receive ballast material. FIG. 2 shows a caisson as the one of FIG. 1, but where the voussoirs (3) are arranged in a staggered manner.

[0029] The voussoirs (3) have an upper side (5), a lower side (6) and lateral sides (7) and are arranged with the lateral sides (7) of adjacent voussoirs (3) attached to each other forming horizontal segments (8), as may be observed for example in FIG. 3. Said horizontal segments (8) are joined to other identical horizontal segments (8) to define the lateral wall (2) of the casing by means of the union of the upper sides (5) and lower sides (6) of the voussoirs (3) forming the same. Preferably, the voussoirs (3) are fabricated in a fibre-reinforced polymer material. More specifically, the fibre in the polymer material may be selected between glass fibre and carbon fibre, with epoxy, polyester or vinylester resin.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the caisson wherein the voussoirs (3) and the base (1), which are the essential elements, can be seen. Other elements comprised by the caisson in preferred embodiments, such as the vertical columns (9) and the primary stiffeners (10) in the base (1) can also be seen.

[0031] The base (1) has a geometric shape which coincides with the geometric shape of the horizontal segments (8). In an example of an embodiment, the base (1) has a polygonal configuration and the lateral wall (2) has a polygonal prismatic configuration. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lateral wall (2) has a cylindrical configuration and the base (1) has a circular configuration. In another embodiment, the base (1) further comprises primary stiffeners (10) in order to increase its structural strength.

[0032] Preferably, the base (1) is fabricated in parts which are attached together to form a single item. In an example of a preferred embodiment said base (1) is fabricated in a metallic material. In another embodiment the base (1) is fabricated in a fibre-reinforced polymer material.

[0033] To reinforce the caisson it comprises a plurality of vertical columns (9) joined to the voussoirs (3). Said vertical columns (9) may be reinforcing elements acting as stiffeners or may be used as formwork. In this second case, where the vertical columns (9) are used as formwork, they may be permanent formwork or temporary formwork with an empty cavity in their interior intended to be filled with reinforced concrete (this concrete may be reinforced with fibres or with structural steel). In this way, a concrete column is formed, which enables transmission of the loads of the caisson. More specifically, at the upper surface of the caisson a concrete slab is laid, this being the element which covers the main space (4) formed between the lateral wall (2) and the base (1) of the caisson. The vertical concrete columns (9) enable the transmission of loads from the upper slab (which is also of concrete) to the base (1) of the caisson, allowing the voussoirs (3) of the lateral wall (2) acting enclosing the ballast in the main space (4) of the caisson.

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a view of the caisson in an embodiment comprising a plurality of vertical columns (9) arranged within the main space (4), acting as formwork and filled with reinforced concrete. FIG. 6 shows an embodiment where some of the vertical columns (9) are being used as formwork, with reinforced concrete in their interior, and others are acting merely as stiffeners.

[0035] The joints between the voussoirs (3) may be mechanical joints or chemical joints (11). Chemical joints are comprised of adhesives, and more specifically, brine-resistant adhesives. This type of joint may be seen for example in FIG. 7, where the horizontal joint formed by the coupling of two voussoirs (3) arranged one above the other has been depicted. Moreover, mechanical joints preferably comprise the use of rivets or bolted couplings. The arrangement of the voussoirs may be performed in such a way that the joints between voussouirs forming stacked horizontal segments are aligned, or said stacking may be performed so that the assembly of different horizontal segments generates a staggered arrangement of the joints between the voussoirs (as may be seen in FIG. 2). Likewise, in a preferred embodiment, the joints between the vertical columns (9) and the voussoirs (3) are chemical joints or mechanical joints.

[0036] An example of an embodiment of the caisson it further comprises a plurality of secondary stiffeners arranged within the main space, joined to the voussoirs. This enables an increase in the strength of the caisson and an improvement in its structural resilience.

[0037] Likewise, a procedure for the assembly of a caisson for maritime works as described above is also an object of the present invention.

[0038] In a first example of an embodiment, the procedure for the assembly of the caisson comprises the following stages: [0039] joining a voussoir (3) to the base (1) by its lower side (6), [0040] joining voussoirs (3) adjacent to the aforementioned voussoir by their lateral sides (7) and to the base (1) by their lower sides (6) so as to form a first horizontal segment (8), [0041] joining a voussoir (3) by its lower side (6) to the upper side of the voussoirs (3) of the horizontal segment (8) immediately below, [0042] joining voussoirs (3) adjacent to the aforementioned voussoir by their lateral sides (7) and to the horizontal segment (8) immediately below by their lower sides (6) so as to form the next horizontal segment (8), [0043] repeating the above stages until the lateral wall (2) is completed.

[0044] In an example of an embodiment, said assembly procedure is comprised of the following stages: [0045] joining the mutually adjacent voussoirs by their lateral sides (7) to form the horizontal segments (8), [0046] joining one horizontal segment (8) to the base (1) by the lower sides (6) of the voussoirs (3) forming said segment, [0047] joining together the remainder of the horizontal segments (8) to form the lateral wall (2).

[0048] In another example of an embodiment, said assembly procedure is comprised of the following stages: [0049] joining adjacent voussoirs together by their lateral sides (7) to form the horizontal segments (8), [0050] joining together the horizontal segments (8) by the upper sides (5) and lower sides (6) of the voussoirs of which they are formed, so as to form the lateral wall (2), [0051] joining the lateral wall (2) to the base (1) by joining the lower sides (6) of the voussoirs (3) forming the lowest horizontal segment to the base (1).

[0052] The procedure may further comprise a stage of placing vertical columns (9) within the main space (4) of the casing and attaching the vertical columns (9) to the voussoirs (3). These vertical columns (9) are arranged and attached to the voussoirs (3) to reinforce the joints and to increase structural strength.

[0053] Likewise to improve the structural strength of the caisson, the assembly procedure may include a stage of joining the primary stiffeners (10) to the base by means of chemical or mechanical joints.

[0054] Finally, the assembly procedure may comprise, subsequent to the stages of assembly of the caisson at the port (as described above), the following stages: [0055] launching the caisson in the sea, [0056] ballasting the caisson, partially filling the main space (4), [0057] towing the caisson by sea to its final position, [0058] sinking the caisson by filling the main space (4).

[0059] Therefore, as has been described above, the caisson is assembled at the port, this being the location closest to the final position in which it is to be installed (this being in the sea). Thus, the elements which form the caisson may be transported independently from the factory to the port. This enables speeding up the transport operations as the items to be transported are much smaller and lighter than the complete assembly. This facilitates travel operations and reduces associated costs, in addition to reducing timings.

[0060] Subsequently, once at the port, the assembly of the caisson is executed; once assembled, it is launched in the sea and taken to the final location for its installation. Said assembly could also be executed at the factory in the event that the users should prefer this for a particular reason.