1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spatial lattice structure, and more particularly to a grid structure, a lattice truss structure, and a reticulated shell structure for use above water.
2. Related Art
It is well known that spatial lattice structures include grid structures, lattice truss structures, and reticulated shell structures, which have been widely applied to various places such as gas stations, stadiums, large plants, and warehouses to serve as roof surfaces. The grid structures, lattice truss structures, and reticulated shell structures are assembled by special rod members and joints manufactured in factories through mass production and supported by a plurality of upright posts made of concrete or steel structures fixed on the ground. A grid structure, lattice truss structure, or reticulated shell structure is fixedly connected to supporting posts at some joints of a lower chord, which can form a large building structure by covering flashing boards on an upper chord surface thereof. The spatial lattice structure has advantages of a high structural rigidity, applicable to a long-span space, a light weight, a short construction term, a low cost, and a high degree of industrialization. However, the current spatial lattice structures with the spaces provided there-below being utilized can only be applied on the ground, instead of being applied over water.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a floating latticework, which is used as a floating supporting structure above water.
In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a variety of floating latticework as follows.
1. A floating latticework is provided, which is formed by a lattice structure and at least one floating structure. Both the lattice structure and the floating structure share the same importance. The lattice structure and the floating structure may be combined together in two manners. In one manner, the lattice structure is disposed on and fixedly connected to one or more uniformly-distributed floating structures, and alternatively, members of the lattice structure are respectively combined with and fixedly connected to a plurality of floating structures. In the other manner, if the lattice structure is designed in a suspending state, all the members constituting the lattice structure are respectively combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures, and if the lattice structure is designed in a floating or semi-submerged state, the members of the lattice structure that are submerged or semi-submerged in water are respectively combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures. The above two combination manners aim at utilizing the buoyant forces of the floating structures to enable the lattice structure to float above water as in the former manner or to enable the lattice structure to maintain the floating, semi-submerged, or suspending state in water as in the latter manner. The combination means that the members of the lattice structure contact with and lean against the floating structures.
2. The lattice structure combined with the floating structures is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure.
3. When it is selected that the lattice structure is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure disposed on and fixedly connected to a floating structure, the floating structure is a a -shaped floating structure. The term -shaped” refers to a physical configuration of the floating structure as a shaped hollowed lattice structure. Lower chord joints of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure correspond to joints of the shaped floating structure. Joints of a -shape configuration refer to crossing points where the lattices are crossed with each other.
4. A skeleton of the -shaped floating structure is a hollowed grid structure or a hollowed lattice truss structure.
5. When it is selected that the lattice structure is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure disposed on and fixedly connected to a plurality of floating structures, the floating structures are distributed at positions of lower chord joints of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure.
6. The above floating structures are columnar floating structures with axes thereof perpendicular to a horizontal plane.
7. The columnar floating structures are provided with a plurality of beckets at bottoms thereof and the beckets are respectively tied with ropes, so as to connect to lower chord members of the lattice structure in an inclined manner, and thus, the bottoms of the columnar floating structures underwater are positioned to be perpendicular to the horizontal plane and do not swing along with waves.
8. When it is selected that the lattice structure is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure, the floating latticework includes a plurality of floating structures, and members of the lattice structure are respectively combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures, at least one kind of members selected from a group consisting of web members, lower chord rods, and lower chord joints of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures.
9. The combining process is implemented by a wrapping motion. The floating structures wrap around at least one kind of members selected from a group consisting of the web members, the lower chord rods, and the lower chord joints of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure, so as to enable the members and the lattice structure assembled thereby to have a buoyant force, so that the lattice structure further becomes a floating structure.
10. When it is selected that at least one kind of rod members selected from the web members and the lower chord rods of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is combined with the floating structures, the floating structures are hollow columnar floating members with a cross sections at hollow portions thereof the same as that of the selected rod members. The hollow columnar floating members are sleeved on the at least one kind of rod members selected from the web members and the lower chord rods before assembling the members of the lattice structure.
11. When it is selected that at least one kind of rod members selected from the web members and the lower chord rods of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is combined with the floating structures, each of the floating structures is a hollow columnar floating structure formed by combining two half shells together. When the two half shells are combined together, a cross-sectional shape at a hollow portion of the hollow columnar floating structure is the same as that of the selected rod members. During assembly, each two half shells are separated first and then jointly wrap around at least one rod member selected from the web member and the lower chord rod. The two half shells are connected in a hinged manner or bound together by a strip.
12. In the floating latticework according to claim 1, the lattice structure may be a reticulated shell structure.
13. The reticulated shell structure is a domed reticulated shell structure disposed on and fixedly connected to a flat-plate-shaped floating structure or an annular floating structure.
14. Another floating latticework is provided, which includes a grid structure or a lattice truss structure formed by rod members and joint members. An upper chord surface, a lower chord surface, and four side faces of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure are covered with and fixedly connected to plate-shaped steel structures. The plate-shaped steel structures covering the lower chord surface and the four side faces are seal-welded. A space formed by the plate-shaped steel structures for enclosing the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is watertight, that is, the whole structure covered by plates is watertight. In this manner, a watertight floating spatial grid structure or a watertight floating spatial lattice truss structure is formed.
15. Each of the plate-shaped steel structures may be a relatively small grid structure or lattice truss structure with one chord surface thereof covered with and fixedly connected to a steel plate, or may be a relatively small grid structure or lattice truss structure with a steel plate serving as one chord surface thereof. The term “relatively small” means that a lattice specification of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure constituting the plate-shaped steel structure is smaller or much smaller than that of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure covered by the plate-shaped steel structure.
16. Another floating latticework is provided, which includes a lattice structure assembled by members. Some or all of the members of the lattice structure are floating members in such a specification that a ratio of a sum of a self weight and a maximum load capacity of the lattice structure to a total volume of the members is smaller than 9800 N/m3. The lattice structure partially assembled by or completely assembled by the floating members is a floating latticework, which can submerge, float, or suspend in water.
17. The floating latticework assembled by the floating members is a floating grid structure or a floating lattice truss structure.
18. At least one kind of members selected from a group consisting of web members, lower chord joints, and lower chord rods of the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure is floating members.
19. When it is selected that the lower chord joints of the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure are floating members and provided with devices for connecting to rod members, the lower chord joints are variants and are floating members protruding underwater from the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure assembled thereby. The configuration of variants aims at increasing the volume of the lower chord joints and thus increasing the buoyant force.
20. When it is selected that, in the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure, the web members are all arranged in an inclined manner and the lower chord joints are floating members, the lower chord joints are provided with devices for connecting to rod members, and the lower chord joints are variants, which may be floating members with upper portions thereof in a vertical columnar shape and lower portions thereof protruding underwater from the grid structure or the lattice truss structure assembled thereby.
21. When it is selected that the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure includes web members perpendicular to a horizontal plane, and both the lower chord joints and the web members perpendicular to the horizontal plane are floating members, the lower chord joints and the web members are connected integrally and assembled into floating members protruding underwater from the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure assembled thereby.
22. In the floating latticework according to any one of claims 18-21, the floating members are provided with devices for connecting to joints or rod members. Main bodies of the floating members are watertight hollow shell structures. As for floating rod members, main bodies thereof are watertight hollow columnar structures; as for floating joints, main bodies thereof are watertight hollow spherical structures; and as for floating variants, main bodies thereof are variant hollow structures. Shell walls of such three kinds of watertight hollow shell structures are steel plates, rigidly-covered double-layer reticulated shell structures, or reinforcing bar grid structures filled with foamed plastics therein and coated with cement grouts externally.
23. When it is selected that at least one kind of rod members selected from the web members and the lower chord rods of the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure is floating members and provided with devices at two ends thereof for connecting to joints, main bodies of the floating members are three-dimensional truss structures with foamed plastic floaters filled therein.
24. A lower chord surface of the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure is a flat-plate-shaped floating structure or a shaped floating structure.
25. The lower chord joints of the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure are fixedly connected to floating structures, so as to increase the buoyant forces.
26. A floating latticework is provided, which includes a grid structure or a lattice truss structure. The grid structure or the lattice truss structure is filled with foamed plastics therein.
27. In the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 17-21, and 23-26, an upper chord surface of any one of the grid structure, the floating grid structure, the lattice truss structure, and the floating lattice truss structure is a plate-shaped structure.
28. The plate-shaped structure is a plate-shaped grid structure or a plate-shaped lattice truss structure with a small lattice specification. That is, small plate-shaped grid structures or plate-shaped lattice truss structures are used as an upper chord surface of a large floating grid structure or floating lattice truss structure.
29. In the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 17-21, and 23-26, the grid structure, the floating grid structure, the lattice truss structure, and the floating lattice truss structure are respectively a hollowed grid structure, a hollowed floating grid structure, a hollowed lattice truss structure, and a hollowed floating lattice truss structure.
30. Another floating latticework is provided, which mainly includes a frame structure. The frame structure is a floating frame structure in such a specification that a ratio of a sum of a self weight and a maximum load capacity thereof to a volume thereof is smaller than 9800 N/m3.
31. Upright posts and crossbeams of the floating frame structure are formed by three-dimensional truss structures externally covered with and welded to steel plate structures, so that the upright posts and the crossbeams covered with and welded to steel plates are watertight when being submerged or semi-submerged in water. Alternatively, the three-dimensional truss structures are filled with foamed plastic floaters therein.
32. A floating latticework is provided, which includes a plurality of columnar floating structures. End faces and side faces of the columnar floating structures are fixedly connected to each other, so as to form a shaped floating structure or a floating frame structure.
33. A use of the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 14-15, 17-21, 23-26, and 30-32 is provided. If an upper chord surface or an upper plane of the floating latticework is a plate-shaped structure, the upper chord surface or the upper plane is used as a supporting surface, and otherwise, the upper chord surface or the upper plane is covered with and fixedly connected to a plate-shaped structure to serve as a supporting surface. The floating latticework is adapted to serve as a supporting structure for offshore floating projects such as water transportation, offshore buildings, offshore plants, offshore floating platforms, offshore drilling platforms, offshore airports, floating wharfs, artificial islands, and floating cities.
34. A use of the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 14-15, 17-21, 23-26, and 30-32 is provided. If an upper chord surface or an upper plane of the floating latticework is a plate-shaped structure, the upper chord surface or the upper plane is used as a supporting surface, and otherwise, the upper chord surface or the upper plane is covered with and fixedly connected to a plate-shaped structure to serve as a supporting surface. Upright post support structures are fixedly connected on the supporting surface. Vertical planes formed by a plurality of upright posts to serve as wall surfaces are covered with and fixedly connected to plate-shaped structures to serve as wall bodies. The upright post support structures are covered with and fixedly connected to a grid structure, a lattice truss structure, or a reticulated shell structure there-above. The grid structure, the lattice truss structure, or the reticulated shell structure is covered with and fixedly connected to a plate-shaped structure, so as to form a living space above water.
35. A use of the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 17-21, and 23-26 is provided, in which the floating latticework is adapted to serve as a supporting structure for a floating bridge. An upper chord surface of the floating latticework is covered with and fixedly connected to a bridge deck. A plane axis of the floating latticework is consistent with that of the bridge deck. The floating latticework is provided with positioning ropes connected to underwater bollards or caissons at two axial sides thereof, so as to form a floating bridge.
36. In the use of the floating latticework according to claim 35, the floating latticework is used as a supporting structure for a floating bridge, and a planar shape of the floating latticework is shaped or -shaped.
37. A use of the floating latticework according to claim 1 is provided, in which the lattice structure is a double-layer or multi-layer arched cylindrical-surface reticulated shell structure, and the floating latticework is adapted to serve as a supporting structure for a floating bridge. Two ends of the arched cylindrical-surface reticulated shell structure are respectively fixed to two floating structures. An upper chord surface of the arched cylindrical-surface reticulated shell structure is covered with and fixedly connected to a bridge deck, thereby forming a floating bridge or a portion of a long-span floating bridge for ships to pass below an arched portion thereof.
38. A use of the floating latticework according to claim 16 is provided, in which the lattice structure is a double-layer or multi-layer columnar reticulated shell structure that floats above water with an axis thereof being horizontal, and the floating latticework is adapted to serve as a supporting structure for a floating bridge. The columnar reticulated shell structure itself is a floating structure. An upper chord surface of the columnar reticulated shell structure is disposed with and fixedly connected to a bridge deck. The columnar reticulated shell structure is provided with positioning ropes connected to underwater bollards or caissons at two axial sides thereof. The two axial sides of the columnar reticulated shell structure are fixedly connected to balance wings for preventing the reticulated shell structure from swinging left and right along with waves, so as to form a floating bridge.
39. A use of the floating latticework according to claim 14 or 15 is provided, in which the floating latticework is adapted to serve as a box-shaped or flat-plate-shaped floating structure, or as a main body structure of a liquid cargo ship.
40. A floating reticulated shell structure is provided, which includes a single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer spherical, box-shaped, columnar, or heterotypic hollow reticulated shell formed by rod members and joints. Peripheral members of the reticulated shell are covered with and fixedly connected to plate-shaped structures to form a rigidly-covered single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer reticulated shell structure. A space enclosed by the rigidly-covered reticulated shell structure is watertight. The reticulated shell structure is applied above water to serve as a watertight and rigidly-covered spherical floating reticulated shell structure, box-shaped floating reticulated shell structure, columnar floating reticulated shell structure, or heterotypic hollow floating reticulated shell structure.
41. In the floating reticulated shell structure according to claim 40, the reticulated shell is a watertight and rigidly-covered columnar double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structure with an axis thereof parallel to a horizontal plane, and two axial sides of the watertight and rigidly-covered columnar double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structure are fixedly connected to balance wings for preventing the reticulated shell structure from swinging left and right along with waves.
42. A floating reticulated shell structure is provided, which includes a single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer reticulated shell formed by rod members and joints. Peripheral members of the reticulated shell are covered with and fixedly connected to plate-shaped structures to form a rigidly-covered single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer reticulated shell structure. The reticulated shell structure is a ship-shaped reticulated shell structure. The rigidly-covered reticulated shell structure is watertight. The reticulated shell structure is applied above water to serve as a watertight and rigidly-covered ship-shaped floating reticulated shell structure.
43. A ship body structure is provided, which includes side and bottom skeletons. The side and bottom skeletons are double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structures.
44. A ship body structure is provided, which includes side and bottom skeletons, bulkhead skeletons, and deck skeletons. The side and bottom skeletons are double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structures. Both the bulkhead skeletons and the deck skeletons are grid structures or lattice truss structures, or only the bulkhead skeletons are a grid structure or a lattice truss structure.
45. A floating reticulated shell structure is provided, which includes a spherical, columnar, ship-shaped, double-layer, or multi-layer reticulated shell structure. The reticulated shell structure is filled with foamed plastics in a space between internal and external members thereof.
46. A cofferdam structure is provided, which includes skeleton structures covered with steel plates in a watertight manner. An axis of the cofferdam structure is perpendicular to a horizontal plane. A horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure is a circular, elliptic, rectangular, or square-shaped closed line. The cofferdam structure is optionally provided with horizontal pressure support structures therein. The skeleton structures are formed by a columnar reticulated shell structure with an axis thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane.
47. Another cofferdam structure is provided, which includes skeleton structures covered with steel plates in a watertight manner. An axis of the cofferdam structure is perpendicular to a horizontal plane. A horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure is rectangular or square-shaped. The cofferdam structure is optionally provided with horizontal pressure support structures therein. The skeleton structures at four sides of the cofferdam structure are formed by a grid structure or a lattice truss structure with a chord surface thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane.
48. A cofferdam structure is provided, which includes skeleton structures covered with steel plates in a watertight manner. An axis of the cofferdam structure is perpendicular to a horizontal plane. A horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure is rectangular or square-shaped in the middle and semicircular-shaped at two ends thereof. The cofferdam structure is optionally provided with horizontal pressure support structures perpendicular to and supporting two straight-edge surfaces. The skeleton structures at the two straight-edge surfaces of the cofferdam structure are grid structures or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Semicircular cylindrical-surface skeleton structures at two ends of the cofferdam structure are semicircular cylindrical-shaped double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structures. The number of layers of each reticulated shell structure corresponds to that of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure. When the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is a double-layer structure, the number of layers of the reticulated shell structure is three. Other cases can be deduced similarly.
49. A method for manufacturing and mounting the cofferdam structure according to claims 46-48 is provided. The method includes the following steps: mounting skeletons of a cofferdam structure on a platform; covering steel plates around the skeletons; optionally providing horizontal pressure support structures in the cofferdam structure; excavating earth from a ground surface underwater in a water area under construction, such that the ground surface underwater is recessed; sinking and mounting the cofferdam structure in position; inserting the steel plates at a periphery of a bottom end of the cofferdam structure deep into the ground surface underwater; filling an underwater concrete or other sealing materials outside the cofferdam structure at the ground surface underwater; and withdrawing water from the cofferdam structure. A cofferdam space enclosed by the steel plates is watertight. The platform is located in the water area under construction and is a floating platform positioned in the water area under construction by positioning ropes. The platform is provided with a hollowed structure at a center thereof and a horizontal surface of the hollowed structure is similar to and slightly larger than a horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure. A temporary platform is built at the hollowed structure, and the skeletons of the cofferdam structure are assembled on the temporary platform by prefabricated members. The skeletons of the cofferdam structure are columnar reticulated shell structures with axes thereof perpendicular to a horizontal plane. As for a large or very large cofferdam structure with a rectangular or square-shaped cross section, skeletons at four sides thereof are formed by a grid structure or a lattice truss structure with a chord surface thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. As for a cofferdam structure with a horizontal cross section being rectangular or square-shaped in the middle and semicircular-shaped at two ends thereof, skeletons at two straight-edge surfaces of the cofferdam structure are formed by grid structures or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane, semicircular cylindrical-surface skeletons at two ends of the cofferdam structure are formed by semicircular cylindrical-surface double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structures, and the number of layers of each reticulated shell structure corresponds to that of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure. If the horizontal pressure support structures are required, the horizontal pressure support structures are grid structures or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. In the step of covering steel plates around the skeletons, an assembling process is carried out from the periphery of the bottom end of the cofferdam structure and gradually proceeds upward along side faces of the cofferdam structure. As the mounting height increases, a plurality of ropes is fastened to the bottom end of the cofferdam structure and the other ends of the ropes are fastened to the platform. The temporary platform is dismantled, such that the cofferdam structure falls into the hollowed structure at the center of the platform. By adopting a step-by-step sinking manner, the cofferdam structure is sunk to a height convenient for a person to perform the assembling process while standing on the floating platform. When the cofferdam structure reaches a predetermined height, the cofferdam structure is sunk and mounted in position.
50. A method for manufacturing and mounting the cofferdam structure according to claims 46-48 is provided. The method includes the following steps: mounting skeletons of a cofferdam structure on a platform; covering steel plates around the skeletons; optionally providing horizontal pressure support structures in the cofferdam structure; excavating earth from a ground surface underwater in a water area under construction, such that the ground surface underwater is recessed; sinking and mounting the cofferdam structure in position; inserting the steel plates at a periphery of a bottom end of the cofferdam structure deep into the ground surface underwater; filling an underwater concrete or other sealing materials outside the cofferdam structure at the ground surface underwater; and withdrawing water from the cofferdam structure. A cofferdam space enclosed by the steel plates is watertight. The platform is located in the water area under construction and is formed by a central platform and a peripheral platform surrounding the central platform. Both the central platform and the peripheral platform are floating platforms. The platform is positioned in the water area under construction by positioning ropes. A horizontal surface of the central platform is similar to and slightly larger than a horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure. The central platform is movably connected to the peripheral platform such that the central platform and the peripheral platform are capable of moving up and down relative to each other. Before an assembling process, the central platform is slightly higher than the peripheral platform or is coplanar with the peripheral platform. A buoyant force of the floating central platform is adjusted by filling water therein. The skeletons of the cofferdam structure are assembled on the central platform by prefabricated members. The skeletons of the cofferdam structure are columnar reticulated shell structures with axes thereof perpendicular to a horizontal plane. As for a large or very large cofferdam structure with a rectangular or square-shaped cross section, skeletons at four sides thereof are formed by a grid structure or lattice truss structure with a chord surface thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. As for a cofferdam structure with a horizontal cross section being rectangular or square-shaped in the middle and semicircular-shaped at two ends thereof, skeletons at two straight-edge surfaces of the cofferdam structure are formed by grid structures or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane, semicircular cylindrical-surface skeletons at two ends of the cofferdam structure are formed by semicircular cylindrical-surface double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structures, and the number of layers of each reticulated shell structure corresponds to that of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure. If the horizontal pressure support structures are required, the horizontal pressure support structures are grid structures or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The assembling process is carried out from a bottom of the cofferdam structure and gradually proceeds upwards along side faces of the cofferdam structure, and prefabricated steel plates for covering reticulated shells are mounted at the bottom and side faces of the cofferdam structure, and a cofferdam space enclosed by the mounted steel plates is watertight. When the cofferdam structure is assembled to such a height that the cofferdam structure is capable of floating above water alone, the floating central platform is sunk by filling water therein, then separated from the bottom of the cofferdam structure, and then removed. As the assembling process of the cofferdam structure continues and the height of the cofferdam structure increases, by means of filling water into the cofferdam structure, the cofferdam structure is sunk to a height convenient for a person to perform the assembling process while standing on the peripheral platform. When the cofferdam structure reaches a predetermined height, the cofferdam structure is filled up with water and thus sunk and mounted in position. A sealing material is filled outside the cofferdam structure at the ground surface underwater. Structures in the bottom of the cofferdam structure are removed after the water is withdrawn from the cofferdam structure.
51. A covering plate used in the floating reticulated shell structure, ship body structure, or cofferdam structure according to claims 40-44 and 46-48, is provided, which is adapted to cover and be fixedly connected to a peripheral member of a reticulated shell, or adapted to cover and be fixedly connected to a -shaped lattice structure that is formed by rod members and joints and is fixedly connected to the peripheral member of the reticulated shell with joints thereof corresponding to joints of the reticulated shell. A length and a width of the covering plate are equal to or integral multiples of that of a lattice. The covering plate is flat-plate-shaped or arched curve-shaped. The covering plate is fixedly connected to the peripheral member of the reticulated shell or the -shaped lattice structure by seal-welding, or is fixedly connected to the peripheral member of the reticulated shell or the shaped lattice structure by bolts and then a sealing ring is additionally disposed between the covering plate and the peripheral member of the reticulated shell or the -shaped lattice structure.
The beneficial effects of the present invention lie in that, through being combined with the floating structure, the lattice structure is capable of being applied above water, and thus has a wider application range. With the same material consumption, a grid structure, a reticulated shell structure, and a lattice truss structure can cover a relatively large water surface and counteract the influence on the floating structure caused by waves, since they are spatial structures and have advantages of a long span, light weight, and high degree of industrialization. In addition, since the grid structure, the reticulated shell structure, and the lattice truss structure have a sufficient rigidity, a floating latticework serving as the floating structure can effectively overcome the torsional moment effect on the floating structure caused by the waves. When the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is disposed on a plurality of floating structures, or members of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure are respectively combined with floating structures, or the members themselves are floating structures, since the grid structure or the lattice truss structure are spatial structures, various winds and waves pass through the space thereof, which greatly reduces the influence caused by the waves. In addition, since a plurality of floating structures is distributed at lower chord joints, or floating members constituting the lattice structure are uniformly-distributed to form a plurality of “small water surface profiles” on the water surface and they are uniformly-distributed at wave peaks and valleys below a large covering surface, the increase and decrease of buoyant forces at different positions of the floating structures caused by fluctuation of the waves are counteracted naturally. Therefore, the floating grid structure or lattice truss structure is a fairly stable structure.
As compared with the prior art, the present invention exploits a new use of the grid structure, reticulated shell structure, or lattice truss structure. Instead of utilizing a space covered below the structure, the present invention aims at enabling the structure to float above water to form a novel floating structure, in which the structure of the present invention has a spatial structure, a stable buoyant force, a desirable rigidity, and is easily assembled to form a very large structure, and when a plate-shaped structure is covered on an upper plane of the structure, the structure of the present invention is used to support objects.
Due to the characteristics of the lattice structure itself, in the present invention, the lattice structure is combined with the floating structure, and members of the lattice structure are floating structures, which belong to a breakthrough from the conventional thinking habits. In the conventional thinking habits, the design philosophy of modern floating structures comes from conventional ship structures. Particularly, a ship structure is a single integral watertight hollow structure, which contacts the water surface in the form of a single closed curve. Such a structure has been used for a long time. What's more, all structural designs of floating structures including very large floating structures (VLFSs) adopt such a conventional single integral structure with a single “water surface profile”. For example, an offshore floating airport built for the United States by Japan is assembled by six box-shaped floaters, in which each box-shaped floater is 60 m long, 30 m wide, and 3 m high. A “water surface profile” of the offshore floating airport is still a single closed curve. When a wavelength of a wave is larger than a major axis or a minor axis of the “water surface profile”, the floating structures swing along with the wave, which is a problem of the floating structure that has not been solved for such a long time due to the influence of the conventional ship structures.
As a single integral watertight hollow structure, a ship structure further has another fatal defect. Once the integral watertight hollow structure is damaged, the ship sinks due to water leakage. In contrast, since a floating latticework is a spatial structure, there is no water leakage problem when it floats above water. Especially when a grid structure or a lattice truss structure is supported by many uniformly-distributed light-weight solid floaters made of, for example, foamed plastics, or when the grid structure or the lattice truss structure itself is a floating structure, the floating latticework does not sink as long as it is not overloaded.
The floating latticework of the present invention is a floating spatial structure, which is a breakthrough from the prior art that a ship is a single integral watertight hollow structure. Due to the characteristics of the lattice structure, the floating latticework has many advantages as described above when serving as a floating structure. These advantages just can meet the requirements of building VLFSs such as offshore buildings, offshore plants, offshore floating platforms, offshore drilling platforms, floating bridges, offshore airports, artificial islands, and floating cities.
With the same material consumption, the hollowed grid structure or lattice truss structure enables the floating latticework to cover a relative large water surface.
The floating latticework and floating reticulated shell structure make full use of the sufficient rigidity of the lattice structure. A grid structure or a lattice truss structure is used as skeletons of a box-shaped, flat-plate-shaped, or flat-plate-shaped VLFS, or a liquid cargo ship. A reticulated shell structure is used as skeletons of a ship body structure and a cofferdam structure to achieve a high rigidity and strength. Especially for very large ships and vary large cofferdam structures, the sufficient rigidity of the reticulated shell structure can be sufficiently utilized, thus enabling the very large ships to overcome the torsional moment effect on the ship body caused by the waves and enabling the very large cofferdam structure to overcome the huge water pressure underwater.
Since the lattice structure is an assembly structure with a high industrialization degree, when using the floating latticework as a floating structure and using a double-layer reticulated shell structure as a ship body structure, it can improve the industrialization degree of floating structures and ships and further accelerate the shipbuilding process. Moreover, the difficulty for manufacturing very large ships can be reduced, thereby making the manufacturing of VLFSs become much easier.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed descriptions given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention.
The floating latticework is mainly characterized by a combination of a lattice structure and a floating structure and can be easily understood by those of ordinary skills about the lattice technology and floating technology, so that most of the implementations of the present invention are described through words and only a portion of the implementations are illustrated with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the devices for connecting rod members to joints of the lattice structure and for fixedly connecting the lattice structure to the floating structure are well known to those skilled in the lattice technology and floating technology, and thus are merely described through words, and the details thereof are omitted.
1. A floating latticework is provided, which is formed by a lattice structure and at least one floating structure. The lattice structure includes a grid structure, a lattice truss structure, and a reticulated shell structure. The grid structure includes various grid structures, such as an ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grid, a three-way grid, a hollowed triangular pyramid grid, a thickening grid, a single-layer grid, and a double-layer grid. The lattice truss structure is not a common three-dimensional truss structure, but a special and regular lattice truss structure among the three-dimensional truss structures, and includes various lattice truss structures, such as a thickening lattice truss structure, a double-layer lattice truss structure, and a hollowed lattice truss structure. The reticulated shell structure includes, for example, a three-way cylindrical-surface double-layer reticulated shell, a cylindrical or square-columnar double-layer reticulated shell, and a rigidly-covered arched and domed reticulated shell. The floating structure mainly functions to provide a buoyant force, and it may be of a variety of types, as long as it can provide a sufficient buoyant force, such as a buoyant box, a floating drum, a ball float, a foamed plastic floater wrapped with glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) (it should be noted that: any foamed plastic floater mentioned below is externally wrapped with the GFRP). The lattice structure aims at providing a structure, and the floating structure aims at providing a buoyant force. Any forms of the grid structure, the lattice truss structure, or the reticulated shell structure can be combined with the floating structure to form a floating latticework. The lattice structure and the floating structure share the same importance. The lattice structure and the floating structure can be combined in two ways.
In a first manner, the lattice structure is disposed on one or more uniformly-distributed floating structures and fixedly connected to steel plates on the floating structures by welding or by bolts. This combining manner is the same as that of an ordinary lattice structure when being supported on upright posts. Particularly, the floating latticework is supported on the floating structure, and is connected to the floating structures in the same manner as that of fixedly connecting the ordinary lattice structure to the supporting structure (it should be noted that, all the configurations of “being disposed on and fixedly connected to the floating structure” mentioned below are achieved in the above manner, and the configurations of “being fixedly connected” mentioned below are all achieved by welding or by bolts). Among the lattice structures, both the grid structure and the lattice truss structure are plate-shaped spatial structures, except that the cross sections of rod members thereof and structures of joints thereof are different from each other. Herein, since the grid structure and the lattice truss structure are combined with the floating structure based on the same principles and their implementation manners are substantially the same, the grid structure and the lattice truss structure are illustrated together by taking the grid structure as an example, and the accompanying drawings also take the grid structure as an example. Persons skilled in the art can easily know the implementation manners of the lattice truss structure based on that of the grid structure. For example, when the grid structure is replaced by the lattice truss structure, circular joint members are replaced by joints welded by steel plates, and the combining process is replaced by fixedly connecting by bolts or by welding. The reticulated shell structure is combined with the floating structure based on the same principles as that of the grid structure, and the implementation manners of the reticulated shell structure are substantially the same as that of the grid structure. However, since the reticulated shell structure and the grid structure have different spatial structures, they are illustrated separately.
A grid structure or a lattice truss structure is disposed on one or more uniformly-distributed floating structures and fixedly connected to steel plates on the floating structures at lower chord joints thereof. When there is one floating structure, the floating structure may be a flat-plate-shaped or -shaped floating structure. When there is a plurality of floating structures, the floating structures may be spherical floaters, buoyant boxes, hollow columnar floating drums, or foamed plastic floaters, and may be uniformly distributed at positions of lower chord joints of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure. Referring to
Among the reticulated shell structures, an arched transparent rigidly-covered double-layer reticulated shell structure such as a spherical domed reticulated shell is most preferred to be combined with the floating structure, and meanwhile, a columnar double-layer reticulated shell is less preferred. Referring to
In a second manner of combining the lattice structure with the floating structure, there is a plurality of floating structures. When the lattice structure is under a maximum design load, members that are submerged or semi-submerged in water are combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures. For example, when a grid structure, a lattice truss structure, or a reticulated shell structure is under a maximum load, rod members and joint members that are submerged or semi-submerged in water are combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures. The maximum load refers to a self weight plus a maximum load capacity, and furthermore, the self weight and an additional load caused by wind, rain, and snow are not counted into the load capacity of an arched reticulated shell structure. The rod members and the joint members may be combined with the floating structures in different manners. Referring to
The members at a lower peripheral portion of the spherical domed reticulated shell designed to be submerged in water are all combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures in a manner as shown in
The above two manners can be used together. That is to say, if the lattice structure cannot be floated after implementing according to the above first manner, the second manner of combination can be used at the same time.
The two manners of combining the lattice structure with the floating structure are illustrated in further detail in the implementations of claims 3-15. The two manners of combination aim at utilizing the buoyant forces of the floating structures to enable the lattice structure to float above water or to maintain one of the floating, semi-submerged, and suspending states.
2. When it is selected that the lattice structure is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure, the grid structure includes various grid structures, such as an ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grid, a two-way orthogonal obliquely-placed quadrangular pyramid grid, a three-way grid, a hollowed triangular pyramid grid, a thickening grid, and a double-layer grid. The lattice truss structure includes various lattice truss structures, such as a thickening lattice truss structure and a double-layer lattice truss structure (the illustrations in this paragraph have already been given hereinabove; however, since there are 51 claims, the illustrations are given herein again for the purpose of making demonstrations one by one corresponding to each claim, so does the content below).
3. When it is selected that the lattice structure is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure disposed on and fixedly connected to a floating structure, the floating structure is a -shaped floating structure. The term shaped” refers to a physical configuration of the floating structure as a -shaped hollowed lattice structure. Referring to
4. A skeleton of the -shaped floating structure is a hollowed grid structure or a hollowed lattice truss structure. The grid structure or the lattice truss structure, except for hollowed portions thereof, is covered with and welded to steel plates to form a -shaped structure. The steel plates are seal-welded, and a space covered by the steel plates for enclosing the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is watertight. When a ratio of a width to a height of a cross section of the shaped structure is smaller than 3, that is, a/b<3, the skeleton is preferably a hollowed lattice truss structure as shown by a partial cross-sectional view of
5. Referring to
6. Such a floating structure may be a hollow ball float, buoyant box, and columnar floating drum with a steel plate structure, and may also be a spherical, cubic, cylindrical, or square-columnar floater made of foamed plastics, among which a cylindrical foamed plastic floater is preferred. When a cylindrical foamed plastic floater is used, since the GFRP wrapping around the foamed plastic floater is not firmly connected to members of the lattice structure, a connecting piece as shown in
7. Referring to
8. When it is selected that the lattice structure is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure, the floating latticework includes a plurality of floating structures such as a plurality of foamed plastic floaters, coiled polystyrene foam plastics, and steel-structure cylindrical floating drums provided with a plurality of beckets for tying with fastening ropes or reinforcing bars, and members of the lattice structure are respectively combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures, at least one kind of members selected from a group consisting of web members, lower chord rods, and lower chord joints of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is combined with and fixedly connected to the floating structures. The combining process may be implemented in any manner, for example, referring to
9. Referring to
10. Referring to
11. When it is selected that at least one kind of rod members selected from the web members and the lower chord rods of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is combined with the floating structures, as shown in
12. In the floating latticework according to claim 1, the lattice structure is a reticulated shell structure, such as a three-way cylindrical-surface reticulated shell, a double-layer cylindrical-surface reticulated shell, a cylindrical or square-columnar double-layer reticulated shell, and a transparent rigidly-covered arched and domed reticulated shell.
13. Referring to
14. Referring to
15. Each of the plate-shaped steel structures may be a grid structure or lattice truss structure with one chord surface thereof covered with and fixedly connected to a steel plate, or may be a grid structure or lattice truss structure with a steel plate as one chord surface thereof. The lattice specification of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure constituting the plate-shaped steel structure is relatively smaller than that of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure covered by the plate-shaped steel structure, and a ratio there-between is 1/N, N>2, and N is preferably 7, 8, or 9.
16. Another floating latticework is provided, which includes a lattice structure assembled by members. The lattice structure includes a grid structure, a lattice truss structure, and a reticulated shell structure. The grid structure includes various grid structures, such as an ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grid, a chessboard-shaped quadrangular pyramid grid, a three-way grid, a hollowed triangular pyramid grid, a thickening grid, a single-layer grid, and a double-layer grid. The lattice truss structure is not a common three-dimensional truss structure, but a special and regular lattice truss structure among the three-dimensional truss structures, and includes a single-layer or double-layer, uniform-thickness or thickening lattice truss structure, and a hollowed lattice truss structure. The reticulated shell structure includes, for example, a three-way cylindrical-surface double-layer reticulated shell, a spherical reticulated shell, a cylindrical or square-columnar double-layer reticulated shell, and a thickening reticulated shell. When the lattice structure is under the maximum design load, some or all of the members thereof are light-weight and large-volume members with such a high water displacement that a ratio of a sum of a self weight and a maximum load capacity of the lattice structure to a total volume of the members is smaller than 9800 N/m3. That is, these members are floating members. If some of the members are floating members, members that are submerged or semi-submerged in water are floating members. The lattice structure partially assembled by or completely assembled by floating members is a floating latticework. All the grid structures, lattice truss structures, or reticulated shell structures may also become a floating latticework, as long as members thereof are floating members with sufficient high buoyant forces. The maximum load refers to a self weight plus a maximum load capacity of the lattice structure, and furthermore, as for an arched reticulated shell structure, the self weight and an additional load caused by wind, rain, and snow are not counted into the load capacity of the arched reticulated shell structure.
17. The structure assembled by the floating members is a grid structure or a lattice truss structure. The grid structure includes various grid structures, such as a star-shaped quadrangular pyramid grid, an obliquely-placed quadrangular pyramid grid, a honeycomb-shaped triangular pyramid grid, a two-way orthogonal obliquely-placed grid, a thickening grid, a single-layer grid, and a double-layer grid. The lattice truss structure is not a common three-dimensional truss structure, but a special and regular lattice truss structure among the three-dimensional truss structures, and includes a single-layer or double-layer, uniform-thickness or thickening lattice truss structure, and a hollowed lattice truss structure. Rod members and joint members of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure that are submerged or semi-submerged in water are light-weight and large-volume members with such a high water displacement that a ratio of a sum of a self weight and a load capacity of the lattice structure to a total volume of the members is smaller than 9800 N/m3. The grid structure or the lattice truss structure assembled by the floating members is a floating grid structure or a floating lattice truss structure, as shown in
18. At least one kind of members selected from a group consisting of lower chord joints, lower chord rods, and web members of the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure is floating members.
19. Referring to
20. Referring to
21. Referring to
22. In the floating latticework according to any one of claims 18-21, the floating members are provided with devices for connecting to the joints or rod members. The connecting devices are grid joint connecting devices as for the grid structure, and they are lattice truss joint connecting devices as for the lattice truss structure. Main bodies of the floating members are watertight hollow shell structures. As for floating rod members, main bodies thereof are watertight hollow cylindrical or square-columnar structures; as for floating joints, main bodies thereof are watertight hollow spherical structures; and as for floating variants, main bodies thereof are watertight hollow variant structures. Shell walls of the watertight hollow columnar structures, the watertight hollow spherical structures, and the watertight hollow variant structures are steel plates, double-layer reticulated shell structures rigidly covered by steel plates, or reinforcing bar grid structures filled with foamed plastics therein and coated with cement grouts externally. Shell walls formed by such three structures are all watertight. If the walls are steel plates, they are welded with vertical and horizontal ribs on inner sides. Such three structures are provided with steel structures at the devices for connecting to the joints for the purpose of reinforcement, so as to bear the compressive force and pulling force from the rod members.
23. Referring to
24. When it is selected that the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure has no lower chord rods, the entire lower chord surface of the floating grid structure or the floating lattice truss structure is a flat-plate-shaped floating structure or a shaped floating structure. The flat-plate-shaped floating structure or the shaped floating structure may be a watertight hollow steel plate structure with a skeleton thereof as a grid structure or a hollowed lattice truss structure, and may also be formed by assembling steel-structure buoyant box modules together.
25. Referring to
26. Referring to
27. In the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 17-21, and 23-26, an upper chord surface of any one of the grid structure, the floating grid structure, the lattice truss structure, and the floating lattice truss structure is a plate-shaped structure. The plate-shaped structure may be a reinforced concrete plate, or a steel plate welded with vertical and horizontal ribs, similar to a deck or a shipside of a ship.
28. The plate-shaped structure may also be a plate-shaped star-shaped quadrangular pyramid grid, an obliquely-placed quadrangular pyramid grid, a honeycomb-shaped triangular pyramid grid structure, or a plate-shaped lattice truss structure. The lattice specification of the plate-shaped structure is 1/N (N>2, and N is preferably 7, 8, or 9) of that of the grid structure, the floating grid structure, the lattice truss structure, or the floating lattice truss structure covered by the plate-shaped structure. An upper chord surface of the plate-shaped grid structure or plate-shaped lattice truss structure is a steel plate structure.
29. In the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 17-21, and 23-26, the grid structure, the floating grid structure, the lattice truss structure, and the floating lattice truss structure are respectively a hollowed grid structure, a hollowed floating grid structure, a hollowed lattice truss structure, and a hollowed floating lattice truss structure. A hollowed structure may be regularly or irregularly hollowed out. The hollowing process aims at covering a larger water surface with the same material consumption.
30. Another floating latticework is provided, which mainly includes a frame structure. An integral frame structure formed by watertight hollow columns welded by steel plates or cast by the reinforced concrete may be used. If the watertight hollow columns are welded by steel plates, the steel plates may be welded with vertical and horizontal ribs on inner sides. Such a frame structure is a floating frame structure in such a specification that a ratio of a sum of a self weight and a load capacity thereof to a volume thereof is smaller than 9800 N/m3, as shown in
31. Referring to the partial cross-sectional view of
32. Another floating latticework is provided, which includes a plurality of columnar floating structures with square or rectangular-shaped cross sections. The columnar floating structures are watertight hollow structures welded by steel plates, and the steel plates may be welded with vertical and horizontal ribs on inner sides. Alternatively, the columnar floating structures are watertight hollow structures cast by the reinforced concrete. Alternatively, the columnar floating structures are three-dimensional truss structures with a rectangular-shaped cross section and filled with foamed plastic floaters, in which the three-dimensional truss structures are externally sprayed with plastics or wrapped with the GFRP. Two end faces and two or three side faces of each columnar floating structure are provided with a plurality of connecting pieces. The connecting pieces are steel plates. When they are connected by welding, the welding process is performed at the steel plates. When they are fixedly connected by bolts, corresponding holes and bolt holes are provided on the steel plates. End faces and side faces of the columnar floating structures are fixedly connected to each other to form a -shaped floating lattice structure or a floating frame structure that can float above water. When it is intended to form a -shaped floating lattice structure, the connecting pieces on two side faces are respectively located at two ends of each side face or at the center of each side face. The columnar floating structures may be connected with each other in two manners. In the first manner, when the connecting pieces on the side faces are respectively located at the two ends of each side face, the columnar floating structures are connected to form a shaped floating lattice structure, and a lattice specification for the -shaped floating lattice structure is approximately equal to a length of the columnar floating structures. In the second manner, when the connecting pieces on the side faces are respectively located at the center of each side face, the columnar floating structures 1 are connected in a manner shown in
33. A use of the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 14-15, 17-21, 23-26, and 30-32 is provided. If an upper chord surface or an upper plane of the floating latticework is a plate-shaped structure, the upper chord surface or the upper plane is used as a supporting surface, and otherwise, the upper chord surface or the upper plane is covered with and fixedly connected to a steel plate structure or a reinforced concrete plate structure to serve as a supporting surface. The floating latticework is adapted to serve as a floating supporting structure for offshore floating projects such as water transportation, offshore buildings, offshore plants, offshore floating platforms, offshore drilling platforms, offshore airports, floating wharfs, artificial islands, and floating cities. Claims 14-15 and 26 are suitable for being used as a supporting structure for the water transportation. Claims 8-11, 14-15, and 26 are suitable for being used as a floating platform. Claims 17-21 and 23-25 are suitable for being used as a supporting structure for offshore airports. The multi-layer (for example, four-layer or five-layer) floating grid structure in claim 17 is suitable for being used as the floating wharf. Claims 2-7, 17-21, 23-25, and 31-33 are suitable for being used as a supporting structure for artificial islands and floating cities.
34. Referring to
35. A use of the floating latticework according to any one of claims 2-11, 17-21, and 23-26, adapted to serve as a supporting structure for a floating bridge, is provided. A grid structure is taken as an example in
36. In the use of the floating latticework according to claim 35, the floating latticework is adapted to serve as a supporting structure for a floating bridge, in which a planar shape of the floating latticework is shaped or shaped as shown in
37. Referring to
38. Referring to
39. A use of the floating latticework according to claim 14 or 15 is provided, in which the floating latticework is adapted to serve as a box-shaped or flat-plate-shaped floating structure, or as a main body structure of a liquid cargo ship such as an oil tanker. When being used as a main body structure of an oil tanker, the planar shape of the grid structure or the lattice truss structure is the same as that of the oil tanker. A covering plate thereof is as described in claim 15.
40. A floating reticulated shell structure is provided, which includes a single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer spherical, box-shaped, columnar, or heterotypic hollow reticulated shell formed by rod members and joints. A cross section of the columnar reticulated shell structure is circular, square, rectangular, or trapezoidal, and two ends of the columnar reticulated shell structure are watertight. Peripheral members of the reticulated shell are covered with and welded to steel plates or fixedly connected to steel plates or GFRP plates by bolts, so as to form a rigidly-covered single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer reticulated shell structure. A double-layer reticulated shell structure is most preferred. The double-layer reticulated shell structure suitably adopts a double-layer thickening reticulated shell, which is thickened at a position for bearing the largest force. The steel plates are seal-welded. If the GFRP or steel plates are fixedly connected by bolts, sealant or sealing rings are additionally disposed between the plates and the members, such that a space enclosed by the rigidly-covered reticulated shell structure is watertight. The reticulated shell structure is applied above water to serve as a watertight and rigidly-covered spherical floating reticulated shell structure, box-shaped floating reticulated shell structure, columnar floating reticulated shell structure, or heterotypic hollow floating reticulated shell structure.
41. The reticulated shell is a watertight and rigidly-covered columnar double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structure. A cross section of the columnar reticulated shell structure is circular, square, rectangular, or trapezoidal. Long sides of the rectangular-shaped cross section are perpendicular to the water surface. An axis of the columnar reticulated shell structure is parallel to the water surface, and two axial sides of the columnar reticulated shell structure are fixedly connected to balance wings for preventing the floating reticulated shell structure from swinging back and forth along with waves. The balance wings are the same as that described in claim 38.
42. A floating reticulated shell structure is provided, which includes a single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer reticulated shell formed by rod members and joints. Peripheral members of the reticulated shell are covered with and welded to steel plates to form a rigidly-covered single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer reticulated shell structure. The reticulated shell structure is a ship-shaped reticulated shell structure. Referring to
43. A ship body structure is provided, which includes side and bottom skeletons. The side and bottom skeletons are double-layer or multi-layer ship-shaped reticulated shell structures. For an ordinary ship, a double-layer thickening reticulated shell structure that is thickened at the bottom of the ship is most preferred. For a large or very large ship, a three-layer reticulated shell structure is preferred. Alternatively, side skeletons are formed by a double-layer reticulated shell structure, and bottom skeletons are formed by a three-layer reticulated shell structure. Skeletons that need to be connected to the reticulated shell structure such as bulkhead skeletons and deck skeletons are all fixedly connected at joints of the reticulated shell structure. Inner bottom plates or side plates within the ship are fixedly connected to internal members of the reticulated shell structure.
44. A ship body structure is provided, which includes side and bottom skeletons, bulkhead skeletons, and deck skeletons. The side and bottom skeletons are double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structures. Referring to
45. A floating reticulated shell structure is provided, which includes a spherical, columnar, or ship-shaped, double-layer or multi-layer reticulated shell structure. The reticulated shell structure is filled with foamed plastics in a space between internal and external members thereof. Referring to
46. Referring to
47. Another cofferdam structure is provided, which includes skeleton structures and steel plates for covering around the skeleton structures in a watertight manner. An axis of the cofferdam structure is perpendicular to a horizontal plane. A horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure is rectangular or square-shaped. The cofferdam structure is optionally provided with horizontal pressure support structures therein.
48. Referring to
49. A method for manufacturing and mounting the cofferdam structure according to claims 46-48 is provided. The method includes the following steps: mounting skeletons of a cofferdam structure on a platform; covering steel plates around the skeletons; optionally providing horizontal pressure support structures in the cofferdam structure; excavating earth from a ground surface underwater in a water area under construction, such that the ground surface underwater is recessed; sinking and mounting the cofferdam structure in position; inserting the steel plates at a periphery of a bottom end of the cofferdam structure deep into the ground surface underwater; filling an underwater concrete or other sealing materials outside the cofferdam structure at the ground surface underwater; and withdrawing water from the cofferdam structure. A cofferdam space enclosed by the steel plates is watertight. The platform is located in the water area under construction and is a floating platform formed by steel structure buoyant boxes or foamed plastics. The platform is positioned in the water area under construction by positioning ropes. The floating platform is provided with a hollowed structure at a center thereof, such that a horizontal surface of the hollowed portion is similar to and slightly larger than a horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure. A temporary platform is built at the hollowed structure, and the skeletons of the cofferdam structure are assembled on the temporary platform by prefabricated rod members and joint members. The skeletons of the cofferdam structure are columnar double-layer reticulated shell structures with axes thereof perpendicular to a horizontal plane. As for a large or very large cofferdam structure with a rectangular or square-shaped cross section, skeletons at four sides thereof may be formed by an ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grid, three-way grid, hollowed triangular pyramid grid structure, or lattice truss structure with a chord surface thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. As for a cofferdam structure with a horizontal cross section being rectangular or square-shaped in the middle and semicircular-shaped at two ends thereof, skeletons at two straight-edge surfaces of the cofferdam structure are formed by ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grids, obliquely-placed quadrangular pyramid grids, three-way grids, or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and semicircular cylindrical-surface skeletons at two ends of the cofferdam structure are formed by semicircular cylindrical-surface double-layer reticulated shell structures. If the horizontal pressure support structures are required, the horizontal pressure support structures are ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grids, three-way grids, hollowed triangular pyramid grid structures, or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. In the step of covering the steel plates around the skeletons, the assembling process is carried out from the periphery of the bottom end of the cofferdam structure and gradually proceeds upwards along side faces of the cofferdam structure. As the mounting height increases, a plurality of ropes is fastened to the bottom end of the cofferdam structure and the other ends of the ropes are fastened to the platform. Then, the temporary platform is dismantled, such that the cofferdam structure falls into the hollowed structure at the center of the platform. By adopting a step-by-step sinking manner, the cofferdam structure is sunk to a height convenient for a person to perform the assembling process while standing on the floating platform. When the cofferdam structure reaches a predetermined height, the cofferdam structure is sunk and mounted in position.
50. A method for manufacturing and mounting a cofferdam structure according to claims 46-48 is provided. The method includes the following steps: mounting skeletons of a cofferdam structure on a platform; covering steel plates around the skeletons; optionally providing horizontal pressure support structures in the cofferdam structure; excavating earth from a ground surface underwater in a water area under construction, such that the ground surface underwater is recessed; sinking and mounting the cofferdam structure in position; inserting the steel plates at a periphery of a bottom end of the cofferdam structure deep into the ground surface underwater; filling an underwater concrete or other sealing materials outside the cofferdam structure at the ground surface underwater; and withdrawing water from the cofferdam structure. A cofferdam space enclosed by the steel plates is watertight. The platform is located in the water area under construction and is formed by a central platform and a peripheral platform surrounding the central platform. The central platform is a floating platform formed by steel structure buoyant boxes, and the peripheral platform is a floating platform formed by steel structure buoyant boxes or foamed plastics. The platform is positioned in the water area under construction by positioning ropes. A horizontal surface of the central platform is similar to and slightly larger than a horizontal cross section of the cofferdam structure. The central platform is movably connected to the peripheral platform, such that the central platform and the peripheral platform are capable of moving up and down relative to each other. Before an assembling process, the central platform is slightly higher than the peripheral platform or is coplanar with the peripheral platform. A buoyant force of the floating central platform is adjusted by filling water therein. The skeletons of the cofferdam structure are assembled on the central platform by prefabricated rod members and joint members. The skeletons of the cofferdam structure are columnar double-layer reticulated shell structures with axes thereof perpendicular to a horizontal plane. As for a large or very large cofferdam structure with a rectangular or square-shaped cross section, skeletons at four sides thereof are formed by a quadrangular pyramid grid, three-way grid, hollowed triangular pyramid grid structure, or lattice truss structure with a chord surface thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. As for a cofferdam structure with a horizontal cross section being rectangular or square-shaped in the middle and semicircular-shaped at two ends thereof, skeletons at two straight-edge surfaces of the cofferdam structure are formed by ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grids, obliquely-placed quadrangular pyramid grids, three-way grids, or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and semicircular cylindrical-surface skeletons at two ends of the cofferdam structure are formed by semicircular cylindrical-surface double-layer reticulated shell structures. If the horizontal pressure support structures are required, the horizontal pressure support structures are also ortho-laid quadrangular pyramid grids, three-way grids, hollowed triangular pyramid grid structures, or lattice truss structures with chord surfaces thereof perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The assembling process is carried out from a bottom of the cofferdam structure and gradually proceeds upwards along side faces of the cofferdam structure, and prefabricated steel plates for covering the reticulated shells are mounted at the bottom and side faces of the cofferdam structure, and a cofferdam space enclosed by the mounted steel plates is watertight. When the cofferdam structure is assembled to such a height that the cofferdam structure is capable of floating above water alone, the floating central platform is sunk by filling water therein, thus separated from the bottom of the cofferdam structure, and then removed. As the assembling process of the cofferdam structure continues and the height of the cofferdam structure increases, by means of filling water into the cofferdam structure, the cofferdam structure is sunk to a height convenient for a person to perform the assembling process while standing on the peripheral platform. When the cofferdam structure reaches a predetermined height, the cofferdam structure is filled up with water and thus sunk and mounted in position. A sealing material is filled outside the cofferdam structure at the ground surface underwater. After water is withdrawn from the cofferdam structure, structures in the bottom of the cofferdam structure are removed.
51. A covering plate used in the floating reticulated shell structure, ship body structure, or cofferdam structure according to claims 40-44 and 46-48 is provided. The covering plate is a steel plate adapted to cover and be fixedly connected to a peripheral member of a reticulated shell, or adapted to cover and be fixedly connected to a -shaped lattice structure that is formed by welding square tubes and is fixedly connected to the peripheral member of the reticulated shell with joints thereof corresponding to joints of the reticulated shell. The covering plates are prefabricated, a length and a width of the covering plates are equal to or integral multiples (for 2-3 times) of that of a lattice, and covering plates are flat-plate-shaped or curve-shaped. When the covering plate is a steel plate, it is connected to the peripheral member of the reticulated shell or the -shaped lattice structure by seal-welding, or is fixedly connected to the peripheral member of the reticulated shell or the -shaped lattice structure by bolts, and meanwhile a rubber sealing ring and a sealant is additionally disposed between the covering plate and the peripheral member of the reticulated shell or the shaped lattice structure. When being fixedly connected by bolts, the covering plate may also adopt a high-strength GFRP plate.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200610070819.0 | Mar 2006 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/CN2007/000784 | 3/12/2007 | WO | 00 | 9/12/2008 |