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EP-4739847-A1 - PILE UPENDING DEVICES AND METHODS

EP4739847A1EP 4739847 A1EP4739847 A1EP 4739847A1EP-4739847-A1

Abstract

In a first aspect, a cradle of a device for upending of a pile is provided with movable fender pads at respective lateral sides of the cradle. The fender pads form, together with a base support against which the pile rests backwardly during upending, inward surfaces of the cradle defining an internal space inside the cradle for the pile to which radial movement of the supported pile is limited. Each fender pad is controllably movable by one or more fender actuators into slanted fending positions, in which the fender pad slants towards the base support at sharp angles relative to the middle plane. In a second aspect, a pile end support structure has left and right connector beams hinged at an upper end thereof to the cradle and a pile support beam hinged at both ends to the lower ends of the connector beams. The connector hinge axes and the support hinge axes are horizontal when the pivotal structure together with the pile are in the vertical position.

Inventors

  • VEHMEIJER, TERENCE WILLEM AUGUST
  • VAN DER MEIJ, Olaf

Assignees

  • Itrec B.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240703

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An upending device (100) configured to be mounted, or mounted, on a deck (11) of a vessel (10) and for use in upending of a pile, e.g. a monopile (20, 30), in combination with a crane of the vessel, which pile is after upending to be removed from the upending device by means of the crane in order to be lowered to the seabed, e.g. the lowering to the seabed being guided by a pile holder of the vessel, wherein the upending device (100) comprises: - a support assembly (110) configured to be mounted, or mounted, on a deck of a vessel, - a pivotal structure (120), hinged to the support assembly about a horizontal hinge axis (121) and configured for supporting the pile with a central longitudinal pile axis (22,32) thereof on a central and vertical middle plane (122) of the pivotal structure, so that the upending device (100) enables the pivoting of the pivotal structure (120) together with the pile around the horizontal hinge axis (121) from a horizontal loading position (figs. 1-2, 7-9) into a vertical position (figs.3,4), in which the pile axis is respectively horizontal and vertical, through lifting an upper end (23,33) of the pile by means of a crane of the vessel, the upended pile being removed from the upending device by means of the crane, wherein the pivotal structure (120) comprises: - a cradle (130) providing at least forward (3) support of the pile by means of a central base support (134), - a pile foot end support structure (140) including at least one connector member (141,42) which extends from the cradle (130) towards a pile foot support member (143) for upwardly supporting the pile at its foot end in non-horizontal orientations of the pile, wherein the cradle (130) is provided with movable fender pads (151 ,152) at respective lateral sides, the fender pads (151 ,152) together with the base support (134) forming inward surfaces of the cradle defining an internal space inside the cradle (130) for the pile to which radial movement of the supported pile (20,30) is limited, and wherein each fender pad is controllably movable by one or more fender actuators (153,154) of the cradle (130) into slanted fending positions (figs.5a,c,6b-d), in which the fender pad slants towards the base support (134) at sharp angles (Oi02,©3) relative to the middle plane (122) when seen in a direction along the pile axis (22,32).
  2. 2. Device (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the fender pads (151 ,152) are both pivotable about a respective pivot axis (157,158) extending parallel to, and preferably forwards of, the pile axis (22,32), and wherein the respective fender actuators (153,154) are pivot actuators for controlled pivoting of the fender pads around the respective pivot axis into the fending positions thereof.
  3. 3. Device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the fender pivot actuators (153,154) are linear actuators which each have one end fixed to a section of the associated fender pad (151 ,152) remote, e.g. backwards, of the pivot axis (157,158), e.g. a backwards end (155,156), and another end of the linear actuator to a stationary outer part (131 , 132, 133) of the cradle.
  4. 4. Device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the pile foot end support structure (140) is rigid with the pile foot support member (143) so as to remain engaged with, and being non-releasable from, the pile foot end in at least the vertical position, preventing a downwards movement of the pile.
  5. 5. Device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein a stationary part of the cradle (130) is U-shaped when seen in a longitudinal direction of the pile and has a base section (131) and left-hand and right-hand side sections (132,133) extending from the base section at a respective lateral side of the cradle and defining a receiving opening (139) between them, for example wherein the side section extend forwardly to beyond the pile axis and into ends (137,138) remote from the horizontal hinge axis, wherein the upending device (100) is configured so that, in the horizontal loading position of the pivotal structure, the receiving opening (139) of the cradle (130) is directed upwards for loading of a pile (20,30) in horizontal orientation (figs.1-2) from above into the cradle downwardly onto the central base support (134) and with the foot end (24,34) of the pile near or at the foot support member (143), wherein each of the movable fender pads (151 ,152) is connected to a respective one of the side sections (132,133) of the cradle (130) to extend inwardly from the respective side section (132,133).
  6. 6. Device (100) according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the fender pads (151 ,152) extend from proximate ends (155,156) backward of the pile axis (22,32) in the support position, to remote ends (137,138) thereof forward of the pile axis (22,32), both in the lateral and slanted fending position.
  7. 7. Device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein each fender pad (151 ,152) is furthermore movable by the fender actuators into a resting position (figs.5b, 6a), in which the fender pad extends parallel to the middle plane.
  8. 8. Device (100) according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the base support (134) comprises one or more, e.g. two or four, pile supporting devices (134) arranged and configured for engaging a backwardly directed laterally central circumferential portion (25,35) of the supported pile (20,30) by contact surfaces (135) thereof, against which pile support devices the pile (20,30) rests in the backward direction when loaded, and during upending.
  9. 9. Device (100) according to claim 8, wherein the pile support devices are multiple pile support devices on opposed lateral sides of the middle plane (122), each pivotable mounted to the cradle (130) about pivot axis parallel to the pile axis (22,32) for enabling making contact surfaces (135) thereof tangential to the circumference of supported piles (20,30) having different diameters (D2o,D3o), and thus different curvatures, by pivoting the pile support devices (134) around their pivot axes (137), wherein, for example, the pile support devices (134) are controllably pivotable around their pivot axis (137) by means of respective pile support device actuator (136), e.g. operative between the pile support devices (134) and the cradle, e.g. the base section (131).
  10. 10. Device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the pile foot end support structure (140) includes a left-hand and a right-hand connector member, both in the form of a connector beam (141 ,142), the connector beams extending parallel to and laterally spaced from the middle plane (122), wherein the lower ends of the connector beams (141 ,142) support the pile foot support member (143), the pile foot support member extending transversely between them, so as to enable the bottom end (24,34) of the pile (20,30) to be upwardly supported thereon in non-horizontal orientations of the pile.
  11. 11. Device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the pile foot end support structure (140) is adjustable to the length (l_2o,L3o) of the pile (20,30) by a translatability of the connector member(s) (141 ,142) relative to the cradle (130), and thus the pile foot support member (143) supported thereby, parallel to the pile axis in support position, wherein the connector members (141 ,142) are releasably attachable to the cradle (130) at multiple longitudinally spaced locations along the connector member(s) (141 ,142).
  12. 12. Device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one hinge actuator (123), operative between the support structure (110) and the pivotal structure (120), and configured for controlled pivoting of the pivotal structure (120) relative to the support structure (110) around the horizontal hinge axis (121), e.g. in view of returning the pivotal structure back to the horizontal loading position.
  13. 13. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the connector beams (141 , 142) of the pile end support structure (140) are a left and a right connector beam (141, 142), the left and right connector beams extending parallel to and laterally spaced from the centre plane (122) of the pivotal structure, wherein the left and right connector beams (141 ,142) are each hinged at an upper end thereof to the cradle (130) about, respectively, a left and a right connector hinge axis (146, 147) which are parallel to the centre plane (122), wherein the pile support beam (143) extends transversely between the lower ends of the left and right connector beams (141 , 142) so as to enable the bottom end of the pile (20,30) to be supported in non-horizontal orientations of the pivotal structure (120), wherein the pile support beam (143) is hinged at both ends thereof to the lower ends of the left and right connector beams (141 ,142) about a left and a right support hinge axis (144, 145) which are parallel to the left and right connector hinge axis (146, 147), wherein the connector hinge axes (146, 147) and the support hinge axes (144, 145) are horizontal when the pivotal structure (120) together with the pile (20,30) are in the vertical position.
  14. 14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the pile foot support structure (140) further comprises a foot support member (148) to support the bottom end of the pile (20,30) in non- horizontal orientations of the pile, wherein the foot support member is hinged to the centre of the pile support beam (143) around a hinge axis (149) parallel to left and right connector hinge axis (146, 147), such that the bottom end of the pile is during the upending of the pile always supported by the foot support member at two or more locations.
  15. 15. Method for upending a pile, e.g. a monopile (20,30), to be installed into the seabed, wherein use is made of a vessel provided with the upending device according to any one or more of claims 1-14.
  16. 16. Method for upending a pile, e.g. a monopile (20,30), to be installed into the seabed, wherein use is made of a vessel provided with the upending device according to any one or more of claims 1-14 and a crane, comprising: 1) with the pivotal structure in the horizontal loading position thereof and the fender pads in a fending position, loading a pile into the pivotal structure, 2) upending the pile by lifting the upper end thereof by means of the crane, 3) with the pivotal structure and the pile in the vertical position, removing the upended pile from the pivotal structure by means of the crane.
  17. 17. Method according to claim 16, wherein during step 1, the pile is loaded by lowering it from above through a receiving opening at the front of the cradle, and wherein the step 1 comprises controllably operating the fender actuators so that the fender pads at both lateral sides of the cradle engage the pile in a fending position thereof, e.g. so that the angle of the fender pad(s) with the middle plane decreases as the lowering progresses for guiding the backwards movement of the pile towards the base support (134), e.g. such that the angles of the fender pads with the middle plane at both lateral sides remain equal.
  18. 18. Method according to claim 16 or 17, comprising during steps 1, 2 or 3, controlled operation of one or more of the fender actuators to adjust the angle of the associated fender pads with the middle plane such as to counteract an undue movement of the pile with the pile axis away from the middle plane.
  19. 19. Method according to any one or more of claims 16-18, comprising cushioning an undue backwards movement of the pile from a position forwards from the base support, by controlled operation of the actuators of the fender pads at both lateral sides of the cradle such as to gradually decrease the angle of the fender pads with the middle plane as the backwards movement progresses, and exert a forwards force to decelerate the pile, wherein the cushioning is provided during step 2, or during step 3 wherein the removal of the pile is performed by a forward movement of the pile through a front receiving opening.
  20. 20. Method according to any one or more of claims 16 - 19, wherein during step 3, the removal of the pile is performed by a forward movement of the pile through a front receiving opening, and the method comprises during step 3 exerting a forwards pushing force by controllably operating the actuators of the fender pads at both lateral sides of the cradle such as to increase the angle of the fender pads with the middle plane as the forwards movement progresses, thereby guiding the forwards exiting movement of the pile, e.g. such that the angles of the fender pads at both lateral sides remain equal.

Description

PILE UPENDING DEVICES AND METHODS The process of installation of an offshore pile generally involves transportation of the pile in horizontal orientation to the offshore installation location, followed by upending of the pile to a vertical orientation, and subsequent lowering of the vertically oriented pile to the sea bottom for installation into the seabed, e.g. by piling using a pile driving device. For example, the pile is a monopile which serves as foundation for an offshore wind turbine. To accomplish the installation of the pile, it is known to use a vessel having a crane for handling the pile, as well as a dedicated upending device and a dedicated pile holder device which is distinct from the dedicated upending device. Herein the upending device only is used in the process of upending of the pile, wherein the upper end of the pile is lifted by the crane of the vessel. Herein, the pile holder device, which is also known as pile gripper in the art, only serves for guiding of the upended pile as it is lowered vertically towards the seabed and subsequently driven into the seabed. These devices can be arranged on the vessel at separate locations, e.g. side-by-side. Herein it is known to use the crane and the dedicated upending device to upend the pile and to use the crane to subsequently transfer the upended pile to the dedicated pile holder device of the vessel which is then used for guiding the pile vertically towards and into the seabed. In another known arrangement, the upending device is placed in close proximity to the dedicated pile holder device, so that the upended pile can be engaged by the pile holder device without the need for a transfer by means of the crane. It is also known to accomplish the installation of the pile using a vessel equipped with an integrated upending and holding device. Herein the pile is upended using the crane and the integrated device and then vertically lowered to the seabed while being guided by the integrated device. In this known approach also no transfer of the upended pile to a remotely arranged dedicated pile holder device is needed. To accomplish the upending, it is known to use a dedicated upending device which supports the pile at a bottom section thereof while the pile is being rotated upwards from the horizontal to the vertical orientation, which is effected by lifting the upper end of the pile by means of a crane. The upending device as well the integrated upending and holding device is known to generally comprise a support assembly configured to be mounted, or mounted, on a deck of a vessel, and a pivotal structure. The pivotal structure has a cradle which is hinged to the support assembly about a horizontal hinge axis, wherein the pivotal structure is configured for supporting the pile in a support position thereof, with a central longitudinal pile axis thereof on a vertical centre plane of the pivotal structure. The centre plane therein extends in a backwards- forwards plane which is laterally centred. When the support assembly is mounted to the vessel deck, the upending device enables the pivoting of the pivotal structure together with the pile in the support position around the horizontal hinge axis from a horizontal loading position into a vertical position, in which the pile axis of the supported pile is respectively horizontal and vertical, through lifting the upper end of the pile by means of a crane of the vessel. In a first aspect thereof, the invention provides an upending device and method. The upending device according to the invention is of the kind that is to be used for upending only. After upending, the pile is moved out of the cradle by means of the crane, forwardly through an opening of the cradle, and is placed while suspended from the crane in a dedicated pile holder, also known as pile gripper in the art, for lowering towards the seabed. The pivotal structure of the upending device comprises a cradle. This cradle is for transversely supporting the pile along at least a back part of its circumference. For example, the pile is, seen in a side view, at least with a majority of its diameter, e.g. completely, within the cradle. In practical embodiments, the upending device is configured for supporting piles of a range of different diameters. For example, the smallest pile is seen in a side view completely within the contour of the cradle and the largest pile is with the majority of the diameter within the contour. The cradle provides at least forward support of the pile by means of a central base support. The pivotal structure furthermore comprises a pile foot end support structure. The pile foot end support structure includes at least one connector member connected to the cradle, which connector member, seen in the vertical position, extends downwardly from the cradle towards a foot end of the pile. The at least one connector member has a lower end supporting a pile foot support member, which is for upwardly supporting the pile at its f