US-12618215-B2 - Vibration device with base frame and method for inserting into the ground or removing from the ground a foundation element by providing said vibration device

US12618215B2US 12618215 B2US12618215 B2US 12618215B2US-12618215-B2

Abstract

A vibration device for inserting a foundation element into the ground includes a base frame having an inner space, and one or more vibration elements that are connected to the base frame. During use, the base frame extends at least partly around a side wall of the foundation element to at least partially enclose said foundation element in the inner space. A vibration system, a vibration assembly and a method for inserting a foundation element into the ground.

Inventors

Hendrik Cejus de Roo
Laurens DE NEEF

Assignees

CAPE HOLLAND HOLDING B.V.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221117
Priority Date: 20211117

Claims (18)

1 . A vibration device for inserting a foundation element into the ground, the device comprising: a base frame having an inner space; and two or more vibration elements that are connected to the base frame; wherein, during use, the base frame extends at least partly around a side wall of the foundation element to at least partially enclose said foundation element in the inner space; and wherein the base frame has an inner wall that delineates the inner space, and wherein the inner wall, during use, extends parallel to the outer wall of the foundation element, characterized in that the base frame has an open position in which the device is positionable around the foundation element, and has a closed position in which the foundation element is clamped in the inner space of the base frame, wherein the base frame is substantially ring-shaped, further comprising at least one drive that is operatively connected to the base frame and that is configured to drive the two or more vibration elements, wherein the device comprises clamping means that are configured to, in the closed position, clamp the foundation element in the inner space.
2 . The vibration device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner wall, during use, also extends contiguous with the outer wall of the foundation element.
3 . The vibration device according to claim 1 , wherein the base frame has a height that extends parallel to the central axis of the ring-shaped base frame, wherein base frame comprises two or more parts that are hingeably connected to each other, or wherein the base frame comprises a number of curved elements, that are connectable to each other to form the ring-shaped base frame.
4 . The vibration device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises two or more vibration elements, and wherein the vibration elements are positioned substantially equidistant from each other on or against an outer wall of the base frame or in the base frame between the inner wall and the outer wall.
5 . The vibration device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one drive is an electric motor comprising a permanent-magnet motor.
6 . The vibration device according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vibration elements or a number of groups of vibration elements, wherein the vibration device further comprises a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to individually control each of the vibration elements or groups of vibration elements by controlling the drive associated with the vibration element or group of vibration elements.
7 . The vibration device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least two hoisting elements to which hoisting equipment, such as hoisting cables, are connectable, wherein at least the two hoisting elements are positioned on opposite sides of an outer wall of the base frame.
8 . The vibration device according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping means are positioned at or at least partially in the inner wall or adjacent the inner wall in the inner space.
9 . The vibration device according to claim 8 , wherein the vibration elements, the inner wall and the clamping means are directly connected to each other, and wherein the vibration elements, the inner wall, and the clamping means are at least partially integrated with other.
10 . The vibration device according to claim 8 , wherein the clamps are configured for clamping the foundation element, and maintaining the clamping position during upending and insertion of the foundation element into the ground.
11 . A vibration assembly comprising: a vibration device comprising: a base frame having an inner space; two or more vibration elements that are connected to the base frame; wherein, during use, the base frame extends at least partly around a side wall of the foundation element to at least partially enclose said foundation element in the inner space; and wherein the base frame has an inner wall that delineates the inner space, and wherein the inner wall, during use, extends parallel to the outer wall of the foundation element, characterized in that the base frame has an open position in which the device is positionable around the foundation element, and has a closed position in which the foundation element is clamped in the inner space of the base frame, wherein the base frame is substantially ring-shaped, further comprising at least one drive that is operatively connected to the base frame and that is configured to drive the two or more vibration elements, wherein the device comprises clamping means that are configured to, in the closed position, clamp the foundation element in the inner space; and at least one foundation element.
12 . A method for inserting a foundation element into the ground or extracting a foundation element from the ground, the method comprising the steps of: providing a vibration device comprising: a base frame having an inner space; two or more vibration elements that are connected to the base frame; wherein, during use, the base frame extends at least partly around a side wall of the foundation element to at least partially enclose said foundation element in the inner space; and wherein the base frame has an inner wall that delineates the inner space, and wherein the inner wall, during use, extends parallel to the outer wall of the foundation element, characterized in that the base frame has an open position in which the device is positionable around the foundation element, and has a closed position in which the foundation element is clamped in the inner space of the base frame, wherein the base frame is substantially ring-shaped, further comprising at least one drive that is operatively connected to the base frame and that is configured to drive the two or more vibration elements, wherein the device comprises clamping means that are configured to, in the closed position, clamp the foundation element in the inner space; and using the device or the system to drive a foundation element into the ground, or alternatively using the device or the system to extract a foundation element from the ground.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the step of using the device or system comprises: positioning the vibration device around a foundation element; securing the vibration device to the foundation element; and driving the foundation element into the ground, or alternatively extracting the foundation element from the ground.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , additionally comprising the step of upending the foundation element before driving the foundation element into the ground, and further comprising the step of clamping the foundation element with the clamps and maintaining the clamping position during upending and insertion of the foundation element into the ground.
15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the vibration device comprises two or more parts that are hingeably connected to each other, and wherein the method additionally comprises the steps of: opening the vibration device by hinging the two or more parts apart; positioning, by sliding, the device on the foundation element; closing the two or more parts such that the device encloses the foundation element; and securing the vibration device to the foundation element by locking the two or more parts together.
16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the vibration device comprises a plurality of electric motors, wherein each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors is associated with a single vibration element, or with a group of vibration elements that are associated to each other, to drive the associated vibration element or associated group of vibration elements.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein each vibration element is an excentre mass, the method further comprising one or more of the steps of controlling, with a control unit: a tangential force exerted by the groups of vibration elements on the foundation element; a horizontal force exerted by the groups of vibration elements on the foundation element; and/or an axial vibration, a torsional vibration and/or a combination of an axial and torsional vibration exerted by the groups of vibration elements on the foundation element; a heading and/or vertical inclination of the foundation element; or a combination of one or more of a tangential force, a horizontal force, an axial vibration, a torsional vibration, a combination of an axial and torsional vibration and a heading and/or vertical inclination; wherein the steps of controlling are performed by controlling, by the control unit, one or more of: a number RPM of each electric motor; a rotation of the electric phase of each electric motor between one or more electric motors of the plurality of electric motors; a number RPM of each of the excentre masses; a timing phase of the rotation of each of the excentre masses, wherein the timing comprises synchronous rotation, asynchronous rotation, or time-shifted rotation; and/or a rotational speed of the excentre masses.
18 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one foundation element comprises a profiled end, and wherein the step of using the device or the system comprises applying at least torsional vibrations to the at least one foundation element.

Description

This is a national stage application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of pending international application PCT/NL2022/050659, filed Nov. 17, 2022, which claims priority to Netherlands Patent Application No. 2029798, filed Nov. 17, 2021, the entirety of which applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The invention relates to a vibration device and a method for inserting a foundation element into the seabed or into the ground. The vibration device and method are useable for both land-based and sea-based foundation elements. The invention also relates to a vibration system and a vibration assembly comprising such vibration device. Vibration devices for placing or inserting foundation elements, such as foundation piles, into the ground are known. Such devices are for example used in the placement of foundations for wind turbines. The known vibration devices drive the foundation element, such as a solid or hollow foundation pile, into the ground using vibrations. To that end, the known vibration devices comprise at least one vibration block that is connected to the upper side of the foundation pile. A disadvantage is that, especially when the vibration device is connected after upending the element—that is putting it in a vertical, upright position—the chance of inaccuracies and therewith an incorrect connection are high. To alleviate this disadvantage, the vibration device can be connected to the element before upending it, that is when the foundation element is in a substantially horizontal position. This increases accuracy and reduces the risk of an incorrect connection. This solution however brings about the disadvantage that great forces are exerted on the foundation element and the vibration device during upending thereof. This reduces the life-time of the vibration device. Especially components such as resilient elements of the vibration device are subject to high varying forces that may lead to unexpected breaking during hoisting and/or positioning. To prevent such damage or failure, an increase in maintenance is required. To alleviate that particular disadvantage, EP 3 155 176 discloses a vibration device that comprises inter alia a fixation mechanism to fixate the resilient elements during hoisting and/or positioning to prevent damage thereto. A disadvantage of all these known devices, especially the larger and heavier ones, is that hoisting and positioning also exerts large forces on the foundation element to be placed. In many cases, especially when a coating is applied to the foundation element or when the foundation element has preinstalled connectors, this may lead to damage of the foundation element. Therefore, there is a need for an improved vibration device in which damage to the foundation element is obviated or at least reduced. To that end, the invention provides a vibration device for inserting a foundation element into the ground, the device comprising: a base frame having an inner space;one or more vibration elements that are connected to the base frame;wherein, during use, the base frame extends at least partly around a side wall of the foundation element to enclose said foundation element in the inner space. The vibration device according to the invention is designed to be positioned at least partly around the side wall of the foundation element, such that the foundation element extends through the inner space. Preferably, the vibration device extends around the entire circumference of the foundation element. An advantage of the device according to the invention is that it, due to its positioning around the side wall of the foundation element, prevents the end portion, which generally is the portion not driven into the ground, such as a top or upper portion, of the foundation element to get damaged during hoisting, positioning and inserting the foundation element. This increases the life-time or lifespan of the foundation element. This is especially true for coated foundation elements. At present, on most foundation elements a coating is provided onto the upper end of the foundation element to prevent damage, such as weather damage. This part is often the part that extends at or above water level (in marine environments) or the part extending above ground level (in land-based foundation elements). The device according to the invention can be placed at a position on the foundation element that is uncoated, which substantially obviates the issue of damage thereto. This is not possible with the existing devices. Another advantage of the vibration device according to the invention is that the emission of noise is significantly reduced compared to the known devices. This is first of all due to the fact that the device can be placed about halfway of the length of the foundation element. This significantly reduces resonance in the element during insertion, in turn reducing overall noise emission. Secondly, the device according to the invention can advantageously be used to induce to