US3683632A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of laying a foundation for a structural element under water
Assignee: Combinatie Westerschelde VOF
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Filing: 1970-07-28
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Granted: 1972-08-15
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Expires: 1990-07-28
Abstract
Abstract Under a structural element and around a supply place a crater is made by laying a dike of foundation material in the space under the structural element and around the supply place and the space around said crater is subsequently filled up with foundation material by supplying suspension of foundation material with water into the crater and by causing it to flow over the edge of said crater. With this method the edge of the crater grows gradually so as to form a continuous layer of foundation material. The suspension of foundation material with water flowing over the edge of the crater is heavier than silt found around the crater resulting in the suspension driving the silt before it out of the space without being mixed with the silt.
Inventors
- 👤 Romke Van Der Veen
- 👤 Albert Griffioen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 23:44
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02D; E02D15/00; E02D15/10; E02D23/00; E02D23/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
The method of laying a foundation for a structural element under water, which comprises the steps of: a. locating the structural element in a body of water such that its undersurface is spaced above the bottom of the body of water; b. forming a suspension of particulate material such as sand in water and flowing such suspension into the space between said undersurface and said bottom from a localized region close to or at said undersurface and at a rate allowing the particulate material to settle out of the suspension and deposit on said bottom below said region; c. continuing the flowing of suspension and depositing of particulate material according to step (b) to build a mound of deposited material reaching from said bottom to said undersurface and forming a dam or dike engaging said undersurface to provide support for the structural element and surrounding said region; d. continuing the flow of suspension at pressure sufficient to maintain (1) a crater in said mound which is filled with suspension D1) a crater in said mound which is filled with suspension and (2) a flow of such suspension which channels from the crater through said daM immediately below said undersurface and spills over the edge of said dam to settle out and deposit further material to increase the plan view size of said mound; and e. continuing step (d) until the plan view size of the mound supporting the structural element is of desired size.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
244 words
The method of laying a foundation for a structural element under water, which comprises the steps of: a. locating the structural element in a body of water such that its undersurface is spaced above the bottom of the body of water; b. forming a suspension of particulate material such as sand in water and flowing such suspension into the space between said undersurface and said bottom from a localized region close to or at said undersurface and at a rate allowing the particulate material to settle out of the suspension and deposit on said bottom below said region; c. continuing the flowing of suspension and depositing of particulate material according to step (b) to build a mound of deposited material reaching from said bottom to said undersurface and forming a dam or dike engaging said undersurface to provide support for the structural element and surrounding said region; d. continuing the flow of suspension at pressure sufficient to maintain (1) a crater in said mound which is filled with suspension D1) a crater in said mound which is filled with suspension and (2) a flow of such suspension which channels from the crater through said daM immediately below said undersurface and spills over the edge of said dam to settle out and deposit further material to increase the plan view size of said mound; and e. continuing step (d) until the plan view size of the mound supporting the structural element is of desired size.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the suspension is supplied into said crater through a bottom of said structural element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that space alongside the structural element is filled with foundation material by causing suspension to flow from the crater over the edge thereof to the space found alongside the structural element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pressure of the supplied suspension is picked up.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the pressure at at least one pressure pick up place outside of the crater is picked up.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of craters is created under the structural element and the structural element is positioned relative to reference means by selectively supplying suspension to said craters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that after laying a first foundation layer of foundation material the structural element is lifted at at least one of its sides and that an additional foundation layer is laid on the first.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a foundation layer is laid under the structural element by gradually lifting the structural element, so as to raise the already laid foundation layer gradually.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the structural element is lifted by means of the pressure of the suspension supplied to the supply place.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of laying a foundation as defined in claim 1 wherein the suspension is flowed into said space at a plurality of regions similar to the first region but spaced therefrom and from each other, and performing steps (c) and (d) for each region until the mounds associated with each region grow and merge into a substantially continuous foundation layer support beneath said structural element.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of laying a foundation layer of particulate material such as sand beneath a member submerged in a body of water and having an undersurface of substantial plan view area which is spaced above the bottom of the body of water, which comprises the steps of: a. discharging a suspension of such material in water and discharging same gently toward said bottom from a confined region or point located within said plan view area and closely adjacent said undersurface to settle out and deposit said material from the suspension onto said bottom to build upwardly therefrom toward and to said undersurface until the deposited material engages said undersurface in substantially surrounding relation to said region; and then b. maintaining the discharge of suspension under pressure sufficient to channel through the deposited material at said undersurface and deposit further material in an ever-widening area between said bottom and said undersurface until such area is of desired size.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of laying a foundation layer of particulate material such as sand beneath a member submerged in a body of water and having an undersurface of substantial plan view area which is spaced above the bottom of the body of water, which comprises the steps of: a. discharging a suspension of such material in water and discharging same gently toward said bottom from a confined region or point located within said plan view area and closely adjacent said undersurface to settle out and deposit said material from the suspension onto said bottom to build upwardly therefrom toward and to said undersurface until the deposited material engages said undersurface in substantially surrounding relation to said region; and then b. maintaining the discharge of suspension under pressure sufficient to channel through the deposited material at said undersurface and deposit further material in an ever-widening area between said bottom and said undersurface until such area is of desired size.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-15 | 1976-02-14 | 1976-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-15 | 1980-02-14 | 1980-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-02-14 | 1984-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |