Floating platform with monolithically formed float members and platform

Claim 1

A floating platform especially for use at offshore locations where the platform may be exposed to significant wind and wave forces and with the platform having a variable water level depending on the loaded condition of the platform, comprising a platform member, said platform member comprising a concrete slab extending transversely of the vertical direction and extending in two directions transversely of one another with said concrete slab being prestressed, said concrete slab having an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of float members arranged in a two-directional pattern subjacent to and supporting said concrete slab, wherein the improvement comprises that said concrete slab is prestressed in each of its two transversely extending directions, the variable water level of the platform being located below said concrete slab, said concrete slab including upwardly extending intersecting concrete partitions reinforcing said slab, said slab including said partitions comprising a unitary construction free of joints, said float members formed monolithically with and rigidly attached directly to the lower surface of said concrete slab and being completely closed, said float members are hollow so that each forms a chamber therein and is formed of one of reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete and is shaped at least in part of a closed body of revolution with a curved generatrix and with the water level of the platform located in the range of said float members spaced downwardly from said concrete slab and the lower surface of said concrete slab forming a closure for the upper end of the chamber within each of said hollow float members, means in said concrete slab affording access through the closure of said float members into the chambers therein said float members in the two-directional pattern located directly below and extending across in both directions of the lower surface of said concrete slab and being arranged in adjacent side-by-side rows with said float members being uniformly distributed so that each said float member is located directly below and supports a corresponding uniform part of said concrete slab and in the range of the variable water level said float members being spaced apart in the horizontal direction in the two directions of the two-directional pattern with the horizontal area of each said float members at the water level being significantly less than the horizontal base area of said concrete slab below which said float member is directly located.