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Very large floating structure
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Very large floating structure
Very large floating structures (VLFSs) or very large floating platforms (VLFPs) are artificial islands, which may be constructed to create floating airports, bridges, breakwaters, piers and docks, storage facilities (for oil and natural gas), wind and solar power plants, for military purposes, to create industrial space, emergency bases, entertainment facilities (such as casinos), recreation parks, mobile offshore structures and even for habitation. Currently, several different concepts have been proposed for building floating cities or huge living complexes. Some units have been constructed and are presently in operation.
Floating structures offer several advantages over more permanent structures which might extend from the shore into open water:
VLFSs differ from watercraft in that most or all of the usable area is the top surface instead of the internal (hold) areas. Thus a useful VLFS will cover significant area. It can be constructed by joining the necessary number of floating units together. The design of the floating structure must comport with safety and strength requirements, operating conditions, etc. Steel, concrete (prestressed or reinforced hybrid) or steel-concrete composite materials may be used to build the floating structure. The motion of the floating structure due to wind or wave action must be substantially neutralized, to ensure the safety of people and facilities on a VLFS, and to allow useful activities. VLFSs must be securely moored to the ocean bed.
Current VLFS designs fall into two categories: semi-submersible, and pontoon.
The semi-submersible-type VLFS has a raised platform above sea level using column tubes; it is more suitable for deployment in high seas with large waves. In open sea, where the waves are relatively large, the semi-submersible VLFS minimizes the effects of waves while maintaining a constant buoyant force. Semi-submersible types are used for petroleum exploration in deep waters. They are fixed in place by column tubes, piles, or other bracing systems.
The pontoon-type VLFS platform rests on the water surface and is intended for deployment in calm waters such as a cove, a lagoon or a harbor. Its basic element is a simple box structure; it usually offers high stability, low manufacturing cost and easy maintenance and repair. The pontoon type is supported by its buoyancy on the sea surface. The pontoon type is flexible compared to other kinds of offshore structures, so that the elastic deformations are more important than their rigid body motions. Thus, hydroelastic analysis is uppermost in designing the pontoon-type VLFS. Together with the motion of the floating structure, the response of the structure to water waves and the impact on the entire fluid domain have to be studied.
Pontoon-type VLFSs are also known in the literature as mat-like VLFSs because of their small draft in relation to the length dimensions. Very large pontoon-type floating structures are often called ‘mega-floats'. As a rule, the mega-float is a floating structure having at least one length dimension greater than 60 metres (200 ft) Horizontally large floating structures can be from 500 to 5,000 metres (1,600 to 16,400 ft) in length and 100 to 1,000 metres (330 to 3,280 ft) in width, with typical thickness of 2 to 10 metres (6.6 to 32.8 ft).
Many large floating structures have been conceptualized, including a golf course, a farm, and habitable long-term living complexes (seasteading).
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Very large floating structure
Very large floating structures (VLFSs) or very large floating platforms (VLFPs) are artificial islands, which may be constructed to create floating airports, bridges, breakwaters, piers and docks, storage facilities (for oil and natural gas), wind and solar power plants, for military purposes, to create industrial space, emergency bases, entertainment facilities (such as casinos), recreation parks, mobile offshore structures and even for habitation. Currently, several different concepts have been proposed for building floating cities or huge living complexes. Some units have been constructed and are presently in operation.
Floating structures offer several advantages over more permanent structures which might extend from the shore into open water:
VLFSs differ from watercraft in that most or all of the usable area is the top surface instead of the internal (hold) areas. Thus a useful VLFS will cover significant area. It can be constructed by joining the necessary number of floating units together. The design of the floating structure must comport with safety and strength requirements, operating conditions, etc. Steel, concrete (prestressed or reinforced hybrid) or steel-concrete composite materials may be used to build the floating structure. The motion of the floating structure due to wind or wave action must be substantially neutralized, to ensure the safety of people and facilities on a VLFS, and to allow useful activities. VLFSs must be securely moored to the ocean bed.
Current VLFS designs fall into two categories: semi-submersible, and pontoon.
The semi-submersible-type VLFS has a raised platform above sea level using column tubes; it is more suitable for deployment in high seas with large waves. In open sea, where the waves are relatively large, the semi-submersible VLFS minimizes the effects of waves while maintaining a constant buoyant force. Semi-submersible types are used for petroleum exploration in deep waters. They are fixed in place by column tubes, piles, or other bracing systems.
The pontoon-type VLFS platform rests on the water surface and is intended for deployment in calm waters such as a cove, a lagoon or a harbor. Its basic element is a simple box structure; it usually offers high stability, low manufacturing cost and easy maintenance and repair. The pontoon type is supported by its buoyancy on the sea surface. The pontoon type is flexible compared to other kinds of offshore structures, so that the elastic deformations are more important than their rigid body motions. Thus, hydroelastic analysis is uppermost in designing the pontoon-type VLFS. Together with the motion of the floating structure, the response of the structure to water waves and the impact on the entire fluid domain have to be studied.
Pontoon-type VLFSs are also known in the literature as mat-like VLFSs because of their small draft in relation to the length dimensions. Very large pontoon-type floating structures are often called ‘mega-floats'. As a rule, the mega-float is a floating structure having at least one length dimension greater than 60 metres (200 ft) Horizontally large floating structures can be from 500 to 5,000 metres (1,600 to 16,400 ft) in length and 100 to 1,000 metres (330 to 3,280 ft) in width, with typical thickness of 2 to 10 metres (6.6 to 32.8 ft).
Many large floating structures have been conceptualized, including a golf course, a farm, and habitable long-term living complexes (seasteading).
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