Floating modular breakwater

Abstract

A floating breakwater assembly comprising an array of elongate rods articulated to one another for extending at a substantial vertical position at least partially submersed in water, wherein the rods are made of a flexible material and where the array is elastically deformable into an arcuate shape by bending the array.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention generally relates to breakwaters, piers, docks, wave breakers, wharfs, etc., hereinafter in the specification and claims referred to collectively as breakwaters, used for protecting coasts namely shore lines and harbors, and offshore elements e.g. marine watercrafts and structures. More specifically the invention is concerned with floating such elements, useful in a variety of embodiments and different purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Maritime structures of the concerned type have many purposes. For example, they may be used to minimize wave damage and for erosion control of shores and structures (either at shoreline or at open waters). Furthermore, such structures may be used to form wharfs for ships to moor and for connecting with land. Other examples of use of such structures may be bounding of non-shore areas to define restricted areas, e.g. a swimming zone, maritime sports zone etc. Alternatively, such bounding may...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] According to one particular embodiment, ends of the array are anchored e.g. to an anchor laying or fixed to the sea bed, thus giving rise to generation some vector of force also at a vertical direction. According to a different embodiment of the invention, the array is attached to a buoy which in turn is anchored, thereby substantially reducing the vertical vector of force.

[0018] According to still an application of the present invention, a deck is mounted on the breakwater, for easy access along the breakwater and optionally for transfer facilities such as electricity, fresh water supply, sewage suction, communication cables, etc. The deck may be integrally formed with an upper rod of the array, or may be mounted thereon. The deck may be constructed of a plurality of segments attached to or mounted on the rods and may also have buoyant parameters to assist in establishing buoyancy and positioning of the array in the water.

Problems solved by technology

One type of such breakwater requires employment of massive seabed foundations which are time consuming in setting up, as well as expensive and requiring special equipment for deployment thereof.

However, floating breakwater structures have some disadvantages setting as examples ineffectiveness in reducing height of slow waves, susceptibility to structural failure at extreme conditions, maintenance requirements, etc.

One other significant draw back of some prior art floating breakwater structures is the problem of slack / taut of cables of such structures, e.g. owing to waves, tide, etc.

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