Foundations for constructions

Abstract

A construction including at least one pile-type device that is anchored in or on the ground and essentially consists of a longitudinal pile element. The pile-type device also includes at least one reinforcement element, which is configured and located in such a way that a gap is formed between the reinforcement element and the pile element. The gap can be filled at least partially with at least one loose and / or free-flowing material.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a foundation for constructions, such as for example wind power installations. [0002] Due to terrific technical development in recent years wind power installations have reached dimensions and weights which are increasingly at the limits of what is technologically feasible. The rotor of such a wind power installation has a diameter which is significantly more than 100 meters, the height of the tower can be up to 130 meters and the mass of a machine housing disposed on the tower can be up to 500 tons. The above-mentioned dimensions and weights nowadays belong to the prior art. [0003] The tower and the foundation in particular are components in respect of which the size of the component increasingly poses a problem. Thus, for example the road transport of the towers, which are made predominantly of steel tubes, poses problems if the diameter of the tower is to be more than 4.3 meters. In general the headroom of bridges...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The present invention is an advantageous further development of known foundations, since the foundation according to the invention makes it possible to use the available manipulable foundation piles to produce a very rigid and durable construction which reliably transfers the forces which occur.

[0042] The invention also relates to a method of dismantling a foundation according to the invention, which is advantageous particularly when the gap between the inner tube and the outer tube has been substantially filled with a free-flowing filling material which is preferably not damaging to the environment.

Problems solved by technology

The tower and the foundation in particular are components in respect of which the size of the component increasingly poses a problem.

Thus, for example the road transport of the towers, which are made predominantly of steel tubes, poses problems if the diameter of the tower is to be more than 4.3 meters.

In general the headroom of bridges is no longer sufficient to enable a transport laden with the tower or a section of the tower to pass under a bridge.

Furthermore, the available rolling mills and welding processes limit the wall thickness and also the diameter of the machinable cylindrically rolled steel sheets.

In addition the permissible transport weight of currently approximately 100 tons unit weight also limits the dimensions, so that higher unit weights also lead to substantially higher costs.

The foundation of an installation constitutes a considerable cost factor, particularly with regard to the offshore arrangement of wind power installations, i.e. wind power installations erected in the sea.

Apart from the installation and maintenance costs which in any case are already much higher, this cost factor exerts a very strong cost pressure on the offshore use of wind power, and therefore particularly in the case of the cost-intensive foundation attempts are being made to find the most economical solution possible.

However, the disadvantage of this known foundation is that it is already foreseeable now that in the near future it will no longer possible to produce piles which are so designed that they can bear the wind power installations which are increasingly becoming larger.

Since the upper face of the monopile is uneven, particularly in the case of the ramming method, it is not possible to use flange connections which are otherwise usual.

In particular, in the very economical ramming method, the dimensions of the monopile are limited both in diameter and in wall thicknesses by the rams available, which naturally have considerable dimensions.

Moreover, a high weight of the monopile can lead to unacceptably high expenditure on handling and transport.

Thus, in particular in the case of considerable water depths the frequency requirement can make it become impossible to produce a monopile with the available limiting dimensions.

Because of the considerably higher steel consumption as well as the large number of anchoring points on the seabed which represent considerable expense, however, these foundations are much less economical than the monopile.

Furthermore, the spatial extent below the surface of the water constitutes an increased risk of shipping collisions.

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