US 12,215,004 B2
Assembly and method for installing a pile into a seabed
Gerardus Petrus Meskers, Leiden (NL)
Assigned to Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland SE, Leiden (NL)
Appl. No. 17/793,577
Filed by Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland SE, Leiden (NL)
PCT Filed Jan. 20, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/051219
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 18, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/148479, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/963,878, filed on Jan. 21, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2025169 (NL), filed on Mar. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0046101 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. E02D 7/00 (2006.01); B66C 23/52 (2006.01); E02D 7/06 (2006.01); E02D 13/04 (2006.01); E02D 27/52 (2006.01); E02B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC B66C 23/52 (2013.01) [E02D 7/00 (2013.01); E02D 7/06 (2013.01); E02D 13/04 (2013.01); E02D 27/525 (2013.01); E02B 2017/0039 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
17. A method for installing a pile with a vessel, the method comprising the steps:
a) providing an assembly for installing a pile in a seabed at an installation location, the assembly comprising:
a vessel comprising:
a positioning system for keeping the vessel at an installation location relative to the seabed, the positioning system having a positioning stiffness,
a pile guiding system configured to guide the pile during installation thereof, the pile guiding system comprising:
a base provided on the vessel,
a first guiding device connected to the base, the first guiding device being configured to accommodate the pile during installation thereof,
a resilient member for providing a resilient connection between the vessel and the pile during installation thereof for allowing relative motions between the pile and the vessel, the resilient member having a connection stiffness,
wherein the resilient member is configured and intended to keep a natural period of a pivoting movement of the pile about the seabed caused by waves during installation of the pile longer than a dominant wave period of a wave spectrum at the installation location by providing the resilient connection with a low connection stiffness, wherein the connection stiffness is low enough to keep the natural period of the pivoting movement of the pile longer than the dominant wave period, and high enough to provide stability to the pile,
b) positioning the pile in an upright orientation in the pile guiding system,
c) lowering the pile to the sea bed,
d) installing the pile into the seabed,
wherein the natural period of the pivoting moment of the pile during a phase of installation in which the pile has not reached a self-stabilizing penetration depth is kept longer than the dominant wave period at the installation location by the pile guiding system by providing the resilient connection with the low connection stiffness, wherein the connection stiffness is low enough to keep the natural period of the pivoting movement of the pile longer than the dominant wave period, and high enough to provide stability to the pile.