EP3056611B1 - Coupling device for connecting a support structure with a foundation in the sea floor - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a coupling device for connecting a support structure for offshore plants, in particular wind energy plants, to a foundation anchored in the seabed, in particular a plurality of ram piles. The invention also relates to a foundation structure for offshore installations and a method for producing such foundation structures.

Nowadays, a wide variety of foundation structures are used in the installation of offshore plants, such as offshore wind turbines, such as the so-called "monopile". A monopile consists of a single pile with a diameter of several meters, which is inserted into the bottom of the body of water with at least half of its total length, in particular rammed in and whose upper end protrudes above the water surface. Another type of foundation structure is the tripod, which consists of a central body with three star-shaped struts, at the ends of which are arranged vertically extending tubular sleeve bodies. The sleeve bodies of the tripod are connected to the heads of three ram piles protruding from the bottom of the water. A third frequently used design of a foundation structure sees the use of a lattice mast tower, also referred to as a jacket section, in front of which usually has at least three or four outer piles, which are connected to one another via horizontal and oblique struts are connected. The lower ends of the outer piles are also directly connected to the heads of ram piles protruding from the water's bottom. In this case, the ramming piles usually only protrude briefly over the bottom of the water, so that the connection area between the ramming pile and the jacket section as the supporting structure for the offshore installation is under water.

Larger offshore wind farms may not have a uniform water depth in the entire area of the area intended for the construction of the wind farm. There can often be differences in depth of 1 to 10 meters. In order to compensate for the existing differences in depth and to be able to ensure that the support structure with its support for the offshore system stands approximately at the same height above the water surface, it is necessary to use support structures of different heights or sizes for the construction of the offshore systems. Especially with jackets as the chosen form of the supporting structure used, due to the base area that increases conically or pyramid-shaped, there is the difficulty that the base area increases automatically with increasing water depth. On the one hand, this increases the amount of material and work involved and, at the same time, the cost of manufacturing them. On the other hand, with jackets of different heights as support structures, which typically goes hand in hand with a corresponding lengthening or shortening of the outer piles running obliquely at a predetermined angle, the distances between the lower ends of the outer piles also change. As a result, the distances between the ramming piles to be driven into the bottom of the water change accordingly, which fundamentally complicates the prefabrication of the jacket structures themselves and the measurement of the relatively precise distances to be observed when manufacturing a foundation anchored to the bottom of the water.

Out US 3,528,254 A or US 6 955 503 B1 For example, offshore drilling structures are known which comprise a base body which is connected to the sea floor by means of driven piles and a platform unit which can be brought into contact with the base body and has standardized dimensions. The height of the basic body is adjusted to compensate for different water depths. Depending on the change in height of the base body, the length of the ramming piles connecting the base body to the sea floor must be adjusted to the same extent and form an associated foundation unit with the base body.

The invention is therefore based on the object of being able to connect a supporting structure for an offshore installation to a foundation, a foundation structure for Specify offshore plants and a method for producing a foundation structure, with which the establishment of foundation structures can be standardized and can be carried out with reduced effort despite depth differences occurring at the erection site.

The invention achieves the object on which it is based with a coupling device for connecting a support structure for offshore installations, in particular wind energy installations, to a foundation which is anchored in the seabed and consists of ramming piles and has an upper end which can be coupled to the support structure and a lower end which can be coupled to the foundation , wherein the coupling device has a height dimension that is matched to the respective water depth at the erection site, and a plurality of adapter rods that can be coupled to the foundation and run essentially vertically, which at their upper ends for connection to the supporting structure and at their lower ends for insertion into receptacles are set up on the ramming piles, the adapter rods which can be coupled to the foundation each have locking elements at their lower ends for a positive or non-positive connection with coupling means of the ramming piles and / or are set up via their lower ends by means of e ines to be fastened into the receptacles for the adapter rods on the ramming piles filler.

The invention is based on the knowledge that the use of a coupling device means that it is no longer necessary to individually adapt the supporting structures for the offshore systems themselves, owing to the existing depth differences in the water bed in the area provided for the installation of the offshore systems. The adaptation to existing differences in water depth is preferably carried out exclusively via the coupling device according to the invention. Depending on the depth of water at the erection site, the distance between the upper end of the coupling device, which can be connected to the supporting structure, and the lower end of the coupling device, which can be coupled to the foundation, is now individually adapted or changed. In addition, it is ensured in a simplified manner that a support structure with its receptacle for an offshore installation to be constructed is arranged at almost the same level above the surface of the water as a support structure that is set up in an adjacent area in which there is a different water depth is.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the coupling device preferably has a substantially constant base area that extends from its upper end to its lower end. This means that the base area always remains independent of possible varying water depths at the erection site for the offshore plant constant. The base area of the foundation anchored in the sea floor therefore preferably also remains constant for different support structures set up in different water depths. For example, driven piles used as foundations, which are driven into the water bed at predetermined intervals, now have identical distances from one another for several foundation structures to be erected. Accordingly, the same ram templates can be used to drive in the ram piles at different erection sites, which advantageously simplifies the prefabrication of the foundations in the water bed.

According to a preferred development, the coupling device according to the invention has a lattice-like lattice structure which connects the adapter rods to one another. The use of preferably vertical adapter rods ensures that a simple connection to the foundation is achieved. The vertical adapter rods can be coupled to the ramming piles relatively easily, especially in or over the heads of the ram piles. The adapter rods are preferably connected to one another by means of a lattice-like lattice structure, as a result of which the coupling device obtains sufficient rigidity to be able to safely absorb the forces acting on it, which result, for example, from the wind or wave loads acting on the supporting structure and the offshore installation , The coupling device preferably has three, four, five, six or more vertical adapter rods which are connected to one another via the lattice structure. The adapter rods have, in particular, an identical spacing to a central axis running in the direction of extension of the coupling device. In addition, the adapter rods are evenly distributed around the longitudinal axis, the distance between two directly adjacent adapter rods depending on the number of adapter rods used.

The lattice structure preferably has at least two horizontal struts running parallel to one another, which form a horizontal strut element, which preferably runs in a vertical plane, and are coupled to one another via connecting struts, which are preferably at an acute or obtuse angle to the horizontal struts. Pursuit. This ensures a high degree of rigidity of a respective horizontal strut element and the lattice structure formed therefrom and advantageously counteracts twisting of the coupling device. The number of horizontal struts running parallel to one another at a distance preferably varies depending on the overall height of the coupling device to be produced. Two, three, four or more horizontal struts preferably form a respective horizontal strut element. The connecting struts running between the horizontal struts run in particular at an angle to a respective horizontal strut which is in a range between 5 ° and 85 °, preferably in the range between 30 ° and 60 °.

In a preferred embodiment of the coupling device according to the invention, a plurality of horizontal strut elements are provided, which are arranged in a ring, the horizontal struts of the horizontal strut elements forming ring structures of the lattice structure arranged one above the other. The strength or rigidity of the lattice structure produced and thus of the coupling device according to the invention is thus further increased in an advantageous manner. This ensures that, with the base surface of the coupling device remaining the same, the forces are reliably transmitted from the supporting structure to the foundation in its direction of extension. Under an annular arrangement of the horizontal strut elements, there is less of one in the present case to understand an annular configuration of the ring structures produced by means of the horizontal struts. Depending on the number of adapter rods to be coupled to the foundation, the ring structures of the lattice structure produced by means of the horizontal strut elements have the shape of a triangle, a four, a pentagon or a hexagon in the direction of extension of the coupling device. The resulting edges of the ring structures preferably have similar or identical length dimensions to one another. The adapter rods are preferably arranged in a corner region of the preferably polygonal ring structures produced. The forces are therefore preferably introduced into the corresponding foundation at the outermost points of the coupling device.

The lower horizontal struts of a respective horizontal strut element are preferably connected to one of their ends with a preferably vertically oriented adapter rod. In a preferred embodiment, the coupling device is primarily formed by means of the lattice structure, the adapter rods being arranged in the lower region of the coupling device. The lower horizontal struts of two adjacent horizontal strut elements are preferably firmly connected to a head end of one of the adapter rods. In addition, a fixed connection between the adapter rods, which can be connected to the foundation, and the lattice structure is effected.

According to a development of the invention, the upper ring structure can be connected to the support structure via nodes formed thereon. The lattice structure that is produced can thus preferably be connected directly to the support structure that receives the offshore installation. Depending on the design of the supporting structure used, any number of connection points can be established via corresponding nodes on the upper ring structure of the lattice structure. The force is then advantageously introduced from the support structure into the coupling device via the large number of connection points. At least in the corner regions of the lattice structure, which are formed by the horizontal struts meeting one another, nodes are preferably provided for the introduction of force from the support structure to the coupling device. From these nodes, the horizontal struts run at a predetermined angle to each other. Further connections designed as nodes between the support structure and the lattice structure of the coupling device can, for example, also be arranged on any sections of the horizontal struts forming the upper ring structure.

In an alternative or optional embodiment of the coupling device according to the invention, the two horizontal struts of a respective horizontal strut element are each connected at their ends to an adapter rod. The adapter rods preferably extend over the entire height of the coupling device according to the invention. The distance between the upper end and the lower end of the coupling device is thus determined by the length of the adapter rods. The horizontal struts of the structures arranged or arranged one above the other are each firmly connected to the outer circumference of a respective adapter rod. In one embodiment of the invention, the lattice structure which connects the adapter rods to one another is arranged on the adapter rods in such a way that the upper ends of the adapter rods project beyond the upper ring structure. The connection to the supporting structure is preferably made via the upper ends of the adapter rods. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the coupling device alternately provides an adapter rod that extends over the entire height of the coupling device and that an adjacent adapter rod is only connected to the lower ring structure of the lattice structure.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the preferably vertical adapter rods have receptacles at their upper ends for inserting and / or fastening corresponding foot elements of the support structure. With the design of receptacles at the upper ends of the adapter rods, the separate prefabrication of the coupling device according to the invention and the support structure for the offshore installation to be inserted and fastened in the receptacles on the adapter rods is advantageously ensured. This means that the coupling device and supporting structure can be transported individually to the erection site of the offshore system if required and then assembled together on site. The receptacles are preferably designed as cylindrical recesses at the upper ends or head ends of the adapter rods, into which the foot elements of the support structure, which are preferably designed in the form of pins, can in particular be inserted. The foot elements can be attached to the head ends of the adapter rods, for example, by means of a material connection, preferably by welding, and / or by means of a positive or non-positive connection via corresponding locking or locking elements on the support structure and / or the coupling device.

The adapter rods that can be coupled to the foundation preferably have locking elements for a positive or non-positive connection with coupling means of the foundation and / or the adapter rods are set up via a receptacle for the adapter rods to be attached to the foundation fillable hardening filler. With a hardening filler, the adapter rods of the coupling device are preferably permanently fixed, that is to say cannot be detached, to the foundation. The use of locking elements enables a reversibly connectable connection of the adapter rods to the foundation, so that the coupling device according to the invention on the foundation can be removed and replaced if necessary. The locking elements of the adapter rods are designed with coupling means of the foundation, which is preferably formed from a plurality of ram piles anchored in the water floor, to form a positive or non-positive connection. The locking elements can be equipped with lock-like locking parts which engage or engage behind coupling means designed as recesses or projections on the ram pile head. This prevents the connection between the coupling device and the foundation from being released automatically.

The lattice-like lattice structure and / or the adapter rods are preferably formed from a material or contain a material which is selected from the group consisting of metals, concrete, their mixtures and their composite materials. With the use of metals, concrete and their mixtures, an advantageous embodiment of the coupling device according to the invention is achieved which on the one hand has high strength and on the other hand has a long service life. Areas of the coupling device, such as, for example, the adapter rods or the lattice structure, are preferably formed from hollow metal tubes, which are preferably filled with concrete at least in sections at nodes. Forces that are transmitted from the support structure to the coupling device are advantageously absorbed in an improved manner.

In another development of the invention, the adapter rods and the lattice structure are formed from hollow profiles, in particular cylindrical tubular profiles, and / or from profile rods. The use of hollow profiles or profile bars has significantly higher strength values compared to a solid material with the same mass, as a result of which the forces acting on the coupling device can be safely absorbed and introduced into the foundation. The hollow profiles and / or profile bars are preferably made of a metallic material, such as steel. In order to protect the metallic material from corrosion, the hollow profiles and / or profile rods are provided with a coating, at least on their outside that comes into direct contact with external environmental influences, such as water or air. The coating is preferably a seawater-resistant and / or UV-resistant lacquer.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a foundation structure for offshore installations, in particular wind energy installations, with a supporting structure as a unitary component or unit with a receptacle for the offshore installation, a foundation, in particular a plurality of ramming piles, for anchoring the foundation structure in the seabed, which is characterized by a Coupling device according to the invention according to one of the preferred embodiments described above, wherein the coupling device has a height dimension between the foundation and the underside of the support structure, which is matched to the respective water depth at the installation site.

Such a foundation structure designed according to the invention has the advantage that it can be erected in a simplified manner at the bottom of the body of water, since its supporting structure and its foundation are designed as unit components that can be prefabricated as components with uniform dimensions, regardless of the depth of water at the erection site. Only the coupling device of the foundation structure according to the invention is adapted in terms of its height to the prevailing water depth at the installation site and thus to the distance dimension to be generated between the foundation and the supporting structure. The coupling device of the support structure according to the invention has an essentially constant base area in the direction of extension, which does not change or changes only slightly in size. In the present case, the direction of extension of the coupling device is to be understood as the direction which runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the coupling device from its upper end to its lower end. With regard to further preferred configurations and the resulting advantages of the foundation structure according to the invention, reference is made to the above-described explanations of the coupling device.

According to a preferred development of the foundation structure according to the invention, the supporting structure is a jacket section made of several trusses which are connected to one another in the manner of a framework, the base area of which increases from the head part with the receptacle for the offshore installation in the direction of its foot part. The use of a jacket section enables the construction of an offshore installation, preferably a wind energy installation, in large water depths, since wind loads acting on the offshore installation or wave loads acting on the supporting structure can preferably be distributed over a larger area on the water bed. The jacket sections used expand in the base area from their head ends towards their foot ends in a substantially conical or pyramid-shaped manner. With the coupling device used, jacket sections are now used as support structures, which as a unit or system component have uniform dimensions have their height and / or their base area in the foot area. Adjustments or changes in the base area of the jacket sections that originally resulted in connection with the changing height of the support structure are avoided by the coupling devices now to be coupled to the foot parts of the support structures. In addition, the adapter piles each have an almost constant base area from the upper to the lower end. An embodiment of the jacket section preferably has three, four, five, six or more outer struts, which are oriented obliquely or inclined to a vertical longitudinal axis of the support structure. The outer struts are each connected to one another via a lattice-like lattice structure or truss segments made of a plurality of connecting struts made of preferably tubular hollow profiles. The outer and connecting struts are preferably rigidly connected to one another and form nodes in the connecting regions. An alternative embodiment of the jacket section provides a plurality of truss segments arranged one above the other, consisting of horizontally and obliquely or inclined connecting struts.

In a further preferred embodiment of the foundation structure according to the invention, the foot part of the support structure has a plurality of foot elements which are fastened in corresponding receptacles to the upper ends of the adapter rods. The support structure preferably has foot elements projecting parallel to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the support structure on its outer struts. The foot elements, which preferably have shaft-like engagement means, engage in the receptacles at the respective upper ends of the adapter rods of the coupling device and are firmly connected to the receptacles. As a possible connection between the support structure and the coupling device, either a non-releasable and thus permanently fixed connection or a reversibly connectable connection is provided, with the support structure being able to be detached from the coupling device even after a longer period of time on the coupling device via the reversibly connectable connection.

In an alternative or optional embodiment of the invention, the foot part of the support structure is attached to nodes of the truss-like lattice structure of the coupling device, preferably corner points of the upper ring segment. Instead of the foot parts of the support structure being received and fastened exclusively in the receptacles of the adapter rods of the coupling device, the foot part of the support structure is preferably connected directly to the truss-like lattice structure of the coupling device. The foot part of the support structure is preferably connected at nodes of the lattice structure of the coupling device in order to ensure a safe introduction of force into the To ensure coupling device. In a preferred embodiment, the hollow profiles preferably used to design the support structure and the coupling device have dimensions that differ from one another, the hollow profiles of the coupling device having larger cross-sectional dimensions than the hollow profiles of the support structure, which is designed in particular as a jacket section.

Another aspect of the invention, for which protection is claimed both as separate protection and in combination with the aforementioned subject matter according to one of the preferred embodiments described above as an advantageous further development, relates to a foundation structure in which, according to the invention, one or more ram piles in the head region Adjustment device for height adjustment of a foot element of the support structure or the coupling device is arranged relative to the ram pile. With the aid of the adjustment device according to the invention on one or more, preferably each of the driven piles, occurring height differences between the upper ends of the driven piles can be easily compensated for a foundation structure. The height differences, which can occur, for example, when ramming the ram piles and can be between a few centimeters and up to half a meter, therefore no longer have any influence on the vertical alignment of the support structure and the offshore system accommodated by the support structure. In addition, any tensioning of the foot elements of the support structure or of the coupling device in the foot element receptacles of the driven piles is advantageously avoided. In the present case, the term “foot element” is understood to mean, for example, separate foot elements which are arranged in the foot region of a support structure or a coupling device according to the invention, or also a lower section or a lower end of a preferably vertically extending adapter rod of the coupling device. According to the general idea of the invention, an adjustment device is to be understood as an actuatable device which is used in the head area of the ram piles for height adjustment of the receiving areas for the foot elements or the support areas of the foot elements of the support structure or coupling device relative to the foundation. The adjustment of a foot element receptacle on the ram post for the foot elements of the support structure or coupling device relative to the ram post or a support area on the foot element of the support structure or the coupling device takes place relative to a foot element receptacle that is immovably received in the longitudinal direction on the ram post.

The adjustment device preferably has a screw ring which is arranged on the ram pile so as to be adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the ram pile. With the use of a screw ring, which is preferably equipped with an external thread on its outer lateral surface, a simple height adjustment of the screw ring along the ram pile is possible. The external thread of the screw ring preferably corresponds to an internal thread in the head region of the ram pile. By turning the screw ring within the ram pile, the height of the screw ring is simply adjusted, which preferably also forms the foot element receptacle for the foot element of the support structure or the coupling device. The screw ring is preferably adjusted manually or by means of a motorized actuator. The pitch of the mutually corresponding threads of the screw ring and ram pile is selected such that the threaded parts act on the threaded parts to self-lock each other. This prevents the height of the screw ring from being adjusted unintentionally. To secure the foot elements of the support structure or coupling device in the foot element receptacles in the head region of the ram piles, for example, a hardenable filler to be filled in the head region, such as concrete, is provided.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is possible for foundations with smaller dimensions and associated thinner ram piles that the screw thread in the head region of the ram pile is designed as an external thread. The screw ring corresponding to the ram pile preferably has an internal thread which is guided along the outside of the ram pile. The foot elements of the support structure or the coupling device preferably have larger diameters than the ram piles and are thus pushed over the ram piles in sections.

In an alternative embodiment of the foundation structure according to the invention, the adjusting device has screw rings which, with their internal threads, preferably correspond to an external thread on the base element of the support structure or the coupling device. So that the screw ring or are arranged with a bearing surface at the upper end of the ram piles or rest on it. The height adjustment of the foot elements relative to the ram post is carried out accordingly by changing the position of the screw ring along a respective foot element.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing foundation structures which have a height dimension which is matched to the water depth at their installation site, comprising the steps of prefabricating a support structure as a unit component with uniform dimensions and parallel prefabricating a coupling device according to one of the preferred embodiments described above, the height of which is individually matched to the water depth at the place of installation of the respective foundation structure, creating a foundation at the place of installation for the offshore wind energy installation, which is done by ramming piles into the water bed; Connect the coupling device to the foundation by inserting the essentially vertical adapter rods that can be coupled to the ramming piles with their lower ends in receptacles on the ram piles and by means of locking elements at the lower ends for a positive or non-positive connection with coupling means of the ramming piles and / or be fixed by means of a hardening filler that can be filled into the ramming piles in receptacles for the adapter rods, and joining of a uniform supporting structure and individually manufactured coupling device and connecting the supporting structure and coupling device by subsequently coupling the supporting structure to the upper ends of the adapter rods on the Coupling device placed on the foundation or coupling of the coupling device already connected to the supporting structure via its upper ends of the adapter rods with the foundation. The invention is based on the knowledge that the method steps according to the invention make the manufacture of a foundation structure for offshore systems significantly easier, since the manufacture of the supporting structure for the offshore system can be partially automated due to the uniform dimensions for each foundation structure. Changes and individual adaptations in the construction of the supporting structure to possible changing water depths are thus advantageously avoided. Only the coupling devices are to be adjusted in terms of their height, in particular the distance between the upper and lower ends of the coupling device, and thus the length of the adapter rods which are preferably used. In addition, depending on the height of the coupling device, the number of horizontal struts arranged one above the other is preferably adapted for the horizontal strut elements which connect adjacent adapter rods. This preferably changes the number of ring structures of the lattice structure and thus the height of the lattice structure between the adapter rods to be connected to one another. As a result, the manufacturing outlay for the foundation structure according to the invention and the associated costs can be advantageously reduced. Support structure and coupling device can be prefabricated separately from each other and transported individually to the installation site.

Preferred developments of the method according to the invention provide: adjusting the height of one or more foot elements of the coupling device relative to the foundation.

Fig. 1:

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer ersten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Gründungsstruktur;

Fig. 2:

eine Ansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Gründungsstruktur nach Fig. 1 an ihrem Errichtungsort;

Fig. 3:

eine Ansicht einer weiteren Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Gründungsstruktur an ihrem Errichtungsort;

Fig. 4:

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer weiteren Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Gründungsstruktur;

Fig. 5:

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer weiteren Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Gründungsstruktur an ihrem Errichtungsort;

Fig. 6:

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Verbindungsbereich zwischen Kopplungsvorrichtung und Rammpfahl im Teilschnitt mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Verstelleinrichtung, und

Fig. 7:

eine perspektivische Detailansicht eines Rammpfahles im Teilschnitt.

The invention is described in more detail below with the aid of possible embodiments with reference to the attached figures. Here show:

Fig. 1:

a perspective view of a first embodiment of a foundation structure according to the invention;

Fig. 2:

a view of the foundation structure according to the invention Fig. 1 at their place of installation;

Fig. 3:

a view of a further embodiment of the foundation structure according to the invention at its place of installation;

Fig. 4:

a perspective view of a further embodiment of a foundation structure according to the invention;

Fig. 5:

a perspective view of another embodiment of the foundation structure according to the invention at its place of installation;

Fig. 6:

a perspective view of a connection area between the coupling device and ram pile in partial section with an adjusting device according to the invention, and

Fig. 7:

a detailed perspective view of a ram pile in partial section.

In the Fig. 1 The embodiment of a foundation structure 1 according to the invention shown has a support structure 2 which comprises a plurality of struts 4, 4 ', 4 "which are connected to one another in the manner of a truss 10. A receptacle 8 has a preferably cylindrical recess, the longitudinal axis of which, in the embodiment shown, runs coaxially to the central axis 12 of the foundation structure. In addition, the head part 6 of the support structure 2 designed as a jacket section is completely surrounded the service platform 14 extending around the receptacle is arranged on the periphery of the service platform 14, a safety railing 16 is arranged which completely encloses the service platform, an access opening 18 is formed in the service platform, which is assigned an access ladder 20. Via the access Head 20, access for service personnel is guaranteed by a ship landing at the access ladder. The access ladder 20 is supported on the supporting structure 2 in its lower third via holding struts 20 ′.

The support structure 2 shown here is a jacket section with an essentially hexagonal basic shape, which is also referred to as a hexabase. The support structure 2 is made up of a plurality of truss segments 22, 22 ′, 22 ″ arranged one above the other in each case a plurality of struts 4, 4 ', 4 "running horizontally and inclined to the central axis 12. The struts 4, 4', 4" are formed from tubular hollow profiles and are rigidly connected to one another, with two, three or more in the connection areas Connection struts are each formed at nodes 24, 24 '. The support structure 2 also has a foot part 26.

A coupling device 28 is coupled or connected to the foot part 26 and has the function of an adapter structure. The coupling device 28 serves to bridge a distance between the support structure 2 to be installed at a predetermined height and a foundation 30 of the foundation structure 1 according to the invention anchored in the water bed. The coupling device has an upper end 32 with which the coupling device with the foot part 26 of the support structure 2 is coupled. Furthermore, the coupling device 28 comprises a lower end 34 which is connected to the foundation 30, which in the present embodiment 6 has rammed piles 36 framed in the water bed (not shown). In addition, the coupling device 28 has a substantially constant base area that extends from its upper end 32 to the lower end 34. The height of the coupling device has a height dimension that is matched to the respective water depth at the installation site, so that the distance between the upper end 32 coupled to the support structure 2 and the lower end connected to the foundation 30 varies according to the water depth. In the embodiment shown, the coupling device 28 has six adapter rods 38, which can be coupled to the foundation and run essentially vertically. The adapter rods 38 are connected to one another via a lattice-like structure 40.

How Figure 2 clarifies, the lattice structure 40 has a plurality of horizontal strut elements 42 which are arranged in a ring and are each connected at the end to an adapter rod 38. The horizontal strut elements 42 arranged between the adapter rods 38 have the shape of a hexagon in the base area. Each horizontal strut element has at least two spaced parallel horizontal struts 44, 44 'which are coupled to one another via connecting struts 46, 46' which are inclined at a predetermined angle to the horizontal struts 44, 44 '. The horizontal strut elements 42 are aligned in a vertical plane, so that the horizontal struts 44, 44 'of the horizontal strut elements, ring structures 48, 48' (one above the other) Figure 1 ) form the lattice structure 40.

In the present embodiment, the ends of both horizontal struts 44, 44 ′ of a respective horizontal strut element 42 are connected to an adapter rod 38. At their upper ends, the adapter rods 38 have receptacles (not shown in more detail) for inserting and / or fastening corresponding foot elements 50 of the support structure 2. After insertion into the receptacles of the adapter rods 38, the foot elements 50 are firmly connected to the latter. The foot elements can be connected to the adapter rods by means of locking elements (not shown) or via a hardening filler material that can be filled into the receptacle. The lower ends of the adapter rods 38 are in turn inserted into receptacles of the foundation 30 formed here from six ram piles 36 and are firmly connected to the ram piles. In order to ensure the insertion or insertion of the vertically aligned adapter rods, the ram piles 36 rammed into the water bed 51 also have a vertical orientation.

In Figure 3 A further exemplary embodiment of a foundation structure 1 'according to the invention is shown, which has a supporting structure 2 and a foundation 30 which are identical to that in FIGS Figures 1 and 2 are shown embodiment. Therefore, the detailed description of the support structure 2 and the foundation 30 is omitted. The same components are designated with the same reference numerals. The illustrated foundation structure 1 'has a coupling device 28' connecting the foot part 26 of the support structure 2 to the foundation 30. The coupling device 28 ′ in turn has a height dimension that is adapted to the installation site of the foundation structure. As can be seen, the foundation structure 1 'is compared to the exemplary embodiment in FIG Figures 1 and 2 set up at a site with a greater depth of water. The coupling device 28 'has six adapter rods 38' which are arranged in the form of an equilateral hexagon spanning the adapter rods. The adapter rods 38 'are connected via horizontal strut elements 42', with which forces acting on the adapter rods prevent the parallelogram effect between the adapter rods 38 '. The horizontal strut elements 42 'form the lattice structure 40'. In contrast to the embodiment of FIG Figures 1 and 2 three horizontal struts 44, 44 ', 44 "aligned parallel to one another, which are connected to one another via connecting struts 46, 46'. The three horizontal struts 44, 44 ', 44" arranged at a distance from one another thus form three the adapter rods 38 'connecting ring structures 48, 48', 48 ". The foundation 30 for anchoring the foundation structure 1 'in the water bed 51 has six ram piles 36. The number of ram piles can vary depending on the design of the foundation structure 1'.

An alternative embodiment provides for the arrangement of two horizontal strut elements 42, each with two horizontal struts 46, 46 ', in place of the horizontal strut elements 42' between two directly adjacent adapter rods 38 'in coupling devices with a sufficiently large height. The horizontal strut elements 42 are then arranged one above the other at a predetermined distance. The lower ends of the adapter rods 38 ′ are received in the foundation 30 formed from ram piles 36. As in the previously described embodiment ( Figure 1 and 2 ), the foot elements 50 are received in receptacles (not shown in detail) at the upper end of an associated adapter rod 38 and are firmly connected to the latter. The connection between the support structure 2 and the coupling device 28 'can be designed to be reversible, that is to say connectable and detachable as often as required, or non-reversible, that is to say not releasable. The connection between the foot elements 50 of the support structure 2 and the upper end of the coupling device 28 'and the lower end of the coupling device 28' and the foundation 30 having ramming piles 36 is preferably effected via the locking elements and / or coupling means described above.

In Figure 4 A further embodiment of a foundation structure 1 "according to the invention is shown, which has a support structure 2 'with a modified foot part 26'. Instead of the foot elements ( Fig.1 ) the lower truss segment 22 with its struts 4 of the supporting structure 2 'is directly connected to the lattice structure 40 "of the coupling device 28" via nodes 52. The grating structure 40 "shown has two ring structures 48, 48 '''arranged one above the other, each consisting of six horizontal struts 44, 44'''. Only the lower ring structure 54 is connected to the adapter rods 38". The ring structures 48, 48 '''are coupled to one another exclusively via connecting struts 46, 46', 46 ". The connecting struts 46, 46 ', 46" each preferably run inclined at a predetermined angle to the horizontal struts 44, 44''' and the vertically aligned adapter rods 38 ". The ends of the horizontal struts 44 of the lower ring structure 54 are each connected to the upper ends of a respective adapter rod 38". The ends of the horizontal struts 44 ″ ″ of the upper ring structure 54 ′ are coupled to one another and to the struts 4, of the lower truss segment 22 of the support structure 2 ′, and form the six nodes 52. The nodes 52 are essentially congruent but at a distance above the adapter rods 38 ″ Figure 4 In an alternative embodiment, the lattice structure 40 "shown can have three ring structures arranged one above the other, depending on a difference in depth to be compensated for at the installation site of the foundation structure 1", each of which is connected to one another via connecting struts. At least the lowest ring structure is then firmly connected to an existing number of vertically aligned adapter rods.

Another embodiment of a foundation structure 1 '''is shown in Figure 5 shown. The foundation structure 3 'has a supporting structure 2 "which has three outer struts 60, which are inclined in sections to the vertical, and the truss segments 62, 62' connecting the outer struts 60 to one another. The foot part 26" of the supporting structure 2 'points with the lower ends of the outer struts 60 coupled foot elements 50 '. The foot elements 50 'are connected to the upper end of the coupling device 28'''. In the present embodiment, the coupling device 28 '''has three adapter rods 38''' which are connected to one another via horizontal strut elements 42 ''', each with two horizontal struts 44, 44'. The horizontal struts 44, 44 'are connected to one another via connecting struts 46, 46' in order to improve the rigidity of the coupling device 38 '''. The adapter rods 38 ″ ″ and the lattice structure 40 ″ ″ formed from the horizontal strut elements 42 ″ ″ have a base area in the shape of a triangle. As in the previous embodiments, the coupling device has an almost uniform base area over its entire height from the upper end to the lower end. The foundation 30 'carrying the coupling device 38''' and the supporting structure 2 'has three ram piles 36' which are aligned vertically and with which the foundation structure 1 '''is anchored in the water bed 51. The adapter rods 38 '''of the coupling device 28''' are pushed into the receptacles at the upper end of the driven piles 36 'and are firmly connected. The support structure 2 ″ has a head part 6 ′ with a receptacle 8 ′ for an offshore installation, such as a tower 10 of a wind energy installation (not shown in more detail). A service platform 14 ′ is also provided around the receptacle 8 ′. The head part 6 "also has three approximately horizontal support arms 64, which each protrude at an angle of 120 degrees to one another from the central axis 12 'of the foundation structure 1"". The ends of the support arms 64 are each coupled to the upper ends of the outer struts 60.

In Fig. 6 the connection area between the coupling device 28 and a ram pile 36 of the foundation 30 is shown. The adapter rod 38 of the coupling device 28 has a foot element 54 which projects into the free cross section in the head region 56 of the ram pile 36 and is received therein. The ram pile 36 also has in its head region 56 an adjustment device 58 for height adjustment of the foot element 54 accommodated in the ram pile relative to the ram pile 36. The adjusting device 58 is composed of a screw ring 66 received in the interior of the driven pile 36 with an external thread 68 and one on the inner lateral surface 70 of the ram pile internal thread 72 ( Fig. 7 ) together. The screw ring 66 corresponds with its external thread 68 to the internal thread 72 of the ram pile in such a way that it can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the ram pile 36 by rotating the screw ring 66. The screw ring 66 has a contact surface 74 ( Fig. 7 ) and thus a foot element receptacle for the foot element 54 of the coupling device 28. All driving piles 36, 36 'of the foundations 30, 30' shown above are preferably equipped with such adjusting devices 58, as a result of which differences in height between the upper ends of the driving piles 36, 36 'can be compensated in an advantageous manner.

How from Fig. 7 can be seen, the screw ring has an opening 76 with a toothing 78. A locking part 80 arranged at the lower end of the foot element 54 engages in the toothing 78 ( Fig. 6 ) on. The locking part 80 has webs 82, 82 'arranged in a star shape, which at their outer ends in the radial direction are complementary to the toothing 78. In addition to the frictional force acting between the threaded parts, this counteracts an automatic turning of the screw ring 66 within the ram pile. In the cavity 84 between the outer wall 86 of the foot element 54 and the lateral surface 70 of the ram pile 36, after adjusting the height of the coupling device 28, a curable filling material, such as concrete, is preferably filled by adjusting the position of the screw rings 66 in the longitudinal direction of the ram pile 36. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 1, 1 ', 1 ", 1''' foundation structure 44, 44 ', 44 ", 44''' connecting struts 2, 2 ', 2 " supporting structure 46, 46 ' horizontal struts 4, 4 ', 4 " connecting struts 48, 48 ', 48 ", 48''' ring structure 6, 6 ' headboard 50, 50 ' foot element 8, 8 ' admission 52 junction 9 longitudinal axis 54 foot element 10 tower 56 head area 12 mid-axis 58 adjustment 14 service platform 60 outside strut 16 securing railings 62, 62 ' Truss segment 18 access opening 64 support arm 20 access ladder 66 screw ring 22, 22 ', 22 " Truss segments 68 external thread 24, 24 ' hubs 70 inner lateral surface 26, 26 ', 26 " footboard 72 inner thread 28, 28 ', 28 ", 28''' coupling device 74 bearing surface 30, 30 ' foundation 76 breakthrough 32 Top end 78 gearing 34 Lower end 80, 80 ' locking 36, 36 ' Driven pile 82 web 38, 38 ', 38 ", 38''' adapter pole 84 cavity 40, 40 ', 40 ", 40''' lattice structure 86 outer wall 42, 42 ', 42 ", 42''' Horizontal strut element

Claims (20)

1. Coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28''') for connecting a carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') for offshore installations, in particular wind turbines, to a foundation (30, 30') which is anchored in a sea bed, and which comprises driven piles (36, 36') having
   an upper end (32) which can be coupled to the carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') and a lower end (34) which can be coupled to the foundation (30, 30'), wherein the coupling device has a height dimension which by means of adapting or changing the spacing between the upper and lower end of the coupling device is adapted to the respective water depth at the erection location, and
   a plurality of adapter rods (38, 38'. 38'', 38''') which can be coupled to the foundation (30, 30') and which extend substantially perpendicularly and which are configured at the upper ends thereof for connection to the carrier structure and at the lower ends thereof for insertion into receiving members on the driven piles (36, 36'), wherein
   the adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') which can be coupled to the foundation (30, 30') have at the lower ends thereof in each case locking elements for a positive-locking or non-positive-locking connection to coupling means of the driven piles (36, 36') and/or are configured to be secured via the lower ends thereof by means of a hardening filling medium which can be poured into the receiving members for the adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') at the driven piles (36, 36').
2. Coupling device according to claim 1,
   characterised by a substantially consistent base face which extends from the upper end (32) thereof to the lower end (34) thereof.
3. Coupling device according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised by an openwork-like grid structure (40, 40', 40'', 40''') which connects the adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') to each other.
4. Coupling device according to claim 3,
   characterised in that the grid structure (40, 40', 40'', 40''') has at least two horizontal struts (44, 44', 44'', 44''') which extend with spacing parallel with each other and which form a horizontal strut element (42, 42', 42'', 42'''), which preferably extends in a vertical plane, and which are coupled to each other by means of connection struts (46, 46', 46'') which preferably extend at an acute or obtuse angle with respect to the horizontal struts (44, 44', 44'', 44''').
5. Coupling device according to claim 4,
   characterised by a plurality of horizontal strut elements (42, 42', 42'', 42''') which are arranged in an annular manner, wherein the horizontal struts (40, 40', 40'', 40''') of the horizontal strut elements (42, 42', 42'', 42''') form annular structures of the grid structure (40, 40', 40'', 40''') which are arranged one above the other.
6. Coupling device according to either claim 4 or claim 5, characterised in that the horizontal struts (44) of the lower annular structure (48) of a respective horizontal strut element (42, 42', 42'', 42''') are connected in each case with one of the ends thereof to an adapter rod (38, 38', 38'', 38''').
7. Coupling device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the upper annular structure (48''') can be connected to the carrier structure (2''') by means of nodes (52) which are formed thereon.
8. Coupling device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the horizontal struts (44, 44', 44'') of a respective horizontal strut element (42, 42', 42'', 42''') are connected in each case with one of the ends thereof to an adapter rod (38, 38', 38'', 38''').
9. Coupling device according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that the adapter rods (38, 38', 38''') which preferably extend perpendicularly have at the upper ends thereof receiving members for inserting and/or securing corresponding base elements (50, 50') of the carrier structure (2, 2'').
10. Coupling device according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the openwork-like grid structure (40, 40', 40'', 40''') and/or the adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') are formed from a material or contain a material which is selected from the group comprising metals, concrete, admixtures thereof and composite materials thereof.
11. Coupling device according to any one of claims 3 to 10, characterised in that the grid structure (40, 40', 40'', 40''') and/or the adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') are formed from hollow profiles, in particular cylindrical tubular profiles, and/or profile rods.
12. Foundation structure (1, 1', 1'', 1''') for offshore installations, in particular wind turbines, having a carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') having a receiving member (8) for the offshore installation,
    a foundation (30, 30') comprising a plurality of driven piles (36, 36') for anchoring the foundation structure (1, 1', 1'', 1''') in a sea bed (51),
    characterised by a coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28''') according to at least one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the coupling device has a height dimension which is adapted to the respective water depth at the erection location between the foundation (30, 30') and the lower side of the carrier structure (2, 2', 2'').
13. Foundation structure according to claim 12,
    characterised in that the carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') is a jacket portion comprising a plurality of struts (4, 4', 4'') which are connected to each other in an openwork-like manner and whose base face surface-area increases from the upper portion (6) with the receiving member (8) for the offshore installation in the direction of the base portion (26, 26', 26'') thereof.
14. Foundation structure according to either claim 12 or claim 13,
    characterised in that the base portion (26, 26'') of the carrier structure (2, 2'') has a plurality of base elements (50, 50') which are secured in corresponding receiving members to the upper ends of the adapter rods (38, 38', 38''').
15. Foundation structure according to any one of claims 12 to 14,
    characterised in that the base portion (26') of the carrier structure (2') is secured by means of nodes (52) to the openwork-like grid structure (40''), preferably corner points of the upper annular structure (48''').
16. Foundation structure according to any one of claims 12 to 15,
    characterised in that an adjustment device (58) for height adjustment of a base element (54) of the carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') or the coupling device (28) relative to the driven pile (36, 36') is arranged in the upper region (56) of one or more driven piles (36, 36').
17. Foundation structure according to claim 16,
    characterised in that the adjustment device (28) has a screw ring (66) which is preferably arranged so as to be able to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the driven pile (36, 36').
18. Foundation structure according to claim 17,
    characterised in that the screw ring (66) has an outer thread (68) which corresponds to an inner thread (70) in the upper region (54) of the driven pile (36, 36').
19. Method for producing foundation structures (1, 1', 1'', 1'''), which have a height dimension which is adapted to the water depth at the erection location thereof, having the steps of:

    - prefabricating a carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') with uniform dimensions,

    - prefabricating a coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28''') according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the height dimension thereof is individually adapted to the water depth available at the erection location of the respective foundation structure (1, 1', 1'', 1'''),

    - producing a foundation (30, 30') at the erection location for an offshore wind turbine by driving driven piles (36, 36') into a sea bed (51);

    - connecting the coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28''') to the foundation produced by means of a plurality of adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') which can be coupled to the driven piles (36, 36') and which extend substantially perpendicularly by the lower ends being inserted into receiving members on the driven piles (36, 36') and the adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') which can be coupled to the foundation (30, 30') being connected by means of locking elements at the lower ends for a positive or non-positive-locking connection to coupling means of the driven piles (36, 36') and/or secured by means of a hardening filling medium which can be poured into receiving members for the adapter rods (38, 38', 38'', 38''') on the driven piles (36, 36') and

    - joining a uniform carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') and coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28''') by

    - the carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') being coupled to the upper ends of the adapter rods of the coupling device which is placed on the foundation (30, 30'), or

    - the carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') prior to the connection of the coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28''') being coupled to the foundation with the upper ends of the adapter rods of the coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28'''),

    - and connecting the carrier structure (2, 2', 2'') and coupling device (28, 28', 28'', 28''').
20. Method according to claim 19,
    wherein the method comprises one or more of the following steps:

    - adjusting the height of one or more base elements (54) of the coupling device (28) relative to the foundation (30, 30').

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