MODULAR CAISSONS FOR USE IN CONSTRUCTING, EXPANDING AND MODERNIZING PORTS AND HARBORS

摘要

A plurality of floatable modular caissons are constructedonshore, either in whole or in part, towed to a desired site forport and harbor construction, expansion or modernization, pre-cisely trimmed and ballasted down, and assembled in differentcombinations to form marine structures and/or integrated ma-rine structures/marine cargo terminals to construct breakwaters.breakwater piers, bulkhead wharves, wharves and piers. Thebreakwaters and/or breakwater piers are arranged to form a pro-tected port or harbor and are designed to withstand maximumforce waves and winds at the harbor site. As an integral part ofthe breakwater piers, modular caissons are assembled to form ma-rine cargo terminals, such as liquid bulk terminals and LNG/LPGterminals. On the leeward side of the breakwaters and/or break-water piers, other modular caissons are assembled to form a widevariety of marine structures (such as bulkhead wharves, wharvesand piers) and/or integrated marine structures/marine cargo ter-minals (such as dry bulk and liquid bulk terminals, containerterminals, general cargo terminals, roll-on/roll-off terminals andthe like). The various marine structures and integrated marinestructures/marine cargo terminals may be disassembled and thecaissons ballasted up and towed away for use at another port andharbor site. The rapid deployment and assembly potential of themarine structure/marine terminals as well as their potential forrapid disassembly and removal to another site makes the modularcaissons ideally suited for many naval and military applications.