Mobile dry setting element and installation, process for using same and use thereof

Abstract

A truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element having two truncated elongated oval-shaped ends one of which is open and the other submergible end is closed by a floor accommodating a U-shaped receiving collar, the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element and the width of the U-shaped receiving collar being sufficient to accommodate a partially submerged isolated structure such that said U-shaped receiving collar is sealable under water against said isolated structure with a collar sealing element closing the U of said collar in the plane of the collar with said isolated structure in place, and the opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element being closable with a closure, wherein said dry setting element comprises a U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar at a sufficient distance from said U-shaped receiving collar so as to receive said isolated structure without substantially reducing said dry working space and such that when secured in said U-shaped structure there is substantially no movement of the dry setting installation relative to said isolated structure once said isolated structure is in place; a dry setting installation ( 1 ) for generating a substantially dry working space for carrying out work on a partially submerged isolated structure, the dry setting installation ( 1 ) comprising a first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element according to as disclosed above, which with said collar sealing element and said closure in place is capable of forming a cofferdam round said isolated structure a process for treatment of a partially submerged isolated structure, said process comprising the steps of: the receiving of said isolated structure by a dry setting element according to claim 1 , said isolated structure being arrested by the bottom of the U of said U-shaped receiving collar and the bottom of the U of the U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar of said dry setting element; securing said isolated structure in said U-shaped receiving collar by closing the U of said collar in the plane of said collar with a collar sealing element and securing said isolated element where said U-shaped structure engages with said isolated element; closing the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element with a sealing closure thereby providing a dry setting installation; pumping the water out of said dry setting installation thereby providing a cofferdam round said isolated structure; cleaning said surface of said isolated structure; applying a curable adhesive coating to said isolated structure; curing said curable adhesive coating; filling said dry setting installation with water, removing said sealing closure and said collar sealing element and removing said isolated element from said dry setting element; and the use of the above-disclosed mobile dry setting installation for carrying out maintenance on partially submerged isolated structures.

1 . A truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element having two truncated elongated oval-shaped ends one of which is open and the other submergible end is closed by a floor accommodating a U-shaped receiving collar, the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element and the width of the U-shaped receiving collar being sufficient to accommodate a partially submerged isolated structure such that said U-shaped receiving collar is sealable under water against said isolated structure with a collar sealing element closing the U of said collar in the plane of the collar with said isolated structure in place, and the opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element being closable with a closure, wherein said dry setting element comprises a U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar at a sufficient distance from said U-shaped receiving collar so as to receive said isolated structure without substantially reducing said dry working space and such that when secured in said U-shaped structure there is substantially no movement of the dry setting installation relative to said isolated structure once said isolated structure is in place. 
     
     
         2 . A dry setting installation ( 1 ) for generating a substantially dry working space for carrying out work on a partially submerged isolated structure, the dry setting installation ( 1 ) comprising a first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element, which with said collar sealing element and said closure in place is capable of forming a cofferdam round said isolated structure, wherein said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element has two truncated elongated oval-shaped ends one of which is open and the other submergible end is closed by a floor accommodating a U-shaped receiving collar, the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element and the width of the U-shaped receiving collar being sufficient to accommodate a partially submerged isolated structure such that said U-shaped receiving collar is sealable under water against said isolated structure with a collar sealing element closing the U of said collar in the plane of the collar with said isolated structure in place, and the opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element being closable with a closure, wherein said dry setting element comprises a U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar at a sufficient distance from said U-shaped receiving collar so as to receive said isolated structure without substantially reducing said dry working space and such that when secured in said U-shaped structure there is substantially no movement of the dry setting installation relative to said isolated structure once said isolated structure is in place. 
     
     
         3 . The dry setting installation ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element is closed with a substantially planar sealing element. 
     
     
         4 . The dry setting installation ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element is closed with a second dry setting element having an identical opening between the ends of the second truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element as that of the first dry setting element, said second dry setting element being a truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element having two truncated elongated oval-shaped ends one of which is open and the other submergible end is closed by a floor accommodating a U-shaped receiving collar, the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element and the width of the U-shaped receiving collar being sufficient to accommodate a partially submerged isolated structure such that said U-shaped receiving collar is scalable under water against said isolated structure with a collar sealing element closing the U of said collar in the plane of the collar with said isolated structure in place, and the opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element being closable with a closure, wherein said dry setting element comprises a U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar at a sufficient distance from said U-shaped receiving collar so as to receive said isolated structure without substantially reducing said dry working space and such that when secured in said U-shaped structure there is substantially no movement of the dry setting installation relative to said isolated structure once said isolated structure is in place. 
     
     
         5 . A process for treatment of a partially submerged isolated structure, said process comprising the steps of:
 the receiving of said isolated structure by a dry setting element, said isolated structure being arrested by the bottom of the U of said U-shaped receiving collar and the bottom of the U of the U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar of said dry setting element;   securing said isolated structure in said U-shaped receiving collar by closing the U of said collar in the plane of said collar with a collar sealing element and securing said isolated element where said U-shaped structure engages with said isolated element; closing the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element with a sealing closure thereby providing a dry setting installation;   pumping the water out of said dry setting installation thereby providing a cofferdam round said isolated structure;   cleaning said surface of said isolated structure; applying a curable adhesive coating to said isolated structure;   curing said curable adhesive coating,   filling said dry setting installation with water,   removing said sealing closure and said collar sealing element and   removing said isolated element from said dry setting element,   wherein said dry setting element is a truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element having two truncated elongated oval-shaped ends one of which is open and the other submergible end is closed by a floor accommodating a U-shaped receiving collar, the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element and the width of the U-shaped receiving collar being sufficient to accommodate a partially submerged isolated structure such that said U-shaped receiving collar is scalable under water against said isolated structure with a collar scaling element closing the U of said collar in the plane of the collar with said isolated structure in place, and the opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element being closable with a closure, wherein said dry setting element comprises a U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar at a sufficient distance from said U-shaped receiving collar so as to receive said isolated structure without substantially reducing said dry working space and such that when secured in said U-shaped structure there is substantially no movement of the dry setting installation relative to said isolated structure once said isolated structure is in place.   
     
     
         6 . A method of using a mobile dry setting installation for carrying out maintenance on partially submerged isolated structures, wherein said dry setting installation generates a substantially dry working space for carrying out work on a partially submerged isolated structure, said dry setting installation comprising a first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element, which with said collar scaling element and said closure in place is capable of forming a cofferdam round said isolated structure, wherein said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element has two truncated elongated oval-shaped ends one of which is open and the other submergible end is closed by a floor accommodating a U-shaped receiving collar, the opening between the ends of said truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element and the width of the U-shaped receiving collar being sufficient to accommodate a partially submerged isolated structure such that said U-shaped receiving collar is scalable under water against said isolated structure with a collar sealing element closing the U of said collar in the plane of the collar with said isolated structure in place, and the opening between the ends of the first truncated elongated oval-shaped dry setting element being closable with a closure, wherein said dry setting element comprises a U-shaped structure replicating the opening formed by said U-shaped receiving collar at a sufficient distance from said U-shaped receiving collar so as to receive said isolated structure without substantially reducing said dry working space and such that when secured in said U-shaped structure there is substantially no movement of the dry setting installation relative to said isolated structure once said isolated structure is in place. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said use of a mobile dry setting installation for carrying out maintenance on partially submerged isolated structure is exclusive of exposed head sections of foundation piles.