Systems and methods for protecting bridges over maritime shipping channels

Abstract

Systems for protecting a bridge over a maritime shipping channel from a ship contacting the system includes, in some cases, structure for arresting, grounding, and deflecting a large cargo ship on a collision course with the bridge or its pylons. The system physically separates the bridge protection system from the bridge and its support structures. Such a system includes on a first side of the channel, a first B.U.M.P. tower, positioned on a harborside of the bridge, and having a first harborside arresting section configured to arrest the ship striking the first harborside arresting section; a first seaside B.U.M.P. tower, positioned on a seaside of the bridge, and having a first seaside arresting section configured to arrest the ship striking the first seaside arresting section; and a first beam supported by the first harborside B.U.M.P. tower and the first seaside B.U.M.P. tower and configured to deflect a ship contacting the first beam along the channel. Optionally, such a system can include a first harborside grounding section, positioned on the harborside of the bridge, opposite the channel, and adjacent the first harborside arresting section, and configured to cause the ship contacting the first harborside grounding section to run aground; and the first seaside B.U.M.P. tower comprises a first seaside grounding section, positioned on the seaside of the bridge, opposite the channel, and adjacent the first seaside arresting section; and configured to cause the ship contacting the first seaside grounding section to run aground.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A system for protecting a bridge over a maritime shipping channel from a ship contacting the system, comprising:
 on a first side of the channel,   a first harborside B.U.M.P. tower, positioned on a harborside of the bridge, and having a first harborside arresting section configured to arrest the ship striking the first harborside arresting section;   a first seaside B.U.M.P. tower, positioned on a seaside of the bridge, and having a first seaside arresting section configured to arrest the ship striking the first seaside arresting section; and   a first beam supported by the first harborside B.U.M.P. tower and the first seaside B.U.M.P. tower and configured to deflect a ship contacting the first beam along the channel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first harborside B.U.M.P. tower comprises a first harborside grounding section, positioned on the harborside of the bridge, opposite the channel, and adjacent the first harborside arresting section; and configured to cause the ship contacting the first harborside grounding section to run aground; and   the first seaside B.U.M.P. tower comprises a first seaside grounding section, positioned on the seaside of the bridge, opposite the channel, and adjacent the first seaside arresting section; and configured to cause the ship contacting the first seaside grounding section to run aground.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first harborside B.U.M.P. tower comprises a first harborside foundation section having a first harborside upper engagement structure, a first harborside encounter section having a first harborside lower engagement structure,   wherein the first harborside upper engagement structure and first harborside lower engagement structure mate to secure the first harborside encounter section to the first harborside foundation section.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first seaside B.U.M.P. tower comprises
 a first seaside foundation section having a first seaside upper engagement structure, 
 a first seaside encounter section having a first seaside lower engagement structure, 
   wherein the first seaside upper engagement structure and first seaside lower engagement structure mate to secure the first seaside encounter section to the first seaside foundation section.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first harborside grounding section forms a first harborside border with the first harborside arresting section, configured to cause the ship contacting the first harborside border to turn parallel to the bridge; and   the first seaside grounding section forms a first seaside border with the first seaside arresting section, configured to cause the ship contacting the first seaside border to turn parallel to the bridge.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first harborside arresting wall positioned on the first harborside B.U.M.P. tower opposite the channel and configured to arrest the ship contacting the system and striking the first harborside arresting wall; and   a first seaside arresting wall positioned on the first seaside B.U.M.P. tower opposite the channel and configured to arrest the ship contacting the system and striking the first seaside arresting wall.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first harborside B.U.M.P. tower comprises reinforced concrete, steel, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first seaside B.U.M.P. tower comprises reinforced concrete, steel, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first beam comprises reinforced concrete, steel, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first harborside grounding section comprises reinforced concrete, steel, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first seaside grounding section comprises reinforced concrete, steel, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first harborside grounding section has a first harborside initial grounding depth that is deeper than a static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first seaside grounding section has a first seaside initial grounding depth that is deeper than a static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first harborside grounding section has a first harborside initial grounding depth that is deeper than a static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first seaside grounding section has a first seaside initial grounding depth that is deeper than a static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first harborside grounding section has a first harborside subsequent grounding depth that is less than the static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first seaside grounding section has a first seaside subsequent grounding depth that is less than the static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein
 the first harborside subsequent grounding depth is less than about 60% of the static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein
 the first seaside subsequent grounding depth is less than about 60% of the static draft of the ship.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first harborside grounding section and the first seaside grounding section comprise contoured reinforced concrete.