Floating offshore structure

Abstract

A floating offshore structure is described. The floating offshore structure includes at least one floating platform module having a threefold symmetry. The floating platform module includes a set of buoyant prismatic submodules. Each buoyant prismatic submodule includes a core including a material having a density less than the water density, and a reinforcement shell surrounding the core of the buoyant prismatic submodule along its periphery defined by a top base face, a bottom base face, and side faces of the buoyant prismatic submodules. The buoyant prismatic submodules are attached to each other so as to form a threefold symmetrical shape of the floating platform module.

1 . A floating offshore structure, comprising:
 at least one floating platform module having a threefold symmetry; said at least one floating platform module including a set of buoyant prismatic submodules, each buoyant prismatic submodule including:
 a core including a material having a density less than the water density, and 
 a reinforcement shell surrounding the core of the buoyant prismatic submodule along its periphery defined by a top base face, a bottom base face, and side faces of said buoyant prismatic submodules; 
   said buoyant prismatic submodules being attached to each other so as to form a threefold symmetrical shape of said at least one floating platform module.   
     
     
         2 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , wherein the buoyant prismatic submodules forming said at least one floating platform module have a rhombic prismatic shape. 
     
     
         3 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , wherein the buoyant prismatic submodules forming said at least one floating platform module have a triangular prismatic shape. 
     
     
         4 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , wherein said threefold symmetrical shape of said at least one floating platform module is a hexagonal prismatic shape. 
     
     
         5 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , wherein the set of the buoyant prismatic submodules includes at least one triangular prismatic submodule. 
     
     
         6 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 5 , wherein the set of the buoyant prismatic submodules includes six triangular prismatic submodules. 
     
     
         7 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , wherein the set of the buoyant prismatic submodules includes at least one rhombic prismatic submodule. 
     
     
         8 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 7 , wherein the set of the buoyant prismatic submodules includes three rhombic prismatic submodules. 
     
     
         9 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , wherein said buoyant prismatic submodules include an expanded polymer foam. 
     
     
         10 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 9 , wherein a polymer used in expanded polymer foam is selected from at least one of polystyrene and polyurethane. 
     
     
         11 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 9 , wherein the buoyant prismatic submodules further include at least one of recycled plastic bottles, hollow beads plastic bags, natural organic materials. 
     
     
         12 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcement shell includes a concrete material. 
     
     
         13 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 12 , wherein said concrete material is reinforced with a rebar cell structure. 
     
     
         14 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , comprising at least two floating platform modules in a stack of modules arranged one on top of another. 
     
     
         15 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 14 , wherein top and back surfaces formed by top base faces and bottom base faces of the hexagonal floating platform modules that are placed on top of each other are rougher than side faces of the buoyant prismatic submodules forming the hexagonal floating platform modules. 
     
     
         16 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a top reinforcement plate mounted on a plane top surface of the floating platform module formed by the top base faces of the buoyant prismatic submodules; and   a bottom reinforcement plate mounted on a plane bottom surface of the floating platform module formed by the bottom base faces of the buoyant prismatic submodules.   
     
     
         17 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of reinforcement bars mounted on a plane top surface of the floating platform module formed by the top base faces of the buoyant prismatic submodules, and on a plane bottom surface of the floating platform module formed by the bottom base faces of the buoyant prismatic submodules. 
     
     
         18 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , comprising a set of mooring lines configured for anchoring the floating offshore structure to a seabed. 
     
     
         19 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said floating platform modules. 
     
     
         20 . The floating offshore structure of  claim 1 , comprising an attachment arrangement for any two adjacent floating platform modules, the attachment arrangement including:
 a plurality of connecting lines having a predetermined length that allows sway motion of the modules; and   damping units tied to the sides of each platform module where it faces another platform, so as to avoid damage of the modules due to their mechanical impact.