UHPC Gravity Platforms

The construction of gravity platforms is not a new technology. There are already several concrete gravity
platforms in use nearshore. They are designed and manufactured like a barge. Oil and gas processing plants including storage facilities are installed on them.

Compared to standard concrete platforms, gravity platforms made of UHPC concrete are more durable,
much more resistant and almost maintenance-free.
UHPC offshore structures have been around for over 20 years. UHPC Offshore concretes are absolut salt water resistant. In the meantime, UHPC offshore structures are beginning to replace the outdated offshore steel structures. Offshore steel structures are also stabilised with UHPC concrete or the statics of the structure are improved. UHPC structures are also very resistant to ice floes.

Thanks to mobile production facilities, all our UHPC materials can be manufactured and processed on site. There is definitely the possibility to use local raw materials in the local binder production.

WPE DK International

Phone: 0049 176 601 73146
E-mail: info@wpe-dk.dk
Homepage: www.wpe-dk.com

Offshore hydrogen storage system made of UHPC

 

Since the beginning of this year, we have been working with several companies on an offshore project to
store hydrogen.
The hydrogen is to be produced and stored on a floating platform off the coast. Several storage units are planned that can be exchanged. The storage units are planned to be made of UHPC concrete.
For the construction, it is currently planned to use UHPC concrete with a compressive strength of over 200 MPa. Currently, the static and constructive calculations are being worked on. The first drafts are expected in two months.

UHPC Construction test for the deep sea use

Research in deep sea construction

For more than a year, we participated in a research project of a German university. It was about the exploration of future concrete constructions for the deep sea.

For a few weeks, the result is available. The UHPC Binder material manufactured by us passed the tests by far from other binder materials.
The reasearch team of the university did models made of different concrete materials The models have been tested for corrosion, leaks and pressure resistance. The compressive strength should be so high that the concrete construction can withstand a sea pressure of 3500 m /2.17 mi permanently.

 

At the end of the long-term test, there were no cracks or other damage to the UHPC concrete construction.

 

Research in deep-sea energy storage
Another interesting research project is the construction of compressed air storage balls for the deep sea. The first concrete ball was manufactured in Germany by the Hochtief company and successfully tested as part of a research program. A very good standard concrete quality was used, but it reaches its material limits with a diameter of over 3 m.

One problem that still needs to be solved is the limited transportability of such hollow spheres due to their diameter.
For commercial use, the diameter must be larger. This means that the hollow spheres have to be manufactured on site, which is very costly, or the hollow sphere is manufactured from several prefabricated UHPC concrete elements, similar to the tower elements in wind power plants.

UHPC Offshore grouting could be an interesting alternative solution to this standard concrete here.

Why?

UHPC has a very high compressive strengt of over 200 MPa / 29000 psi
UHPC has been used in the offshore sector for more than 30 years.
UHPC is absolutely resistant to salt water
UHPC is easy to pump and is self-compacting
UHPC constructions can withstand much greate external and internal pressure loads than standard concrete. Due to the enormous compressive strength, the necessary wall thicknesses can be reduce  depending on type of construction
UHPC is waterproof from 10 mm thickness. Steel reinforcement is much more corrosion-proof in UHPC than in concrete
UHPC has an extremely low to no pore volume.
As far as the heat development during pressure build-up is concerned, the standard version of UHPC is temperature resistant up to 450°C. In the high temperature version, UHPC is permanent temperature resistant up to over 1000°C / 1832°F.