A SYSTEM FOR PROTECTION OF AN INSTALLATION ON THE FLOOR OF A BODY OF WATER

Abstract: A system for protection of an installation (1) on the floor of a body of water from damage due to erosion, dragging ships' anchors and fishing gear. A flexible mat (16) covering the installation (1) prevents underscouring of the installation. The edges of the mat resting on the floor are so thick and rigid that a dragging anchor (10) or fishing gear hooking the edge will be carried over the installation (1) by the roll (9) of mat formed by the anchor or fishing gear. Elasticity of the mat and/or its edge causes the mat to roll back to resume its original configuration after the passage of the anchor or fishing gear.

Description: A SYSTEM FOR PROTECTION OF AN INS ALLfiJION CN THE FLOOR OF A BODY OF WATER The invention relates to a system for protection from damage due to scour, ships' anchors, fishing gear, etc., of a pipeline, cable, foundation or other installation on the floor of a body of water. Various devices for protection against the eroding effect of waves and currents,only, exist. An alternative system protecting against erosion, anchors and fishing gear depends on hooking anchors being carried over the installation by movable plate-like members which slide and/or turn over top of the installation. Such plate-like members have to be strong enough to carry the weight of the hooking anchor. The principle of functioning of the present system as defined in Claim 1 implies that the hooking anchor winds or folds the protective mat together and is carried over the installation by the rolled or folded mat. The re¬ quired strength of the individual msirber of the system and thereby the cost of fabrication is minimized. Furtherπore, the present system is easier to install. For simplification the following description will refer to protection of a submarine pipeline as a typical example. It is obvious that the system, or at least its side portions, can be used for protection of any submarine installation. In the description reference will be made to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a pipeline 1 protected by a mat the side por¬ tions of which slope all the way frαn center portion to edges, Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a pipeline where the innermost portion of ' each side portion of the protective mat slopes, whereas the outermost por¬ tion rests on and follows the contour of the floor, Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a pipeline where the center portion of the protective mat embraces the pipeline, whereas the side portions rest on the floor, REA Γ O Pl .A,. WiPO - Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a pipeline protected by a net consisting of two layers of sheet material forming a bag filled with sediment or other fill material, Fig. 5 shews the same as Fig. 4, but the bag is here supplemented with horizontal portions of mat of blocks, Fig. 6 is a longitudinal side view of a tube forming the edge of the mat, Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken along the line I-I in Fig. 6, Figs. 8-10 are alternative cross-sections perpendicular to the pipeline of a mat of sheet material, with longitudinally extending notches in its upper surface, channels in its upper half, and slits in its underside, respectively, Figs. 11-16 are cross-sections perpendicular to the pipeline of alterna¬ tive shapes and interconnections of blocks forming the protective mat. Figs. 17 and 18 are alternative longitudinal sections along the line II- II in Fig. 16 and show wo alternative couplings in the joints between blocks forming a mat, Fig. 19 is a plan view of a mat consisting of ball-shaped blocks, Fig. 20 is a plan view of a mat consisting of double-cone-shaped blocks, Fig. 21 is a cross-section along the line III-III of Fig. 19 or IV-IV of Fig. 20, Fig. 22 is a cross-section perpendicular to the pipeline of a preferred eirbodirnent of the invention, Fig. 23 is a cross-section perpendicular to the pipeline of a mat con¬ sisting of scrapped tyres, Fig. 24 is a cross-section of a mat wound into parallel rolls resting on the pipeline, Fig. 25 is a side view of an arrangement for laying the mat, Fig. 26 is a cross-section along the line V-V in Fig. 25. Depending on weight distribution in the mat, and -sediment transport con- ditiαns at the installation site, the protective mat in principle may assume the three different configurations shown in Figs. 1-3. The configurations shown in Figs. 1-2 are favourable in areas with sedi¬ ment transport. If the sloping portions of the mat 16 are impermeable enough to conduct the current over top of the pipeline 1, a deposition of sediment 8 will take place underneath and on top of the mat, Figs. 1,2,3. The roll of mat 9 formed by a hooking anchor 10, Fig. 22, there¬ fore will roll upwards on top of the deposition. Furthermore,-the sedi¬ ment on top of the mat will increase the diameter of the roll 9. For both reasons a smaller width of the mat is needed to obtain a certain roll diameter in sea bottom areas with sediment transport than in areas without such transport. If the mat is not anchored in the bottαn, the configuration shewn in Fig. 1 __equires that the edge portions of the mat are much heavier than the sloping portions. In areas without sedirrent transport, designs of the mat as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are appropriate. The weight of the fill material 39 in the bag 38 may also be desirable, if the protective system also is to substitute the weight coating of a pipeline. The design of the mat may be based on 4different provisions: a) In particular in areas without sediment transport,the width and thick¬ ness of the mat are so large that the diameter of the rolled or folded mat formed by the largest anchor hooking the edge, before passage of the pipeline,has gained enough to make the anchor slip over the roll of mat, and the. elasticity and/or the weight of the mat will make this roll back , to its original position. b) In particular in areas with sediment transport, the width and thick¬ ness of the mat are large enough to make the anchor slip over the roll of mat before it arrives at the opposite edge of the mat. c) In particular in areas with sediment transport, the strength of the mat in its longitudinal direction may be so low that the roll of mat breaks when the anchor has passed over the pipeline, so that the anchor can move on, without passing over the roll of mat. d) In particular in areas with sediment transport, the mat may be sec¬ tioned into" shorter, overlapping lengths along the pipeline. After having passed over the pipeline, the anchor will take a section of mat away. A hooking anchor's initiation of a -.oiling displacement of the edge of mat depends on a certain rigidity of the edge. Ωie horizontal drag of a hooking anchor or fishing gear should be spread over a certain length of mat. Otherwise the anchor will wedge into the edge of the mat. Furthermore, the geometrical and frictional resistance should be so little, that a positive rotational nent as to the lower side of the edge results. To prevent the edge frcsn getting caught in the corner between shaft and flukes of the anchor, the edge should also have a certain minimum thick¬ ness. These requirements may be fulfilled by bending the edge around, either up¬ wards, Fig.2, or dewnwards, Fig.3, or all the way round to form a closed.- OMPI WP 0" tube, Fig.l. Alternatively, a separate tube 4 may be attached to the edg Figs. 5-7 and 22. The tube may be filled with for instance sediment, or balls of concrete, or cne or more longitudinally extending stays. The tube must have a certain flexibility and elcngability to fulfill its purpose. o carry the weight of at least the dragging anchor chain,it mas at the same time have a certain radial strength. One solution to these requirements is a tube made of neoprene reinforced with at least one spiral-shaped wire fabricated forinstance of steel, Figs. 6-7. To provide bearing capacity, one of the spirals, 40, may have a lew pitch. To provide rigidness, another spiral, 41, may have a higher pitch. Both spirals allcw for prolongation of the tube in case an anchor hooks it. Longitudinal meπbers, e.g. the spiral 41,may project above the surface o the tube, to provide a foothold for the anchor chain, so that it can ro- tate the tube. If the tube 4 consists of rigid material, e.g. concrete, steel, aluπ niu and/or plastic, the tube may be sectioned to obtain flexibility and elcn ability. The joints between adjacent sections may be telescopic to provi continuity. The tube may be perforated so as to πύi-imize the hydraulic resistance an to become filled by the natural sediment transport. It may even consist oppositely spiraled wires forming mesh of for instance steel coated with plastic, neoprene or the like. To spread the horizontal drag force over a length of the mat, the mat ma contain one or more longitudinally extending parallel stays, solid or hollow, at least along the edges of the mat. Although rigidness of the edge portion is required to prevent a hooking anchor from wedging into t edge, the for ation of a roll of mat implies a certain longitudinal pro¬ longability of the mat, at least of its edge portions. From the edge to- wards the pipeline the prolongability may gradually decrease. If the mat contains stays made of unelastic material, they may be sectioned and sta gered in channels in the mat, so that elongation of the sheet is not pre vented by the stays. The length of the sectioning may gradually decrease toward the edges of the mat. To increase the ability of the mat torollback to its original position, after a hooking anchor has passed over it, the mat in its longitudinal and/or transverse directions may be made of elastic material. A decrease of the elasticity tcward the pipeline may be obtained by vary. ing the elasticity and or kind of material and or thickness of the mat, either continuously from edge to centerline or by way of abrupt changes of these properties. To πtinimize the lifting forces of the current, the mat may contain perfo- rations and/or openings of various shapes and sizes to neutralize the ■ difference of hydraulic pressures between the two sides of the mat. The holes should be located and/or shaped so that anchors and fishing gear will not catch hold of them. In areas with sediment transport the sloping portions of the mat -should be tight enough to conduct the current over top of the pipeline. The mat may be made of many different kinds of material. In the following, 4 different groups of structures will be mentioned: 1) Mats consisting of at least one layer of -sheet material 2) Macs of blocks bonded together by sheet, net and/or ties 3) Cαrbinations of 1) and 2) 4) Mats of scrapped tyres. re 1) : The sheet may be elastic, and made offor example neoprene or na¬ tural rubber, and/or plastic, e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, . . • etc., or made of natural fibres, i.e. sisal, hemp, etc. To increase the weightof the mat, it may be built up as a sandwich struc¬ ture including for instance water-absorbent rubber- or plastic-'foam, or composed ofamixture of suitable fill material, e.g. sand, and rubber, plastic, bitumen or the like. To increase the strength, the sheet may be reinforced with for instance steel, nylon or other plastic, in at least one direction. A sheet that has too little weight to be stable has to be.anchored in the seabed, orfastened to the pipeline, either by means of the pinching ef¬ fect of the eπbracing portion of the sheet itself, cf. Fig.3, or by means of clamps. Or the mat may be weighted by naturally (Figs. 1-3) or artifi- . cially supplied sediment. In the latter case the sediment may be enclosed in the space between two layers of sheet formingaclosed bag 38, Figs.4 and 5, which may be divided into compartments by transversely and/or longitudinally extending -secon¬ dary walls. Alternatively, the bag may be filled with for instance balls or longitudinally extending rolls or pipes of concrete or plastic, of foaπ -rubber or -plastic, or other fill material. Transversely and/or lon¬ gitudinally extending,horizontal and/or oblique stays, e.g. positioned as 42 or 43 in Fig.4, may further the function of the mat. -BUREAU 0MPI _ .A WIPO If the bag 38 consists of for instance nylon-reinforced neoprene, the flukes of an anchor having reached somewhere underneath the bag 38, will easily slip over the bag because of the loose fill material and the smooth underside of the bag. • To further the tendency of a -sheet to fold asa roll in case of an anchor • hooking its edge, the sheet appropriately is structured as shewn in Figs. 8, 9 and/or 10. The longitudinally extending notches 44, slits 45 and/or channels 46 all ease the upward concaving of the sheet. In stead of arranging 44, 45 or 46 in the sheet itself, they may be placed in possible transversely extending thickened parts of the sheet, or in separate beams of a different material. A sheet divided in longitudinally extending bands/of relatively rigid material connected by flexible material will tend to fold like an accor¬ dion. The tendency may be enhanced by placing the ccnnections alternately at the upper and lower surfaces of the rigid bands, Fig. 14. re 2) : The preferred material for fabrication of blocks is concrete. But also other materials may be used. To facilitate laying ofamat of blocks, the weight may be reduced by use of light weight concrete, or even a spe¬ cial water-permeable concrete containing cavities or pores that will fill with water after the laying. To delay such absorption of water, the blocks may be coated with sαre soluble material, e.g. cellulose. The individual block may be shaped for instance as a cube, a box 22, Fig. 12, a parallelepiped 19, Figs.13, 14, a trapezoid 20, Fig.11, a ball 18, Figs.19, 21, a roll 2, Figs.16-18, 22, a double cσne 21, Figs.20, 21, an ellipsoid,or other shape. Elongate blocks are placed parallel with the edge of the mat, and prefer¬ ably with staggered ends. The blocks being placed close together, the upper edges parallel with the pipeline of box-shaped blocks 22 may be cut off as shown in Fig.12. The ' edge portion of the mat forming the center of the roll formed by a hooking • anchor, the angle ©C, Figs. 11 and 12, between neighbouring blocks may gradually decrease frcm a maximum at the edge to a ιr_i-n-L_πum at the center- line of the mat. If the strength of the mat allcws therefore, oC may be so small that the roll of mat becomes tube-formed, with a larger diameter than that of the corresponding solid roll. If the upper surface of a block is not covered by a sheet, the upper part of the block preferably should be rounded, Figs.16-22, to prevent the an¬ chor flukes from catching hold. To make up a quite even outer surface of the roll of mat, the underside 23, Fig.11, of the blocks may be rounded. The radius of the circular un¬ derside should gradually decrease toward the edges of the mat. The blocks may be interconnected by one or two sheets 25, by a net 29, and/or by ties 5 and 6, fastened to the blocks at their upper or lower surfaces and/or at a level somewhere between these surfaces. To prevent upward c-onvexity of the mat, in particular along its edges, the connect¬ ing ire bers between the blocks 22, Fig.12, or 24, Fig.22, depending on their shape may be placed above their underside (Fig.12) or above their centerline (Fig.22) . The connecting material in one and/or the other direction of the mat may be elastic and consist of for instance eoprene or natural rubber and/or be plastic and consist of for instance polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon or natural fibre material. Fig.15 shows a mat consisting of ball- or roll-shaped blocks enclosed be¬ tween two layers of sheet 25 of for instance neoprene or plastic, which may be interconnected by longitudinal walls 26. The upper layer.of sheet may be reinforced or fortified in direction perpendicular to the pipeline. The lcwer layer may be un-reinforced and made of for instance neoprene that can elongate in both directions. Besides the balls or cylinders, the space between the two layers may be filled with smaller balls or cylin¬ ders or some kind of fill material, e.g. sand. Appropriately the diame¬ ters of the balls or cylinders gradually decrease toward the edges of the mat, to ease the formation of a roll of mat, if an anchor hooks the edge. Ball- (Fig.19) , double cone- (Fig.20), or ellipsoid-∑shaped blocks for maximum diameter of a roll of a hooked portion of mat, at a minimum vo¬ lume of biock material, may be interconnected by means ©f a flexible ca¬ sing 27 or 28 enclosing the blocks. The diagonally (Figs.19 and 20) or rectangular shaped casing may be made of flexible materials such as pla- stic, neoprene, etc., and/or flexibly connected rigid materials such as plastic, neoprene, concrete, alum__nium, etc. In one or the other direction the casing may be elastic so as to allow for insertion of the blocks 18 or 21 into the compartments of the casing, and for elongation of the mat in case an anchor hocks its edge. Without other means than the casing 27 or 28 to hold the blocks, these may be pressed out of their compartments and act as rollers in case an anchor hooks the mat. In addition to the casing, the blocks may be interconnected by transverse and/or longitudi¬ nal ties, which may be elastic. The ties may be attached to the surface of the blocks or pass through channels in these. - B U EATΓ O PI _ , A> W1PO , - , Figs.16-18 and 22, even on a rugged seafloor, the joints between adjacen blocks may be spherical, so that one end of the individual block is formed as a concave half sphere; the other end as a convex half sphere fitting into the concave end of the adjacent block. Appropriately the joints are provided with couplings. These may be doubl ccnvex (Fig.17) , plane (Fig.18) or double-concave. Each transversely ex¬ tending line of disk-sshaped couplings (Fig.18) may be formed as one con¬ tinuous plate made of flexible material, e.g. neoprene or polypropylene. The outer periphery of each disk follcws the contour of the roll 2, and the disk includes a channel 7 for he tie 5. Alternatively, at least pa of each transverse line of couplings, in particular at either edge of the mat, may be divided in shorter sections overlapping eachother. If ea section couples only two adjacent blocks, it may be made of rigid materi e.g. plastic or metal. To protect the ropes 5 from damage and/or to prevent too large mutual ve tical displacement between adjacent blocks, each joint may contain a lon gitudinally extending tube 31, Fig.18, of resistable material enclosing the rope 5. The tube may be continuous over the total length of the rope or be sectioned on either side of each joint, or may form part of the block 2. At least the peripheral part of the tie 5 may be reinforced wit resistable material. Ball-sshaped couplings 3 provide continuity of the surface of a mat of ro shaped blocks, even if the seabed is uneven. Fig.18. The couplings 3 are in transverse direction connected by continuous tie means 6 cast into or passing through channels in the couplings. In the longitudinal direction they are connected by the tie means 5 passing through channels 7 in the blocks and couplings. Suitable materials for fabrication of the ties 5 and 6 are for instance neoprene, natural rubber, polypropylene, aromatic polyamide coated with a harder wearing material, and/or nylon or other materials. The elasticity of 5 and or 6 may increase more or less gradu¬ ally toward the edges of the mat. The distance between neighl-ouring couplings and thereby the rolls 2, and or the diameter of the rolls, may vary over the width of the mat. To eas the formation of a roll of a hooked portion of mat, this distance may gradually increase, and the diameter of 2 and 3 decrease, toward the edg of the mat. In order to tighten the mat, so that it can conduct the wate current over top of the pipeline, Fig.22, the said distance appropriatel is nil in the two sloping portions of the mat. These two portions may al betightened by puttying the spaces between a jacent rolls 2 with an appropriate kind of plastic substance. Alternatively, a tight flex¬ ible sheet ira e of for instance neoprene may be attached to one or the other side of the mat of concrete blocks, which in these sloping porticns of the mat may be cylindric or have other shape. If blocks within the two portions are not needed to obtain a sufficiently large diameter of roll of a hooked portion of mat, the said two portions may also consist of watertight -sheet made of for instance neoprene, only. re 3) : Fig. 5 shows one example of a cαrbir-atiσn of 1) -and 2) : Ihe center portion 38 of the mat may consist of two layers of sheet materi¬ al forming a bag filled with for exaπple sedimentary material. The hori¬ zontal edge portions may consist of mats of blocks. In another exairple mentioned above the sloping portions of the mat con¬ sist of a single layer of impermeable sheet material, and rest of the mat is made up of interconnected blocks. re 4) : To obtain a cheap mat and at the same time solve an environmental and waste problem, the mat may be made of scrapped tyres tied together as shown in Fig.23. Ihe orientation of the plane of the individual tyre may be vertical, cblique or horizontal to fill out the desired profile of the cover. One appropriate cαtbination is shown in Fig. 23 where the un¬ derside of the sleeping portions of the mat 33 are provided with a rcw of vertical tyres 34 on either side of the pipeline. Loose tyres may be placed underneath or on top of the mat 33. In areas with risk of dropped objects hitting the installation, e.g. a pipeline near an offshore platform, the impact of such collision may be alleviated by means of fenders, for instance the existing types of rubber fenders, or scrapped tyres, placed on top of the installation. The fen¬ ders may be placed underneath, e.g. in the form of a half tube of rubber embracing the upper part of the pipeline, and/or on top of the protec- tive mat, and/or form part of this. In Fig.22 the rolls 11 may be made of rubber and possibly have larger diameters than the rolls 2. To it -nimize the friction between a hooking anchor and the mat, and to prevent anchors and fishing gear frαn catching hold of the mat, either before or after having slipped over the roll of mat possibly formed, the lower and/or the upper surface of the mat - whether it consists of neo¬ prene, concrete or other material - and of the edge 4 may be lubricated with a water-repellent grease. To even further reduce the friction between anchor and mat, the edge 4 Figs.1-7,22, and/or the underside of the mat may be supplied with roller 37, Fig.8. On a sheet-type mat consisting of for instance necprene, the rollers may for exaπple consist of continuous, longitudinally extending rolls of neoprene or plastic, possibly reinforced, which -ire so weakly welded to the sheet, that they will be rubbed off the sheet and function as rollers by a hooking anchor. On a block-type mat the rollers may con¬ sist of concrete rolls that are weakly tied to the mat. In a roll-type of mat as shown in Fig.22 the ties 5 and/or 6 may be so elastic that they allow for the individual roll to leave its normal po¬ sition between two couplings and function as roller between anchor and roll of mat. Before the laying of a mat, it may be wound up from either edge to form two parallel longitudinal rolls. Fig.24. Compared with laying of an un- rolled mat, winding up before lowering it to the seabed has the advan¬ tages that the hydraulic resistance during lcwering is minimized, and that the stability of elastic edge portions of the mat during the lcweri will be improved, because the weight of edge portion in each roll will b transferred to the possibly less elastic longitudinal ties 5 at the cent portion of the mat. Frcm a lay barge the two rolls may be laid on top of the pipeline and un rolled to both sides. On the laybarge the mat may be wound automatically by means of two vertical longitud nally extending edge frames with at le half-circular cross-section eπbracing the edges of the mat. The two fra converging dcwnwards toward the seabed will make both side portions win tcward the middle of the mat, to form two parallel rolls close together. Correspondingly the i-nrolling of the rolls on the seabecl may be achieve means of a frame that in plan view is triangular. The foremost vertex o the frame trails on top of the mat on top of the pipeline seme distance hind the surface vessel to which it is connected by a line. The two othe " vertexes of the triangular frame symmetrically positioned on either sid the pipeline move on the mat and like a snow plough spread the two rolls of mat away from eachother and thereby unroll them. A mat of blocks in its full width may be wound around a large d__um-form reel 15, Figs.25-26, and be lowered continuously to the seabed, hanging from the drum, which rotates floating on the surface or mounted on a su face vessel. To lay a rolled or unrolled mat symmetrically over the pipeline, a manned or unmanned selfprqpelled underwater vehicle that roll on wheels 13, Figs. 25-26, or "walk" on feet or runners on the seabed is appropriate. The ve¬ hicle on its both sides should be supplied with upwardly extending frames ancVor the above type of device for unrolling the mat and move along the pipeline ahead of the dσwn-cxming mat. In a preferred third alternative laying method, one or two vehicles 12, Figs.25-26, interconnected by transverse beams 14, of one of the above types of manned or unmanned selfpropelled vehicles supplied with various sensor systems to be controlled from a surface vessel 17 through an uπbi- lical cable 18, move along both sides of the pipeline, carrying a large drum-formed reel 15 as described above. A long length of mat 16 is wound around the drum and will then be laid very accurately over the pipeline 1 as the vehicle(s) move forward. The vehicles may have capacity to carry at least two drums at a time, so that the shifting of the emptied drums with loaded drums frcm the surface vessel 17 can take place continuously with¬ out too long interruptions. To compensate for the variations of the load on the drum, accordingly as the mat 16 is wound off the drum, water may be let into the air-filled drum. This balancing may be autocratic. The volume of water in the drum may for exairple be regulated by the pressure exerted by the drum on its bear- ings. The pressure in the cylinder of a hydraulic pressure cell inserted betoreen axle and bearing may be transmitted hydraulically to cαntroll the valves regulating the content of water in the drum. The valves being kept open by spring means, until the transmitted pressure due to the increasing weight of the water let into the drum closes the valves at a certain pre¬ set critical pressure, the total weight of the drum will be kept constant. A fourth alternative method of installing the mat comprises sectioning the mat into shorter sections and lowering each section in rolled or unrolled state to the seabed, where the sections should overlap eachother. During the lcwering, each section is hanging from a frame extending the length of the section. BU EAU OMPI VflP0

Claims: C L A I M S : 1. A system for protection of an installation on the floor of a body of water, ocπprising a flexible mat having a center portion which, in use, covers said installation, and-side portions each edge of which, in use, 5 • rests on the floor a distance of at least one-time the height of the installation away frcm the periphery of the installation, said edge being so thick and rigid that the mat will form a roll, or fold like an accordion, in case a dragging anchor hooks the edge of the net. 2. A system according to Claim 1, wherein said side portions slope ccn- 0 tinuously frcm said center portion to said edges. » * 3. A system according to Claim 1, wherein adjacent to said center portio the innermost portion of each of said side portions slopes away frcm said installation to meet the floor, from where the outermost portion of said side portion rests on and follows the contour of the floor. 5 4. A system according to Claim 1, wherein adjacent to said center portio the innermost portion of each of said side portions extends generally ver tically downwards to the floor, and wherein the resting portion of said side portion follows the contour of the floor. 5. A system according to.any preceding claim, wherein the thickness and 0 rigidness of said edg≥s is obtained by means of upwardly or downwardly twisted loops of the edges. 6. A system according to any preceding " claim, wherein the thickness and rigidity of said edges is obtained hy attaching lateral tubes to the edge said tubes being thicker than said mat. 5 7. A system according to Claim 6, wherein said tubes consist of elastic material. 8. A system according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein said tubes are reinforced with one or more spirals of wire with one or more different pitches. 9. A -system according to Claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the surface of said 0 tubes is provided with longitudinally extending projections. 10. A system according to any preceding Claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein said are sectioned and have telescopic joints. 11. A system according to any one of the C aims 6 - 10, wherein at least • . parts of said tubes are perforated. 5 12. A system according to any preceding claim, .wherein at least part of said mat is elastic. 13. A system according to Claim 12, wherein the elasticity in at least one direction of the mat varies from middle to edge of the mat. JIJ O 14. A system according to Claim 13, wherein the elasticity in at least one direction of the mat gradually increases tcward the edges of the mat. 15. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of said πat contains perforations. 16. A systsn according to Claim 15, wherein all but the sloping parts of the πat contain perforations. 17. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of said mat consists of at least one layer of elastic and/or plastic mate¬ rial. 18. A system according to Claim 17, wherein at least part of said sheet parallel with its edge is provided with notches and or slits and/or channels and or stays. 19. A system acc-ording to Claim 18, wherein said stays are sectioned, and wherein the length of the individual section of stay gradually de- creases tcward the edge of the mat. 20. A system according to Claim 18 or 19, wherein said stays are placed in channels without longitudinally binding association with these. 21. A system according to Claim 17 or 18, wherein at least part of said sheet parallel or perpendicular to its edge is thickened in parallel strips. 22. A system according to Claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein at least part of said sheet parallel with its edge ccnsists of parallel bands vAiich are mutually connected alternately at their upper and lcwer surfaces. 23. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of said mat consists of at least two layers of elastic and/or plastic sheet πaterial * forming at least one closed space which is filled with sedimenta¬ ry material and or balls and/or rolls and/or stays parallel with or per¬ pendicular to said edge of said mat. 25. A system acx»rding to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of said mat ccnsists of blocks interconnected by sheet and/or net and/or ties of elastic and or plastic and/or rigid material attached at their upper and/or lower surfaces and/or somewhere between these surfaces. 26. A system according to Claim 25, wherein said sheet, and/or net and/ or or ties connecting said blocks in the direction perpendicular to and located in the edge portions of said mat, are attached to the upper parts of said blocks. 27. A system according to Claim 26 or 27, wherein the shape of said blocks comprises at least one of the following configurations: cubes, - UREAU OMPI boxes, parallelepipeds, trapezoids, balls, rolls, double cones, ellipsoi 28. A -system according to Claim 25, wherein said blocks in their mutual joints are -Interconnected by couplings. 29. A system according to Claim 28, wherein the shape of said couplings comprises at least one of the following configurations: double convexes, plates, double concaves. 30. A system according to Claim 27 and 29, wherein said blocks are shap as rolls parallel with the edge of said mat and joined together by doubl convex and /or double-concave couplings fitting into the concave, respec tively convex ends of the rolls. 31. A system according to Claim 30, wherein the parallel rcws of said roll-shaped blocks in the sloping portions of said mat are kept tight to gether, whereas in the rest of said mat the rcws of blocks are spaced sufficiently to allow for a vertical flew af water through the mat. 32. A system according to any one of the Claims 25-31, wherein said blocks are interconnected by ties parallel and/or perpendicular to the edge of said mat, the ties fitting into channels in said blocks and/or said couplings. 33. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the sloping por- ticns of -said mat consist of at least one layer of -Impermeable sheet ma¬ terial, and the edge portions consist of interconnected blocks. 34. A system according to Claim 33, wherein said sloping portions of sa mat consist of two layers of imperireable sheet material to form at least one closed space filled with sedimentary material. 35. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of said mat consists of interconnected scrapped tyres. 36. A system according to Claim 35, wherein the sloping portions of sai mat are supported on rows of vertically positioned scrapped tyres attach to the underside of said mat. 37. A systsn according to Claim 35 or 36, wherein said mat is supplemen ted with loose scrapped tyres on top of and/or beneath said mat. 38. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of the lcwer and/or upper surface of said mat and/or its edge is lubricated 39. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein at least part of the edge and/or the underside of said mat is supplied with --oilers paral lel with the edge of the mat. 40. A method of laying the system according to Claim 1, wherein said m is wound up to. form two parallel rolls which before the positioning of 15 the installation to be protected, are placed cn top of this, and after the positioning are unrolled on the floor of the body of water. 41. A method of laying the system according to Claim 1, wherein said mat before the laying, sectioπwise is wound around a reel which there¬ after is placed cn at least one underwater vehicle, the mat winding off the reel and settling over said installation as the vehicle moves along this. 42. A method according to Claim 41, wherein said vehicle is i-nmanned, selfpropόlled and remotely controlled frcm a mother-=hip. 43. A method accorcling to Cl im 41 or 42, wherein the redx-ctiαn of weight on said reel due to the winding off of said mat, automatically is balanced by gradual filling of the reel with water. 44. A method acxx5--ding to Claim 43, vAierεin the valves regulating the content of water in the reel are controlled hydraulically by the pressure between the axle of the reel and its bearings, said valves being kept open by spring means until the weight of the water let into the reel creates a certain critical pressure between the axle and its bearings. 45. A system for protection of an installation on the floor of a body of water substantially as herein described with reference to any of the drawings. 46. M≥thods of laying and using a system for protection of an installa¬ tion on the floor of a body of water substantially as herein described with reference to any of the drawings.

Inventors: LARSEN O
Applicants: HARTLEY D, LARSEN O
Application year: 1978
Main classification: F16L1
IPC codes: E02B3, F16L1