Patent ID: 8739343

Claim:
A method for dissipating an applied force, comprising: providing a system, comprising: a plurality of modular components comprising; a left side plate; a right side plate; a front strut; a rear strut; a front left column joining the left side plate and the front strut; a front right column joining the right side plate and the front strut; a rear left column joining the left side plate and the rear strut; a rear right column joining the right side plate and the rear strut; a plurality of energy dissipation units disposed inside each modular component, each energy dissipation unit comprising a plurality of cells; a first end; and a second end, the modular components arranged in series between the first end and the second end such that the applied force contacts a first modular component of the series; dissipating the applied force by buckling at least one cell wall of the cells of the energy dissipation unit of the first modular component of the series; upon the buckling of at least one cell wall of the cells of the energy dissipation unit of the first modular component, transferring remaining force to a next adjacent modular component in the series until at least one of all of the applied force has been dissipated and no further adjacent modular components remain in the series; wherein the plurality of modular components is configured to attach to a marine structure.