IHC Offshore Tools

IHC Hydrohammer

Piling hammers
Noise Mitigation Systems

IHC Handling Systems

Internal/external lifting tools

leveling tools
Gripper & Guiding tools
Upending tools

IHC Seasteel

Piling templates
Fast Frame
TiNS & TiS
Version: 04-2014

2.916 piles installed for wind foundations in 59 projects

2.205 Mono-Piles - 667 Jacket Piles - 30 Power Station Piles - 14 Metmast Piles
IHC Hydrohammer equipment
IHC Handling Systems equipment
Realized with Noise Mitigation
Under construction with Noise Mitigation
IHC Sea Steel Template Solution

Reliable pile driving & handling equipment

Pile diameters from 1.52 m up to 6.50 m

Hammer Types SC-150 up to S-2000
Water depths 0 up to 45 m
Internal Lifting Tools ILT
Up-End Systems
Levelling Systems

The piling innovator

expected
2014

expected
2014

Noise Mitigation System

S2000
S2000

Research - Test Commercial projects

6,0m

6,5m

23m

30m

S1800

6,5m
S800

Hammer
kilo Joule

er

Pile
Diameter

H2O

S800
S30

0,3m

S90
3m

1,2m

S300
4m

2,2m

8m

3,5m

30m

3,5m

30m

30m

Variations:

Water depth
Location
Sea floor conditions
Weather conditions
Diameter pile
Hammer size/force
Running/fixed pile
Temperature
Sea level (waves)
Salt percentage
Vessel type
...

Indications

Back ground noise

North Sea

100 - 110 dB

Total noise with vessel

stand-by on side

130 - 140 dB

Rain increases the back

ground level

10 - 15 dB

IHC-NMS is a two systems integrated solution

Air isolated barrier and a contained bubble screen mitigating respectively low/high frequencies
Air Isolated Barrier, using different medium & materials

Outer screen
Air gap between inner/outer screen
Inner screen
Isolated inner & outer screen

Contained Bubble Screen

Multi level bubble injection system (water depth compensated)
Multi size bubble injection (water depth compensated
Extra features

Adjustable Upper Guiding

Fixed Lower Guiding
Rotation Tool
Inclination Tool
Global Positioning System
Preservation protection system
Modular system

NMS awarded projects execution 2014

Riffgrund NMS-6000

Butendiek NMS-6500

Riffgrund NMS-6000

OWF Riffgrund started 01-2014

NMS-6000/34 Hammer S2000 - Hs 2,0 m - Current 0,8 m/s - 80 Mono-Piles

Repair Axial supports

12 axial cushioning supports 12 radial cushinoning supports (total 24)

NMS-6000 Riffgrund project

Axial rubber cushioning top

NMS-6000 Riffgrund project

double set of radial rubber cushioning @ top section

Performed Tests: FEM analyses NMS design

Engineering estimation of Eigen Frequency NMS

Performed Tests - Acceleration tests on inner and outer screen

tests: after assembly during piling after refurbishing during piling

NMS-6000 Riffgrund project

Axial stiffening middle section Eemshaven acceleration Tune Test

NMS-6000 Riffgrund project Noise Results Pile 01

40 blows per 25 cm SEL 163 dB 1400 kJ

NMS-6000 Riffgrund project Noise Results Pile 15

Adaptive pile driving @ reduced energy max 59 blows/min

NMS-6000 Riffgrund project Noise Results Pile 16

Adaptive pile driving @ reduced energy max 59 blows/min

NMS-6000 Riffgrund Muller-BBM Report

Independent report based on measurements Baker Consultancy

With
NMS

With
NMS

Without
NMS

With
NMS

With
NMS

Without
NMS

NMS-6000 Riffgrund Muller-BBM Report

Independent report based on measurements Baker Consultancy

Environmental situation before NMS

No preventive measures were used
without NMS

160

Background noise level

Pingers & Seal and soft blows

The equipment scares away harbor porpoises to prevent harm
without NMS

160

Background noise level

Questioning: are Pingers & Seal scarers necessary?

Is this equipment improving or deteriorating the conditions

160

Background noise level

with NMS

Questioning: are Pingers & Seal scarers necessary?

Is this equipment improving or deteriorating the conditions

160

Background noise level

with NMS

NMS awarded projects execution 2014

Butendiek NMS-6500

Butendiek NMS-6500

OWF Butendiek started 30-03-2014

Noise Mitigation by NMS-6500 Piling equipment S2000

Variations on SEL values by:

Water depth
Location
Sea floor conditions
Weather conditions
Diameter pile
Hammer size/force
Penetration speed
Running/fixed pile
Temperature
Sea level (waves)
Salt percentage
...

Noise level indications North Sea:

North Sea with back ground noise

100 - 110 dB
Total noise with vessel stand-by on side
130 - 140 dB
Rain increases the back ground level
10 - 15 dB

NMS air systems

Water removing from annulus by pressurized air and contained bubble curtain

NMS = 360 current and wave independent mitigation

Diameter 1500 m circular protection all directions

covered area = 442 m2

Current

NMS Benfits:

bubbles emerge @ the release point

Limited air supply: 20 m3/min = 130 kW
Less CO2 emission (vessel & compressors)

Air bubbles rise with 0.25 m/s

Air released @ 30 m water depth will take 120 s to reach the surface
With a current of 1 m/s the bubbles emerge @ 120 m from the release point

IHC Piling Methods

High Frequency - Low Energy
Increased Blow Rate approx. 90 blows per minute (standard = 40 / min)
Increased Blow Count of approx. 60 blows per 25 cm
Resulting in lower impact energy and a lower noise emission
Advantages
Decreased pile stress = reduced fatigue
Reduced load on piling equipment
Minimum influence in piling time depending on soil
Lower noise level 3-6 dB SEL
Disadvantages
Hard & Software improvements required

IHC Piling Methods

Smart Pile Driving - programmed SPD Expected 2015+
Pile driving with real-time monitoring
Pile penetration per 10 blows
Noise level per blow @ 750 meter
Impact energy
Blow count
Advantages
Immediate intervention if the noise requirements are
exceeded
Optimization of piling time (energy/frequency)
Decreased pile stress resulting in reduced fatigue damage
Less restrictions on pile design
Reduced load on piling equipment
Primary or back-up noise mitigation measure
SMART piling by smart IHC operators available
Disadvantages
Hard & Software improvements in development

Efficient Pile Driving EPD a new way of piling

Reducing of the piling energy = reducing the impact on the environment
Possible future piling campaign
Increased Blow Rate approx. 80-90 blows per minute
Increased Blow Count of approx. max 100 blows per 25 cm
After reaching 100 blows /min energy will be increased gradually
Challenges:
the data processing 30 sec 60 sec
using a near field array (testing)
Benefits:
Less noise
Less CO2 emission
Less fatigue in pile
Less fatigue on equipment

Challenges for the next generation NMS-8000

Past performance is no guarantee for the future.
Realizing the noise mitigation performance regardless of:
Hammer energy and size
Mono Pile dimensions
Water depths & Soil conditions
Future legislation
Legislation in different countries
Methods:
Modifications to air gap and bubble injection systems
HiLo, Smart Pile Driving, Efficient Pile Driving
Introduction of a 3th mitigation system
R&D analyses of data, FEM prediction, factory tuning.
R&D ground born noise research,

its time to make a change

Special thanks for corporation & sharing information!

Collaboration is the key to innovation

Thank you for your attention

Henk van Vessem

GSM +31653149031
h.vanvessem@ihcmerwede.com