Grout Filling

Grouting a member offers the advantage of not increasing member diameter and therefore wave loading.

Filling a tubular member with grout may be carried out for one or more of the following reasons:

• to increase axial compressive (squash) strength of the member
• to improve overall member stability and resistance to buckling
• to improve strength or reduce the stress concentration factor (SCF) at a tubular joint chord.

 

Member grout filling
Where members may have suffered local buckling, dents or bends during installation or once in-situ by a vessel or dropped object, filling the member with grout provides it with incremental compression loading capacity. This technique is also used to increase the capacity of members in vulnerable areas (e.g. adjacent to boat landings) to resist local damage.

Joint grout filling
Filling joints with grout leads to reduced chord wall deformations and results in increased fatigue resistance.

Pile-Leg annulus grout filling
Filling the annulus between a pile and leg with grout forms a double skin member with increased strength and fatigue resistance at incoming brace connections.