ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS

SUBMITTED BY:
S.MRIDUL NAIDU
2010CET3036
Introduction
An artificial or man-made island is
an island or archipelago(group of islands) that has
been constructed by people rather than formed by
natural means.

Methods of Creation
1)Expanding existing islets
2)Construction on existing reefs
3)Amalgamating several natural islets into a bigger
island.
4)Construction on sea bed.
5)Land Reclamation
6)Oil Platforms
Reasons for Construction
 The following are the major reasons to justify the creation of
Artificial Islands:

 - urban development (special structures)

 - industry
 - waste handling
 - infrastructure (ports and airports)
 - extended runways
 - recreation
 - mining of natural resources
 - oil drills and exploration platforms.
 - tidal or wind energy generation.
 - recreational structures like hotels or water parks.
 Previous Usage
1) Artificial islands have been used since the seventeenth century for
coastal defence and as extensions of the land base.

2) Artificial islands are being used as oil exploration and production

platforms.

3) Japan has several artificial islands, with a total area of over 1000 km.

4) Artificial islands are being used to provide a platform for coal mine
ventilation shaft access, positively contributes to the safety, effective
ventilation and reserves of a coal mine.

5) Technology of artificial island construction is available to construct

islands in water depths of 70 m.

6) Artificial islands become a focus for sea life, enhancing the marine
environment.
Political Status

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law

of the Sea treaty (UNCLOS), artificial islands are not
considered harbour works and are under the
jurisdiction of the nearest coastal state if within 200
nautical miles (370 km) .Artificial islands are not
considered islands for purposes of having their own
territorial waters or exclusive economic zones, and
only the coastal state may authorize their
construction. However, on the high seas beyond
national jurisdiction, any "state" may construct
artificial islands .
Design Considerations
 water depth
 wave height range climate
 ice conditions;
 tidal range;
 currents;
 foundation conditions;
 earthquake risk;
 source of materials;
 shipping lanes;
 existing pipelines and cables;
 legal aspects;
 environmental considerations; and,
 fisheries considerations.
LOADS IMPOSED IN DESIGN :
Permanent loads
Variable loads
Environmental loads

Permanent loads :
b)The weight in air of the structure and
superstructures calculated from nominal values of
dimensions and mean values of densities.
c)Equipment which cannot be removed
d)Hydrostatic external pressure and buoyancy in
calm sea conditions calculated for mean sea level.
e)Ballast including ballast water pressure
f)Permanent earth pressure
Variable Loads:
b)Weight of equipments , materials and stores which
may be removed after the phase considered.
c)Variations in internal and external pressure from
water,oil,gas,etc. caused by normal operating of the
structure
d)Loads due to fendering and mooring of vessels,
helicopter landing, cranes or drilling operations.

Environmental Loads :
g)Wind
h)Weather loads due to heating and cooling
i)Sea loads like wave loads, tidal loads, currents etc.
j)Earthquake and tsunami loads.
The following stages are involved:

3. Temporary tube piles driven into sea bed

4. Temporary sheet piles and tie rods driven into sea bed
to support boundary rocks (see figure 1)
5. Permanent boundary rock bunds deposited on either
side of sheet piles
6. Hydraulic fill layers deposited between bunds to
displace sea water and form island
7. Permanent concrete armour units placed around island
to protect it from the waves
8. Piles driven through island and sea bed below to
stabilize structure
9. Island interior excavated and temporary sheet pile
coffer dam inserted
10. Thick concrete plug slab laid at base of island
11. Reinforced concrete retaining wall built
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

DREDGING AND SOIL BED PREPERATION

PRECAST PILES CAST
IN YARDS, LOADED
ONTO BARGES AND
PLACED AT SITE.
PILES DRIVEN, SOIL COMPACTED,
SURROUNDING BUND CREATED,
ARMOUR ROCKS PLACED ,
PLATFORM SLAB CASTED
CONSTRUCTION STARTS.
 SOIL BED
PREPERATION
FUNCTIONS OF SAND
THE FUNCTIONS OF SAND IN THE STRUCTURE ARE
AS FOLLOWS:

3)Formation of a protection or isolation layer

4)Providing of ballast weight
5)Providing vertical support or load distribution
6)Providing of horizontal soil pressure
7)Providing of drainage capacity
8)Filling Voids
 Process Parameters
Sand Characteristics :
- Mineral Composition
- Grain Size Composition
- Fall Velocity Composition

Flow rate and concentration in the discharge pipe :

- Mixture flow rate
- Concentration of mixture density
- Sand Production rate

Geometry of the fill area above water level :

- Determined by the following :
- minimum dimensions of the sand body and working space on
the crest
- length along the guide bunds
 Density of Sand
-The in-situ density of porosity of the sand fill can be measured
using the following techniques :

-Electric Density measurement

-Nuclear Density measurement
-Density of frozen samples
-Dutch cone penetration tests

-The following characteristics are relevant :

-Minimum and maximum density
-Dry Critical density
- Wet Critical density
- Critical and steady state density
Processes Involved in sand
placement
1. Sand winning
2. Sand transport
3. Formation of sand water jet
4. Formation of a crater
5. Flowing of sand water mixture on slope
above water
6. Flowing of sand water mixture on
submerged slope
7. Loss of sand under water
8. Sedimentation and formation of slope
 The source of construction materials critical
items in the choice of island sites. Ideally, a good
quality coarse grained sand must be located
within 5 to 10 km of the island site.

 The barges are towed to the island site and the

sand dumped directly from the trailer.
 When the water depth becomes too shallow,
the sand is dumped at a borrow pit and pumped
by a stationary dredge to the specified site.
 The sand is protected by rock revetments and a
layer of armour rock.
 The top layer of sand can be sprayed with a
bitumen emulsion and a layer of soil. Then a
suitable grass is planted to reduce erosion.
Soil Investigations
Soil from the borrow pit needs to be
investigated for the following:
2) Suitability of the sand as a building
material
3) Winning method and the expected
production level
4) Determination of the risk of loss of
stability of adjacent structures as a result
of the sand removal.
Investigation Methods
1) Taking of surface samples
2) Borings and Laboratory Tests
3) Soil penetration tests
4) Cone penetration tests
5) Pressiometer or dilatometer
6) Density Investigations
7) Twin well probe
8) Seismic Investigation
The methods of investigation are used to
determine the type of deposits, thickness and
extent of layers, local variations in soil, level of
erosion etc.
 PREPERATION OF ISLAND BED
S.NO. PROCESS METHODS
ELECTRONIC SATELLITE NAVIGATION, SPAR BUOYS, ACOUSTIC TRANSPONDERS,
SURVEY, INVESTIGATION AND CORING AND SAMPLING, GRAB SAMPLES, SPARKER SURVEY, SIDE-SCAN SONAR,
CONTROLS ACOUSTIC IMAGING, FOUNDATION PENETROMETERS, VIDEO, SUBMERSIBLE
1 AND DIVER INSPECTION
DERRIK BARGE, DRILL SHIP, SEMISUBMERSIBLE JACK-UP, GUYED TOWER, HEAVE
PLATFORM
2 COMPENSATORS
SEAFLOOR OBSTRUCTION DRAG-OFF WITH TRAWLERS, SHAPED CHARGES, ROV'S WITH MANIPULATORS,
3 REMOVAL UNDERWATER BURNING, THERMIC LANCERS

TRAILER SUCTION HOPPER DREDGE, CUTTERHEAD HYDRAULIC DREDGE, GRAB

DREDGE OR CLAMSHELL, CONTINOUS BUCKET LADDER DREDGE, SLACK LINE
DREDGING, REMOVAL OF
BUCKET DREDGE, PLOW, JETTING, PIPELINE BURIAL SLED, DEEP-SEA MINING
SEDIMENTS DRAG EXCAVATOR, AIRLIFT, EDUCTORS, REMOTE-CONTROLLED SEAFLOOR
DREDGE
4
HYDRAULIC BACKHOES, DIPPER DREDGES, POWER ACTIVATED CLAMSHELL
DREDGING, REMOVAL OF BUCKETS, PLOWS, SHAPED CHARGES, BLASTING IN DRILLED HOLES, CHISELS,
HARD SEDIMENTS AND ROCKS HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC ROCK BREAKERS, DRIVEN SPUDS, CUTTERHEAD
5 DREDGES, HIGH PRESSURE JETS

DIKES OF ROCKS OR CLAY BUNDS TO CONTAIN SAND, CONTROLLED

PLACEMENT OF UNDERWATER
UNDERWATER DEPOSITION, DUMP ENMASSE FROM HOPPER BARGES, TREMIE,
FILLS
6 BUCKET, SKIP, CHUTE OR LADDER
DENSIFICATION, DEEP VIBRATION, SURFACE VIBRATION, DYNAMIC COMPACTION WITH
CONSOLIDATION AND DROPPED WEIGHTS, EXPLOSIVES OR AIRGUN, DEPOSITION IN MASS,
7 STRENGTHENING OF FILLS PRESATURATION, SELECTION OF OPTIMUM GRADING
 SAND PILES, VIBRATION, FREEZING, PRESURCHARGING,
SURCHARGING WITH MEMBRANE AND DRAINAGE, SURCHARGING
CONSOLIDATION AND WITH STRUCTURE AND BALLAST, WICK AND SAND DRAINS,
STRENGTHENING OF WEAK SOILS DRAINAGE WELLS, PERIPHERAL SURCHARGING, CEMENT
INJECTION, CHEMICAL GROUTING, LIME INJECTION, DEEP CEMENT
8 MIXING, ELECTRO-OSMOSIS
DENSIFICATION, DRAINAGE WELLS, PERIPHERAL APRON OF
9 PREVENTION OF LIQUEFACTION GRADED ROCK

HYDRAULIC DUSTPAN DREDGE WITH HEAVE COMPENSATOR

LEVELING OF SEAFLOOR OR SUSPENSION OF DREDGE HEAD, DRAGS, BOTTOM-SUPPORTED
EMBANKMENT SCREED FRAME, SCREED FRAME FROM TLP OR HEAVE
COMPENSATED PLATFORM, HORIZONTAL SCREW AUGUR
10
PROVISION OF UNIFORM UNDERBASE GROUTING, UNDERBASE SAND INJECTION OR SAND
SUPPORT UNDER BASE OF FLOW, TREMIE CONCRETE, GROUT INTRUDED AGGREGATE, MUD
11 STRUCTURE JACKING
EXCAVATION BENEATH
ARTICULATED DREDGE ARMS, AIRLIFT, JETS, EDUCTORS, DRILLS
12 STRUCTURE
SACRIFICIAL FILL, ROCK, FILTER ROCK, FILTER FABRIC,
ARTICULATED MATTRESSES, SANDBAGS, GROUT FILLED POROUS
SCOUR AND EROSION BAGS, SKIRTS ON STRUCTURES, APRONS AND FLOW CONTROLLED
PROTECTION DEVICES AT BASE OF STRUCTURES, ARTIFICIAL SEAWEED, SAND
ASPHALT AND ROCK ASPHALT BLANKETS, UNDERWATER
13 CONCRETE SLABS
BENTONITE-CEMENT SLURRIES, DISCHARGE OF FINE SAND
14 TURBIDITY SUPPRESSION BLANKET
DREDGING
Dredging Basics

Dredging is the maritime transportation of natural

materials from one part of the water environment to another
by specialised dredging vessels. In a usual dredging cycle, self-
propelled ,trailing suction ,hopper dredgers, barges and other
ships spend the majority of their time sailing back and forth
between excavation sites and placement sites, transporting
materials between the port and the borrow site; sailing
between borrow sites; and sailing from sites where material
has been extracted to unloading or placement sites.
Dredging vessels support:
Port infrastructure development
Land reclamation for commerce, residences and
recreation
Energy enterprises including oil and gas exploration and
delivery and offshore wind farms
Environmental remediation of brownfields and safe
storage
of contaminated materials
Annual Turnover of the dredging industry: 6.3 Billion $
(2008)
EXTERNAL CONDITIONS DURING
CONSTRUCTION
GROUP A : THOSE WHICH DETERMINE THE USE
AND EFFICIENCY OF EQUIPMENT, BREIFLY
SUMMARIZED UNDER THE HEADING OF
WORKABILITY
GROUP B: THOSE ARISING FROM A CHANGE IN THE
HYDRAULICS AND MORPHOLOGY OF THE AREA,
OCCURING AS A RESULT OF THE WORKS, THIS
INFLUENCE CAN BE OF A TEMPORARY OR
PERMANENT NATURE.
GROUP C: THOSE ARISING FROM ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS, ALSO THIS EFFECT CAN BE OF A
TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT NATURE.
Common dredging methods :

Suction Dredging : Sand will be dredged by putting

the suction tube deep ( > 10 m) into the sand layer.
Under the influence of gravity forces the sand departs
from the slope and flows downward in the direction
of the suction mouth.
Cutter Suction Dredging : With cutter suction
dredging the suction tube is provided with a rotating
cutter head. The swing movement is initiated by the
means of a forward-side-winch wires directly behind
the cutter head. A spud pole positioned on the ships
aft functions as centre of the swing movement.
Trailing suction dredging : A draghead attached to a
suction pipe is trailed over the bottom of the seafloor.
Due to erosive forces at the narrow opening between the
draghead and the bottom and the application of blades in
the draghead results in the formation of a sand water
mixture, this mixture in pumped in the hopper and the
sand settles whereas the water overflows.
Cutter Dredging : For less permeable sand the face
formation will deliver a small contribution to the
production. In this case the soil has to be retrieved with
the cutter head. In less permeable sand, large cutting
forces cause significant wear and tear to the teeth of the
cutting head.
CRITERIA FOR DREDGER SIZE:

1.  Volume of material to be dredged.

2.  Time allowed to complete the project.  Days, weeks and months.
3.  Hours that you will work.  1 shift, 2 shifts or 3 shifts? 
4. Type of material to be dredged.  Fine sand, medium sand, large
sand, small gravel, large gravel, silt, clay, cobbles 3 to 10, boulders
+10 inches [254mm].  
5. Dredging sediments or undisturbed material.  Undisturbed material
is much more difficult to dredge. 
6. Horizontal pumping distance. 
7. Vertical pumping distance called static head.  vertical distance from
the water surface to the discharge point.
9. Maximum digging depth. Distance from the water surface to the
lowest point of dredging. 
DREDGES ARE AVAILABLE IN SIZES VARYING FROM A
FEW METRE LONG BARGES TO FEW HUNDRED METRE
LONG VESSLES
 Factors in selection of Cutter
Suction Dredger

• Kind of soils and operation area

• Dredging depth, capacities
• Degree of self-sufficiency, self-propelled or stationary.
• If self-propelled: which cutter ladder position (bow or stern
oriented)
• Seagoing dredging capability.
• Type and stroke of spud carriage (flexibility required)
• Spud handling and hoisting system(s).
• Cutter type, diameter, speed, power.
• Pump characteristics.
• Requirements related to noise and vibrations (incl.
construction fatigue)
• Degree of automation.
Environmental Considerations
Environmental conditions consist of two major aspects:
- Weather climate
-Wave climate
Temperatures of air and water as well as humidity define
the weather climate.
The chance of violent storms blowing up is a major aspect
to be considered.
Wave climate is characterized by wave height, period and
its distribution (spectrum).
Statistics in respect of wave appearance in time is useful.
Both climates affect workability. Workability is part of the
dredger’s overall capacity.
Violent storms can lead to autonomy requirements when
means of escape are required.
Local Facilities

A wide range of local facilities can be stated. If only few facilities

are expected to be available then a high rate of autonomy of the
dredger is required.

Examples of local facilities are:

- Repair area ashore
- Workboats or other supporting vessels
- Supply of spares
- Supply of bunkers, drinking water and other consumables
- Availability of shore pipelines and/or barges
- Availability of shelter area
-Water depth for spud tilting and ladder tilting

* Restrictions in water depth can determine the way of tilting.

Geometrical Properties
Geometrical properties are related to the dredging work itself.
- Water depth at start
- Water depth to be realized
-Canal width, slope.

Soil Properties
Soil properties of the material to be dredged strongly influence
the production of the dredger. Examples are:
- Density
- Hardness, strength
- Grain size distribution
Soil properties can also influence the workability of the
dredger. Hard soil means small allowance of wave induced
ships movements.
Primary aspects for the capacities of the
dredgers are:
- cutter capacity
- dredge pump capacity
- swing length and speed
- spud carriage availability and stroke
- Automation

Cutter capacity
The cutter capacity mainly depends on:
- cutting torque
- cutter reaction force
- cutter speed
- swing winch pull
- spud reaction
- soil properties
- angle of the cutter(ladder)
Dredge pump capacity

-required flow rate and head

-discharge pipeline length(differ for pumping ashore and barge
loading)
-density of the mixture
-soil characteristics
-suction mouth performance.
Therefore a lot of scenarios have to be calculated to find an
optimum design point of each pump.
Swing length and speed

A great distance between cutter and work spud enables a

cutter dredger to execute a wide cut per swing. This results
in a high dredging efficiency. On the other hand it increases
the minimum workable canal width, making small works
difficult.

The rudders and propellers of a self-propelled CSD

constitute an obstacle and require protection or retractable
propellers may be provided.
Retraction challenging because available space in the ladder
pontoons is very limited and loss of displacement (moon
pools) in the same area is not favourable.
Appendages above the waterline are anchor boom pivots
or the dredger’s hull itself. Both may constitute an obstacle in
case of vertical quaysides.
Spud carriage
The application of a spud carriage is common practise for large
CSD’s. This increases the efficiency of the dredger significantly.
The larger the stroke of the carriage the more swings can be
made without spud repositioning and consequently the higher
the efficiency of the dredger.

Automation
Large cutter dredgers are complex dredgers with complex
operations. Therefore process automation and monitoring
instrumentation are relevant because they will increase the
efficiency of the dredger. Automation can be executed to a lot
of levels, which depends on the Owner’s philosophy and the
cost and skills of personnel.
Increased main dimensions of the dredger result in significant
lower movements of the vessel in waves.
Autonomy
The rate of autonomy is a result of the availability of facilities
at the dredging work location. Examples of facilities to increase
the autonomy of a cutter dredger are:
- Deck crane and cutter changing equipment
- Cutter repair platform
- Spud tilting system
- Anchor booms
- Barge loading
- Deadweight, tanks and store spaces
- Tools and other repair/maintenance equipment
- Accommodation
- Means of escape
POSITIONING SYSTEMS AND
ACCURACIES :

-MEDIUM AND LONG RANGE SYSTEMS LIKE GPS ETC.

-MICRO WAVE SYSTEMS

-RANGE BEARING SYSTEMS

-VISUAL SYSTEM
PUMPING THE DREDGED MATERIAL :
The material dredged from the seafloor is placed
either by the dredger itself by pumps on deck, or
by pipelines or barges.
COMPARISION BETWEEN SAND PLACEMENT MECHANISMS.
1) BOTTOM SLIDING DOOR
2) STONE DUMPING VESSEL
3) DUMPING BARGE
4) RAINBOWING
5) DUMPING BARGE WITH
RECESSED DOORS
6) PIPE UNDER WATER
7) CONE VALVES
8) PIPE UNDER WATER +
DIFFUSER
9) SPLIT BARGE
10) PIPT ABOVE WATER
11) GRAB CRANE
12) GRAB CRANE + PIPE

SAND AND ROCK

PLACEMENT MECHANISMS.
CONCRETING
Design Phases Concrete Sea Structures :
3)Construction including construction ashore and in-situ
wherever possible.
4)Transportation including transportation of the structure or a
part of the structure from shore to sea, or from shore to
barge, open-sea transporting and mooring operations.
5)Installation : Installation of the structure at its final location ,
ie. Period of start of submerging from transport position or
launching from barge, including piling, grouting or anchoring,
until the platform is ready for normal operation.
6)Operation : The period from completed installation till
decommissioning or removal from location
7)Retrieval : Includes retrieval or removal of the structure.
MATERIALS FOR UNDERWATER CONCRETE :
•CEMENT : OPC or Rapid hardening cement, moderate to
low C3A content, water cement ratio less than 0.45,
pozzolanic materials like silica fume, blast furnace slag, etc of
high quality may be added for strength / workability, high
alumina cement should not be used. Minimum content of 400
kg / cubic metre
•AGGREGATES : Natural sand or gravel, crushed rock.
Rough cubic or spherical shape, consistent quality and
grading, marine aggregates and those with shell content
should not be used.
•WATER : Clean and free from harmful matter, sea water
must not be used in reinforced, pre- stressed, or structural
underwater concrete, subjected to wetting and drying.
•ADMIXTURES : Air-entraining agents to counter expansion
contraction, workability aids and retarding admixtures.
Admixtures containing more than 0.1% chloride content
should not be used.
5) REINFORCING STEEL: Plain Bars, deformed bars,
welded fabrics may be used provided details of size,
mechanical properties and bond properties supplied by
manufacturer.
6) SHEATHING: Rigid or semi-rigid water-tight metal
sheathing should be used. Should be spliced with
tightly fitting sleeves and the joints bound with
waterproof tape.
7) GROUT : Usually OPC cement, aggregates if used in
large ducts should consist of siliceous granules, finely
ground limestone, trass, pozzolan or fine sand ;
admixtures to be used after testing, sea water should
not be used.
CONCRETE PLACEMENT UNDERWATER:
2)TREMIE
3)SHIP MOUNTED BOOM
4)HOISTS, CRANES, ETC.

SHETCH SHOWING TREMIE CONCRETING

SHIP MOUNTED
CONCRETE
PLACEMENT BOOM

HOISTS ETC, ON
GROUND OR
BARGE/SHIP
MOUNTED.
OTHER PROCESSES
BREAKWATER CONSTRUCTION:

Breakwater: A structure which breaks the force of the

waves, it is constructed close to the island and acts as a
protection against strong currents and winds.
The breakwater is constructed using multiple layers of sand,
a water permeable sheet, small rocks, and layers of armour
rocks
The breakwater should be constructed out of rock rather
than concrete to encourage the creation of an artificial reef.
Two openings in the breakwater were created in order to
prevent the water inside from stagnating.
 BREAKWATER

IMAGE : PALM JUMERIAH , DUBAI

VIBRO COMPACTION:

 During an earthquake, water-saturated soils can lose their

strength and transform into a liquid-like state. This process of
liquefaction could cause the reclaimed islands to settle or sink.

Thus special provisions need to be made to prepare the sand

base under the structure so that it does not compact. This is
done using vibro-compaction.

Vibro Compaction is a process by which sand particles are

caused to float, and then they are rearranged into a denser
state. A vibration probe penetrates the soil and moves down
via a combination of vibration, and jets of water and/or air.

The vibrations of the probe reorganizes the soil particles,

compacting them. More infill (sand) is added until there is a
column of compacted material.
SKETCH SHOWING THE VIBRO-
COMPACTION PROCESS
Soil Compaction Techniques
FAMOUS ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS
KANSAI AIRPORT, JAPAN

THE WORLD- DUBAI PALM JUMERIAH - DUBAI

BURJ AL ARAB HOTEL, DUBAI
PROBLEMS AND CHALLANGES
1) EXCESSIVE COST INVOLVED IN CONSTRUCTION
2) SLOW CONSTRUCTION PROCESS DUE TO LIMITED
AVAILABILITY OF DREDGERS.
3) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DUE TO REMOVAL AND
PLACEMENT OF SAND. CAN BE PREVENTED
THROUGH SHALLOW CUTS.
4) SETTLEMENT OF THE ISLAND IN DEEP WATERS, AS
IN THE CASE OF KANSAI AIRPORT, JAPAN
5) EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE TO WINDS, TIDAL FORCES
AND EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI LOADS HENCE
SPECIAL PROVISIONS REQUIRED.

ADVANTAGE : ANY SHAPE, ANY SIZE,

ANYWHERE.
REFERENCES
2)Construction of offshore structures – Ben C. Gerwick –
John Wiley and sons
3)ARTIFICIAL SAND FILLS IN WATER – Centre for civil
engineering research and codes -
A.A.BALKEMA/ROTTERDAM/BROOKEFIELD.
4)FIP Recommendations for the design and construction of
Concrete sea structures– THOMAS TELFORD LIMITED.
5)Conceptual design of large Cutter Suction Dredgers; Jaap
L. van Overhagen, Marcel Boor, André Kik and Caspar
H.M.Kramers
6)Brochure : European Dredging Industry
7)Case Study : Burj Al Arab, Dubai
8)Man Made Land Features : The Palm Jumeriah and Dubai’s
Artificial Islands : Terry Austin.
9)Artificial Offshore islands : Patric J.F. Hannon, J.Wayne
LeBlanc.