In
offshore construction
Offshore construction is the installation of structures and facilities in a marine environment, usually for the production and transmission of electricity, oil, gas and other resources. It is also called maritime engineering.
Construction a ...
, the splash zone is the transition from air to water when lowering heavy burdens into the sea. The overall efforts applied on the
crane change dramatically when the load starts touching water, up to the point where it is completely submerged. Its
buoyancy
Buoyancy (), or upthrust, is the force exerted by a fluid opposing the weight of a partially or fully immersed object (which may be also be a parcel of fluid). In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of t ...
reduces the static mass that the crane has to support, but contact with the waves creates widely fluctuating dynamic forces.
Simulation of these changing efforts are necessary to correctly dimension cranes and lifting equipment. See for exampl
DNV-RP-H103(Det Norske Veritas recommended practices) for a mention of the piston effect created in the splash zone between two walls.
Special made Access Tools are often made for doing inspections or maintenance in the splash zone, typical down to 15 m depth. This zone is very difficult to access for divers or remotely operated vehicles (ROV's) due to waves and current. Rigging of equipment in this zone also needs special precautions due to the same. By using Remotely Operated Equipment (Robots) that holds on to the structures, work and inspections can be done. Earlier this Zone was looked at as ''unaccessible''.
Offshore engineering
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