A Large Moored Tripod Structure for the Deep Ocean
Abstract
A large, moored tripod oceanographic measurement was fabricated and deployed in the deep ocean. The structure was 5100 m high with a base footprint of 6190 m, all suspended by a single 6150-lb buoyant float. The three 6200-m- long legs contained environmental measurement instrumentation in the top 2150 m of each leg. A lightweight cable design facilitated storage, deployment, and retrieval of more than 27,700 m (15 nmi) of cable and mooring from a relatively small, 210-ft-long tending vessel. Communications with the system was via a single 9100-m-long steel coaxial cable, which also moored the tending vessel during operation. Each leg was moored to the bottom with a 7000-lb anchor. The equipment was deployed in the most efficient way possible to allow this single tending vessel to transport and deploy over 67 tons of system equipment. This paper focuses on describing the mooring hardware components and the techniques for deploying this large, moored, tripod structure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA598583
Entities
People
- Martin G. Fagot
- Richard C. Swenson
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory