Best Material to float a house, 5 bedroom

Discussion in 'Materials' started by Ted Smith, Feb 18, 2018.

  1. Ted Smith
    Joined: Feb 2018
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: England

    Ted Smith Junior Member

    so what are normal dimensions for an individual dolphin, and would one dolphin in each corner be enough?
     
  2. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
    Posts: 3,003
    Likes: 336, Points: 83, Legacy Rep: 1632
    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Two single pile dolphins, one on each end at one of the long sides of the pontoon, would be enough to keep it in place, that's if they're built strong enough, otherwise you need more, this needs to be calculated on the basis of the underwater soil structure and the water depth plus the moored load and the current and wind loads, etc.

    There isn't a normal dolphin size far as I know, as they're usually built to suit a specific task or a specific max load under local conditions, like eg in general there's also no normal ship size that I'm aware of.
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2018
  3. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
    Posts: 3,003
    Likes: 336, Points: 83, Legacy Rep: 1632
    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Hi Ted, for some more dolphin examples see: Mooring piles and also Water poles in Venice

    In big seaports it's a special job* with small boats to moor large sea ships, the below pictures are all of Rotterdam. - * Dutch link: #2

    [​IMG]

    The guys with the little boat pictured below are attaching a mooring line of a large sea ship to a huge single pile dolphin, aka a large pile mooring.

    [​IMG] - - - - [​IMG]

    They use little tug boats to tow the big ship's mooring lines to the moorings, they're only towing the mooring lines, and not the ships.

    [​IMG]

    Note the size of the men to see those mooring line tug boats aren't really that small !

    Good luck !
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2018
  4. Ted Smith
    Joined: Feb 2018
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: England

    Ted Smith Junior Member

    Thank you angel, my deadline is this Wednesday. Just to confirm, a concrete pontoon, with dolphins (one on each corner of the square), and inside the hollow pontoon, hollow polyethylene tubes? The house started on the pontoon
     
  5. Ted Smith
    Joined: Feb 2018
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: England

    Ted Smith Junior Member

    also, why is polyethylene better than others, I have researched but can't find why
     
  6. Ted Smith
    Joined: Feb 2018
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: England

    Ted Smith Junior Member

    also what type of dolphin, the one in picture looks nothing like the ones on google
     
  7. Ted Smith
    Joined: Feb 2018
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: England

    Ted Smith Junior Member

    Thank you angel, my deadline is this Wednesday. Just to confirm, a concrete pontoon, with pontoon piles(one on each corner of the square), and inside the pontoon, polypropylene tubes
     
  8. Ted Smith
    Joined: Feb 2018
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: England

    Ted Smith Junior Member

    URGENT, sorry this is dragging on , but I've delayed the deadline from my teacher, naughty me. Basically all im asking, why does the pontoon need a solid piece of concrete on he bottom of slab??????
     
  9. Tiny Turnip
    Joined: Mar 2008
    Posts: 865
    Likes: 274, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 743
    Location: Huddersfield, UK

    Tiny Turnip Senior Member

    Hi Ted. On my sketch, the concrete slab shown is a foundation to take the weight of the floating house, pontoon (barge) and all, when it is NOT floating. Its edges would be downturned into the ground. Confusingly, it is generally known as a 'raft' foundation, even though it doesn't float. In a flood, the pontoon would float up off the concrete slab. In terms of the floating pontoon, the Dutch have much more experience and expertise with floating concrete structures than the English. In the UK, my inclination would be to have a steel barge/pontoon built, or import Dutch expertise.
     

  10. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
    Posts: 3,003
    Likes: 336, Points: 83, Legacy Rep: 1632
    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    They're kinda floating on the underground, hence the name, but it's indeed confusing since it's not exactly like floating in the water, it's actually collecting the ground's carrying capacity directly on its surface, and it doesn't work through the principle of displacement.

    Ted; note that the concrete slab aka ‘‘raft foundation’’ underneath the pontoon only is needed when you want to park the pontoon on the ground, and only want to have it afloat in a flood, I've brought this up in #12 . . .
    The less the load bearing capability of the underground, the larger the circumference of the raft foundation (concrete slab) needs to be to carry the pontoon with the house stably on the underground, see...

    Raft foundation - Share your construction industry knowledge - Designing Buildings Wiki

    Concrete Raft Foundations - How they are Constructed, When they Should be Used and the Advantages and Disadvantages of Raft Foundations - DIY doctor

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    When one wants to build directly on top of a not on the water floating raft foundation like in the above pictures, then it needs insulation to prevent house warmth from leaking into the underground, and it also needs a waterproof membrane to stop underground moisture from rising up into the house's interior.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2018
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.