Image: Structural layout of a platform, below waterline decks. Yellow areas are foam, Green areas are ballast tanks.
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Physical design of Oceanic City:
Oceanic City will float on the surface of the ocean. Initially it will use land-based methods of construction, chiefly in the area of materials such as concrete and petroleum-based plastics. As it establishes itself and seeks ways to create alternative ocean resource based materials future platforms will be composed of materials similar too initial platforms but created out of the ocean. Bio-rock, Plant based plastics and minerals and metals extracted from sea water will provide most of the materials the communities would need.
Uniformity is necessary for mass production of any product.
A set design mode for the basic structures will be needed in order for these
units to work together. Although there are plans for massive structures that
will float on the surface of the seas, The Oceanic Project seeks feasibility
and seeks methods that can be repeated in the open ocean at some point in its
development.
The hexagon is chosen because of its unique ability to
infinitely be joined by other hexagons to form one continuous surface while at
the same time offering the ability to form irregular shapes to meet the needs
of the structure. Buckminster Fuller 3 utilized the hexagon geometry
in his work, demonstrating that a hexagon is logically the best geometry to
work with.
The substructure that will provide the buoyancy will
incorporate equilateral triangles that are, as Buckminster Fuller declared:
“the only self-stabilizing polygon.”
Further a hexagon allows the joining of three units at one
point. This would increase stability of the three joined members and should one
break free from another there would still be one connection keeping the three
together. Although the Hexagon units will be joined with strong metal pins, it
is possible that weather or natural forces may cause wave activity that would
stress such pins to the point of failure. Ideally some freedom of movement
between individual platforms will be incorporated into the design. Further
quick release pins will be used incase one platform is damaged to the point of
sinking. Although the probability of a
sinking of a platform is remote due to the number of cells and the use of foam
for buoyancy.
Although there are plans to build floating structures as
single units from thousands of feet in length to kilometers in length, these
structures are not well suited to create communities that can be grown to meet
the needs of population. These previous designs desire to create a single
community of 50 thousand or more occupying one structure.
Freedom Ship is exactly that, a ship, its design is such to
make it possible to slowly move around the oceans making a global trip in 3
years. Nexus floating City is another
ship that will seek to move around the oceans at a break neck speed of up to 5
miles per hour.
The Oceanic Project will seek to anchor itself in one
geographic location meaning that where it is today it will be tomorrow.
Although communities will initially be moved into place and could be moved if
needed even when joined together, the objective is to float the city at a
location and through its mass and size and its method of generating power and
sea anchors lock itself into one position on the ocean. In future as more
communities are built, separated by Open Ocean a mile or so distance from one
another, the ability to travel between communities will require that each
community stay where it is.
Oceanic city will be constructed out of hexagonal floats
that are 1000 feet in diameter (from point to point). Relatively speaking 1000’
feet is small, very small enough to make it possible for new platforms to be
created in a ring of 12 units could have 3 units built or even grown (see Bio Rock) inside of their protection.
After the new units are built or grown, the ring of units is pulled apart or 2
or 3 units are removed from a side and the new units are towed out to where
they are needed.
There uniformity in diameter is meet with uniformity in
depth to insure that when joined together the step from one platform to the
other is level. 50 feet in depth from top to bottom would provide 25 feet of
draft – meaning 25 feet of the 50 would be under water. A deep draft will add to the stability of
the unit. The idea is to remove the bobbing and movement due to wave action by
placing the unit deeper in the water. Ships are designed to have the least
amount of draft or displacement so they skim along the surface enabling them to
move quickly across the surface. Oceanic City platforms will desire the
opposite effect seeking to keep the platforms at one point geographically.
Draft will be determined by the size and mass of the
platform and its buildings and how full the ballast tanks will be. To insure
that a platform cannot be sunk easily, a majority of the lowest level inside
will be filled with Styrofoam. Styrofoam floats rather well, surrounding blocks
of foam with reinforced concrete to create a sound foundation to build on.
Further a concrete like substance can be grown using metal (as in the form of
steel rebar) and a small DC electric current drawing minerals to the surface of
the metal. A layer of 1 to 5 centimeters (up to 2 inches) per year of deposit
can be expected depending on the ocean waters contents of minerals. This
process has been used in permanent structures located directly off shore. It is
being applied to growing reefs in waters which only nature circulates. For Oceanic City there will be deep sea
pumping which could mean that mineral rich deep water could be pumped passed
the growing platform to increase its growth of mineral deposit faster.
The technology has not been fully explored for the purpose
of construction uses, it is chiefly used to make structures for corals to grow
on, and thus no method to speed up or increase the growth of mineralization has
been worked out. There are theories out there for the practical use of this
material although the application as of this date is limited.
It should be noted that concrete and or Bio-rock is not
meant to be water tight, it is acknowledged that these materials are by their
nature porous and would by themselves eventually take on enough water and sink.
Floatation will come through what is inside of the individual cells of the
concrete structure. Combinations of Styrofoam (or other foam product) and
ballast tanks are used for buoyancy within the hard structure of the concrete.
The concrete or bio-rock material will only provide a soil foundation to built
on and provide mass to stabilize and create draft for the purpose of making
these platforms as stable as possible.
Having 25 feet of the platform above the water would result
in all but the highest of waves able to sweep over the main deck. Although the location of Oceanic City near
and on the Equator would mean it would face storms less often then any other
location on ocean, storms hundreds and even thousands of miles could generate
waves that would affect oceanic city’s platforms.
To further reduce waves sweeping over the top deck the
platforms will be joined together with outer platforms acting as break water.
The use of mariculture platforms initially will provide the breakwater feature.
It is possible that future designs would include the growth of coral reefs to
create a biome suited not only for the raising of reef species of fish, and the
coral but to also act as a break water barrier.
1000’ feet diameter would mean a surface area of about
750,000 square feet, or 17.2176 acres. The average suburban home sits on a 3rd
or less of an acre. Meaning it is possible to place 52 suburban sized houses on
one platform as houses are built on land. With an average of 2.6 people per
residence that is a population of about 133 people on one platform.
With apartment and townhouse style of building the
population on a single platform could be increased. Allowing for spacious room
between 3 story buildings stair stepped to allow not only for spacious
(averaging around 2000 square feet per unit) interiors but also open spaces
that could be planted or used as a patio, it is reasonable to except a platform
to easily hold 225 to 300 housing units.
The range of housing units depends on how the community
grows or utilizes that space. Smaller units of about 1000 square feet each
would mean a greater population density of 450 to 600 units. Meaning at 2.6
individuals the population of a single platform would be 1170 to 1560. Lesser
population densities could be possible, if the community desires a more
traditional layout of a flat surface divided into lots with a home on each lot.
Going back to the initial figures around 52 homes could be built.
Although there will be uniformity in the basic platform
design, what is built or how it is used will be left mainly to the imaginations
and creativity of the inhabitants. I set forth four basic purposes for the
platforms below. 1. Residential habitation, 2. Civic Center 3. Agriculture 4.
Industrial purposes. I also explore modified platforms that will be used to
form “beaches” and breakwater reefs and their use for mariculture and an
airport. However it is expected that Oceanic City Citizens will find other
inventive uses for the basic design.
3 http://www.buckminster.info/Glossary/Glossary-H.htm
Floating structure: Hexagonal Unit/ Platform.
Oceanic City will float on hexagonal platforms each having a
radius of 500’ (diameter of 1000 feet from point to point, 866’ from side to
side) and being 50’ deep. Estimated draft is 25 feet. Fully loaded and with
ballast tanks filled at an optimal percentage.
Draft would increase when ballast tanks are emptied,
allowing a platform with empty ballast tanks to have a draft of nearly 15 feet
for towing along the oceans surface.
The surface or main deck area is 750,000 square feet, or
17.2176 acres.
6 Platforms in a ring would provide 4.5 million square feet
(103.3 acres) A complete unit of 7 would provide 5.25 million square feet or
120.52 acre.
The lower 30 feet of each platform is divided into two
levels, each being 15’ less the thickness of floor and ceiling. The use of two levels is to reduce the risk
of losing material that keeps the platform afloat, much in the manner of
compartmentalized vessels which have water tight bulkheads along their length
so that any accidental breach of the hull is less likely to flood the full
length of the vessel.
Each of these 15’ high levels will be composed of cells of
Equilateral Triangles 125’ long per side. For each level there will be 96 cells
(192 in total). Inside of each cell is an inner triangle approximately 52 feet
long per side. Between the inner and outer triangle is approximately 20 feet.
Creating a Tube in Tube structure for each cell each cell being a self
contained unit that has ballast and buoyancy, extra strength through the
structure providing lateral and horizontal strength against rough seas and
gravity compression from the decks above.
The inner compartment or ballast section of a cell would
have an equilateral triangular room, each wall being approximate 50 feet long
(inner: 48’ 9 ½” outer 52’ 3 1/16”) The span from center of one wall to the
across corner is 42’ 3 1/16”
Meaning the greatest span for ceiling or above deck would
be: 42’ 3 1/16”
Considering that many modern buildings span far greater
distances with greater loads, the amount of span here is low compared to the
potential load of upper decks and structures.
The addition of a post or support column at the center would
reduce the span in half, to nearly 20 to 21 feet for those platforms needing
greater support for upper levels.
20’ is a small space to span; most homes have a living room
that is 20 feet or more across. The triangle is within itself a strong shape,
being on the diagonal it is less prone to racking than a square. Thus many
large buildings have triangular or diagonal members to increase its strength
against various forces. The expected
force on the hexagon is from side to side with minimal horizontal forces due to
wave action.
In outer ring of each cell will be filled with foam,
initially polystyrene foam (the white foam that foam cups are made out of)
eventually the foam will be created by plant cellulose as Oceanic City
develops. It is possible that other materials could be used, such as recycled
plastic bottles.
The inner cell will be tanks with baffles and will be used
as ballast tanks. The use of the platform will ultimately decide how many
ballast tanks will be needed to maintain its level and draft on the sea.
Heavier platforms will by necessity fill some of the ballast tanks with foam,
while lighter ones will fill those with seawater. The design will allow for a
wider range of uses of each platform.
The wall thickness for the inner cell (ballast tanks) will
be approximate 1 foot thick, the thickness of each of the outer cell will be
approximately 1 foot thick, meaning that where two cells meet the thickness of
the wall will be approximately 2 feet thick.
The material will be reinforced concrete in the first
platforms, bio-rock or grown mineralized rock around metal (most likely
aluminum since it is more abundant in seawater). The concrete is not expected
to remain completely watertight, it is expected that over time micro fractures
and the porous nature will allow water to seep inside. The foam will provide
buoyancy, and the ballast tanks will provide extra buoyancy, depending on how
full they are.
The use of Concrete is necessitated by two key functions:
Ease of use, its relatively low price plus its mass. Mass being of some
importance since the platforms will “ride” as low in the water (draft) as
possible for the purposes of stability. Further having as much mass below the
water line as possible will prevent capsizing. Although the designs for top
deck structures will keep the center of gravity low, it is possible that future
colonies will seek to build higher raising the center of gravity upward thereby
increasing the potential for capsizing.
The concrete and rebar will provide structural strength,
rigidity and will provide a solid foundation for structures on top of the
platform.
This design will make it possible to construct each platform
unit in smaller cells that will be joined together to form a platform. However it is expected that once bio-rock
and metal frames and meshes are used each platform is at a manageable size
enabling the whole structure to be framed and grown in the open sea, sheltered
and buoyed by a ring of 12 platforms suspended in the water (to any depth
necessary to optimize the growth of minerals, deeper water has minerals and
metals at higher levels than surface water due in part to water temperature)
Foam could be one solid piece, or several large pieces
shaped and inserted or could even be in the form of packing material, small
pieces that are sprayed or shoveled into the space. Reclaimed foam material or
even recycled plastics, which are “whipped” forming air pockets in the
material, could be used.
Even ping-pong balls could be used! Ping-pong balls are
buoyant and have, through previous experiments been used to raise a sunken
boat. Although it is unlikely that ping-pong balls will be used, the notion is
placed here to demonstrate how any material that is buoyant can be used in the space
provided.
The 20-foot level above those will be divided into
compartments and hallways used for material storage, utilities, and sewage
processing, fresh water holding tanks.
Depending on the usage of the platform other potential uses would be power
generation modules, livestock pens, and boat dock/boat yard, processing plants.
Although the design calls for one enclosed level or deck it
is possible for more decks to be built on top. In the initial platforms the use
of only one fully enclosed deck is planned to offer storage space, utility
space and space for other functions that do not need to be seen or can be done
in an enclosed space.
At the center of each platform the inner compartment of the
6 center cells will be open at the top and the bottom providing direct access
to the ocean below. Although the top deck will span across these access holes,
the enclosed second deck (sea level deck) will have direct access to the ocean.
This will enable each platform to access the ocean for Ocean Thermal Energy
Conversion (OTEC), seawater pumping from out of the sea, ballast tank drainage
and possibly access for submersible craft.
Image: The water line deck without walls, note the center triangles cut through providing access to ocean below.
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