Artificial Island is an artificially man-made structure that has not formed naturally. This type of islands can be constructed anywhere, any size and shape and can be used for infrastructure, tourism and industry purpose.
Artificial Island may have become popular and seen as a modern method but its history dates back long time behind. It was even used in Ancient Egyptian Civilization.
In 17th century it has been extensively used for Oil exploration and production platforms, coal mine ventilation, coastal defense and extensive of land base. Japan has constructed many artificial Island around it counting to 1000 sq.km.
Nowadays technology so vastly developed that construction of artificial islands in water depth of 75 meter are also possible.
The need for construction of artificial island has increased in the recent days as any naturally formed land surface is not available in the desired places for the following requirements:
Following factors influence the design and construction of artificial islands:
Many types of loads are to be considered while designing artificial Island. They are as follows,
This type of loads includes the weight of framework and superstructure coming up on it, machineries and equipments that are permanently fixed hydrostatic pressure and buoyance in sea level, ballast water pressure and earth pressure.
Loads such as machineries, materials that are placed on the island at the time of construction. Pressure exerted on the framework internally and externally from water, wind and other factors. The load due to movement of vehicles or machinery on structures like helicopter, vessels, cranes and dredging machines.
Natural loads like wind pressure, climatic changes, wave and tidal loads, ocean currents and earthquake loads are to be considered while designing of artificial Island.
The building process of an artificial Island is as follows,
Dredging is the procedure of removal of top lose layer of the water bed to create harbors, channels, docks, de-silting lakes or deepening waterways. It is also termed as Maritime transportation.
A special type of machine is used for dredging known as dredger. Different types of approaches used for dredging depends upon the following factors:
The preparation of a strong and hard bed on the water strata is prominent step in building of artificial Island. After the dredging of top loose soil is done and hard strata is found, the following procedure takes place:
The following steps are involved in concreting processes for construction of artificial island.