• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
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    • 专利摘要:
    A computerized system for obtaining information concerning a waterway has been described. The system comprises an input means for receiving acceleration data from an accelerometer of a free-fall object, and a processing unit programmed to derive at least one of the density, viscosity or depth of a soil based on the acceleration data obtained. The invention also relates to a free-fall impact object comprising such a computerized system, to a method for obtaining information concerning a waterway and to a corresponding computer-related product.
    公开号:BE1020080A5
    申请号:E2011/0706
    申请日:2011-12-05
    公开日:2013-04-02
    发明作者:Koen Geirnaert；Peter Staelens；Sebastien Depres
    申请人:Dotocean Bvba；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    Determination of a characteristic of a waterway. Field of application of the invention
    The invention relates to the field of evaluation of the structure of a soil. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and systems for analyzing the structure of a bottom under a water column, such as, for example, for determining the level of the nautical bottom of a waterway.
    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    Water transport is becoming more important in a globalized economy. This results in the need for more and larger vessels and ships to call at ports and inland waterways. The navigability of ports and waterways. must therefore be guaranteed. The authorities are constantly responsible for deepening and widening waterways and ports to ensure that ships have a passage and can navigate. To be able to determine the depth of waterways and the extent of dredging, the physical parameters of the subsurface structure must be known under water.
    In scientific terms, the nautical bottom is the level where the physical characteristics of the bottom reach a critical limit above which interaction between the bottom and the keel of a ship influences controllability and maneuvering.
    To determine whether dredging is necessary to make the waterway navigable, the characteristics or rheology of sediment and mud layers under water must be monitored and analyzed. The physical properties of the underwater sediment will influence the ability to navigate through or above it. The properties and characteristics of the liquid and partly solid mud are a very complex matter. Most of the techniques for determining the nautical bottom are based on information regarding the density, because this information can be measured relatively easily. Today, density is mainly used as an indicator for the nautical bottom, with the critical threshold often being set at 1200 kg / m3. These measurements can be made using different types of equipment based on tuning forks, radioactive sources, etc.
    In addition to deepening waterways, the identification and classification of soil structures is also important for the execution of structures under water or for the identification of raw materials under water. The physical characteristics of the liquid and partly solid mud play an important role in such identification and classification.
    Summary of the invention
    It is an object of the present invention to provide good devices for impact, such as, for example, free fall penetrometers, and to provide corresponding good systems and methods for determining the physical parameters of subsurface underwater structures, such as, for example, for determining the nautical bottom. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that systems and methods are provided for the determination of physical parameters such as density and shear stress of subsurface structures under water. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the soil structure, the soil type and the nautical soil can be derived from such physical parameters.
    It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that methods and systems are provided that are adapted to analyze in parallel the combination of physical parameters and determine the nautical bottom. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that an impact object is provided that can measure the critical depth in a full continuous measurement. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention to provide systems adapted to mechanical design to allow penetration into mud layers without disturbance or with minimal disturbance of the measured layer.
    It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the electronic design and sensor integration of systems can be adapted for analysis of mud layers under water and for the detection of the nautical bottom.
    It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the determination of physical parameters should not be based solely on a relationship between density and rheology. A more complete approach results in an advantageous way in the possibility of obtaining a more complete picture of the nautical bottom. It is an advantage that the shear strength, rigidity and viscosity can also be taken into account in methods and / or systems according to embodiments of the present invention. These properties can typically have an important influence on the determination of the nautical bottom.
    It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the measurements can take into account sediment pseudoplasticity and that pseudoplasticity therefore has no limiting effect on obtaining accurate results. Some non-Newtonian pseudoplastic liquid substances exhibit a time-dependent change in viscosity that can be more easily accounted for in embodiments of the present invention.
    It is an advantage of embodiments according to the present invention that a parameter such as the dredging capacity for dredging of different bottom layers can be derived, as well as the nautical bottom, the bottom structure and an identification of the bottom type.
    The above objective is achieved by a method and system according to the present invention.
    The present invention relates to a computerized system for obtaining information concerning a waterway, the system comprising an input means for receiving accelerometer data from an accelerometer on a free-fall object and a processing unit programmed to derive at least one of the density , viscosity or depth of a soil based on the accelerometer data. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that a system is provided that allows to obtain accurate information regarding the nautical bottom, the bottom level and / or the bottom structure of a waterway. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that an accurate determination of the nautical bottom can be obtained. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that information regarding the nautical bottom, the bottom structure and the bottom type can be obtained using measured data measured during a single fall trajectory of a free fall object.
    The processing unit may be programmed to derive at least the density based on this data. It is an advantage of embodiments according to the present invention that the processing unit can carry out the determination of the nautical bottom, which is important for navigation. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the information can be quickly determined for a given point of the waterway, based on a single free-fall experiment.
    The processing unit may be programmed to derive the density based on the buoyancy by the displaced volume displaced by the free-fall object during the free-fall trajectory in the liquid.
    The processing unit can be programmed to derive the density based on an acceleration / deceleration of the free-fall object, the buoyancy and one or more of friction and pore pressure.
    The system may be adapted to cooperate with or include a free-fall object and the processing unit may be programmed to charge mass information of the free-fall object and information regarding at least one dimension of the free-fall object. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that a system is provided that allows accurate information to be obtained through calculations based on a number of parameters that can be measured with one or more sensors.
    The free-fall object can be an elongated object and the processing unit can be programmed to take into account a lateral surface along the length of the elongated object to determine at least one of the density, the viscosity or the depth of the bottom or the diameter of the free fall object.
    It is an advantage of embodiments according to the present invention that the system can use conventional free-fall objects, such as, for example, free-fall penetrometers. It is an advantage of embodiments according to the present invention that relatively light-weighted free-fall objects can be used. It is an advantage of embodiments according to the present invention that free fall objects with a mass between 0.1 kg and 10 kg can be used.
    The processing unit may be programmed to charge a diameter of the free-fall object. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the surface area at the top of the free-fall object and therefore the pore pressure thereon can be ignored if the diameter to length ratio of the free-fall object is less than 0.1, preferably less than 0.05 or less than 0.01.
    The processing unit may be programmed to charge for one or a combination of a volume, length, resistance coefficient or friction coefficient of the free-fall object.
    The processing unit can further be programmed to charge a pressure measurement obtained using the free-fall object and / or to charge an optical or mechanical sensor measurement obtained using the free-fall object, such as, for example, a resistance measurement. It is an advantage of the embodiments of the present invention that additional information may be taken into account to derive the density, viscosity, or depth.
    A pressure measurement can be provided in the head piece of the free-fall object to account for the pore pressure on the free-fall object.
    The processing unit can be adapted to use the pressure measurement and / or optical measurements and / or mechanical measurements for cross-checking, compensating or fine-tuning the obtained values for the density, viscosity and / or depth. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the system can determine one or more of the density, viscosity and / or depth based on accelerometer data and that the information from additional sensors can be used for cross-checking or fine-tuning.
    The processing unit can be programmed to derive a shear stress based on the optical or mechanical sensor measurements and to derive the density, viscosity or depth based on this shear stress. The system may be more generally adapted to derive the shear stress. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that at least one, or a combination or each of, the density, viscosity and depth as well as shear stress can be determined by a single fall range of the free fall object, resulting in an efficient system.
    The free-fall object may contain a row of optical or mechanical sensors along a longitudinal direction of the free-fall object and the processing unit may be adapted to derive the sliding resistance on the free-fall object as a function of the speed. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that not only shear resistance can be determined, but also that shear resistance can be determined as a function of speed. It is furthermore an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the sliding resistance as a function of the speed can be obtained based on data for a single fall trajectory for the free fall object. The computerized system can itself be a free-fall object, the input means and the processing unit being integrated in the free-fall object. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the various components needed to accurately determine the nautical bottom, the bottom structure and / or the bottom type can be integrated into a single integrated system. The free-fall object may comprise a transmission unit for forwarding the results to a position above the water surface of the waterway. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the results can be directly consulted at a position above the water surface of a waterway. The processing unit can moreover be adapted to derive one or more of the nautical bottom, the bottom type or the bottom structure based on the density, the viscosity and / or the depth. It is an advantage of the embodiments of the present invention that information can be obtained that is directly useful for the evaluation of navigation.
    The present invention also relates to a method for obtaining information regarding a waterway, the method comprising receiving accelerometer data from an accelerometer on a free fall object and deriving at least one of the density, viscosity or depth of soil based on the accelerometer data.
    The derivation may include the derivation of at least the density based on the accelerometer data. The derivation may include the derivation of the density based on the buoyancy by the volume displaced by the free-fall object during its fall trajectory in the liquid.
    The derivation may include the derivation of the density, the viscosity or the depth of the soil based on acceleration / deceleration of the free-fall object, the buoyancy through the displaced volume and one or more of friction or pore pressure. Hereby mass information and information concerning at least one dimension of the free-fall object of which the accelerometer data is obtained can be taken into account, a lateral surface along the length of the free-fall object used and / or the diameter of the free fall object.
    The derivation may include derivation in which a pressure measurement obtained with the free-fall object is taken into account and / or in which an optical or mechanical sensor measurement obtained with the free-fall object is taken into account.
    The method can use optical or mechanical sensor measurements to derive the shear stress and determine at least one, more or all of the density, viscosity or depth based on the shear stress for cross-checking density, viscosity and / or gain depth based on the accelerometer data. The method may further include deriving the shear stress based on the accelerometer data.
    The method may further include deriving the shear stress as a function of the speed based on a single fall experiment with a free-fall object.
    The method may include forwarding the processed results from the processing unit on the free-fall object to a position above the water surface of the waterway.
    The present invention also relates to a free-fall impact object for obtaining information concerning a waterway, the free-fall impact object comprising an accelerometer for determining accelerometer data and a processing unit programmed to measure at least one of the density, viscosity and / or depth of derive a bottom based on the accelerometer data. The free fall impact object can contain a computerized system as described above.
    The present invention also relates to a computer program product for when it is executed on a computer, performing a method as described above. The computer program product can also be a web application.
    The present invention also relates to a machine-readable data storage device on which the computer program product is stored as described above and is also related to transmission of such a computer program product over a local or broad domain of telecommunications network.
    The present invention also relates to a free-fall impact object for obtaining information concerning a waterway, wherein the free-fall impact object is an elongated free-fall impact object and wherein the object comprises a row of optical and / or mechanical sensors arranged along the length of the elongated free fall impact object. It is an advantage of the embodiments of the present invention that a system is provided that allows the sliding resistance to be determined as a function of the speed based on a single falling trajectory of the object. The free fall impact object may comprise a processing unit that is programmed to derive, based on the data obtained with the row of sensors and based on data on depth measurements correlated with the data obtained with the row of sensors, of the sliding resistance as a function of the speed. The free-fall impact object can also contain a computerized system with features as discussed in other parts of the description.
    The present invention also relates to a computerized system for obtaining information concerning a waterway, wherein the computerized system comprises an input means for obtaining optical and / or mechanical measurement results of a row of optical and / or mechanical sensors along the length of an elongate free-fall impact object and for obtaining depth measurements, and a processing unit comprises programmed for correlating the depth measurements with the optical and / or mechanical measurement results and for deriving, based on the correlated measurement data, the shear stress as a function of the speed.
    The present invention also relates to a computerized method for obtaining information from a waterway, the method comprising obtaining optical and / or mechanical measurement results from a row of optical and / or mechanical sensors along the length of an elongated free-fall object and for obtaining depth measurements, correlating the depth measurements with the optical and / or mechanical measurement results and deriving, based on the correlated measurement data, the shear stress as a function of the speed.
    The present invention also relates to a computer program product for - when executed on a computer, performing a method as described above. The computer program product can be a web application. The present invention also relates to a machine-readable data storage device on which the computer program product is stored as described above and is also related to transmission of such a computer program product over a local or broad domain of telecommunications network.
    The present invention also relates to a free-fall impact object for obtaining information concerning a waterway, wherein the free-fall impact object has a head piece with a tuning fork mounted thereon for directly measuring the density during the falling path of the free-fall impact object .
    The present invention also relates to a free-fall impact object for obtaining information concerning a waterway, wherein the free-fall impact object comprises a row of resistance sensors for measuring the resistance of a sediment in the waterway along the fall trajectory of the free-fall impact object.
    The present invention also relates to a free-fall impact object for obtaining information concerning a waterway, wherein the free-fall impact object comprises at least two pressure sensors, wherein a pressure sensor is positioned on the head portion of the free-fall impact object and wherein a pressure sensor is positioned on the tail part of the free-fall impact object, to derive the density based on a pressure difference measured between the at least two pressure sensors.
    The present invention also relates to a free-fall impact object for obtaining information concerning a waterway, wherein the free-fall impact object comprises a sampling element for taking samples of the sediment during the fall trajectory or in the event of a free-fall impact object. The sample-taking element may comprise a tube and a shut-off valve, the shut-off valve for example based on a ball seal and / or for example positioned at the end of the tube, for sealing the tube during the retrieval of the free-fall impact object to the water surface. In this way the sample cannot leave the tube when the free fall impact object is brought back to the surface of the water. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the system allows deep penetration into the mud layers. The latter can simplify the detection of critical layers on the bottom of water columns.
    It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that accurate detection of the bottom type, including a determination of the nautical bottom, can be achieved. The high degree of accuracy can, for some embodiments, be further supported by electronic measurements of the penetration parameters. It is an advantage of the embodiments of the present invention that an advanced data analysis can take place and that this analysis can assist in further accurate identification of the bottom characteristics, including the nautical bottom.
    It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the operating cost for the system can be low. The system can be made so that it is easy to manipulate, because it can be small, for example. The system can be easily handled from a small vessel.
    It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that methods and systems can be provided that are simple and reliable in use, as well as allowing a consistent mode of operation. Some embodiments can be robustly designed which can contribute to reliability. Some embodiments allow the impact object to be dropped into the water in any direction or orientation and the impact object adjusts in orientation during the fall to have a suitable direction of impact.
    The present invention also relates to a free fall impact object with a head piece adapted to have impact with a layer on or near the bottom of a waterway, as well as with a distinguishable body or casing, wherein the head piece has a largest diameter that is larger than the diameter of the body or the mantle for at least a part of the length of the body or the mantle. The body or mantle is typically downstream with regard to a free-falling impact object.
    The part of the body / mantle can be at least 25% of the length of the body / mantle, or at least 50% of the length of the body / mantle, or at least 75% of the length of the body / mantle or the largest diameter of the headpiece may be greater than any diameter along the entire length of the body / shell. If the condition applies to a part of the body / mantle, this may be for the part of the body / mantle that is furthest away from the head.
    The present invention also relates to a method for obtaining information concerning a waterway, comprising the method, obtaining two sets of shear stress data for an area of interest (or a single point or different points where the sediment is expected to be the same behavior), where the first set was obtained by using a free-fall penetrometer with a wider head portion compared to the full-length diameter of the body and where the second set was obtained by using a free-fall penetrometer with a wider head portion and first portion of the body compared to the width of the remaining portion of the body. Free-fall penetrometers that can be used for this are described above. The method further comprises determining the body's mantle resistance based on the two sets of data.
    The present invention also relates to a method for obtaining information concerning a waterway, the method comprising receiving shear strength data for a free-fall penetrometer having a first rate of impact on the sediment at a given location and receiving shear strength data for the free-fall penetrometer system at a second speed upon impact on the sediment at that particular location, and determining the viscosity of the sediment based on the ratio of the difference in shear strength to the difference in speed. The method may include varying the speed by changing the weight of the free-fall object or by varying the fall height of the free-fall object.
    Specific and preferred aspects of the invention are included in the appended independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims can be combined with features of the independent claims and with features of other dependent claims as appropriate and not merely as explicitly stated in the claims. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described below.
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an impact object with an integrated computer system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 2 shows a model for the forces on an impact object, such as can be used in embodiments according to the present invention.
    FIG. 3 illustrates theoretical deceleration and speed curves, such as can be used in embodiments of the present invention.
    FIG. 4 illustrates a speed profile for an in situ measurement for a depth of 10.5m, as can be used in embodiments of the present invention.
    FIG. 5 illustrates energy loss measurements of an in situ measurement for a free-fall object, such as can be achieved by an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 6 illustrates a density profile made based on the Reynolds formula, as can be used in an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 7 illustrates a free-fall impact object including a pressure sensor for determining the depth and density of the penetrated layers, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 8 illustrates a free-fall impact object that includes a tuning fork, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 9 illustrates a free-fall impact object that includes a rotating element for measuring the resistance of the bottom material, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 10 illustrates a free-fall impact object that includes a shear-resistance sensor, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 11 illustrates a free-fall impact object that includes a system for measuring resistivity, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 12 illustrates a free-fall object that includes a sampling element for taking samples from the bottom, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 13 illustrates an example of two speed curves determined by acceleration measurements and pressure measurements, from which the density can be derived, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 14 (a) and (b) illustrate the acceleration and speed as a function of depth as obtained by acceleration measurements, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. (A) and (b) illustrate the density and shear stress as a function of depth as obtained by calculation based on the losses of the impact object, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 16 illustrates the viscosity as a function of the depth as derived from the speed and the shear stress, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 illustrates a free fall penetrometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the head piece of the free fall penetrometer has a largest diameter that is larger than the diameter of the casing, along its entire length.
    FIG. 18 illustrates a free-fall penetrometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the headpiece and a portion of the casing has a largest diameter greater than the diameter of the remaining portion of the casing along its length.
    FIG. 19 illustrates experimental results of shear stress data as obtained with a free fall penetrometer as shown in FIG. 17 and in FIG. 18, as well as the sheath resistance obtained on the basis of this shear stress, illustrative of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    FIG. 20 illustrates determining the viscosity of a sediment based on shear strength measurements for different velocities of the impact object penetrating an area of interest, illustrative of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    The figures are only schematic and non-limiting. In the figures, the dimensions of some parts may be exaggerated and not represented to scale for illustrative purposes.
    Detailed description of illustrative embodiments
    Numerous specific details are set forth in the description provided here. In any case, it is understood that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other cases, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail to keep this description clear. The present invention will be described with reference to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings, however, the invention is not limited thereto but is only limited by the claims. The described drawings are only schematic and not restrictive. In the drawings, the dimensions of some elements may be increased for illustrative purposes and not drawn to scale.
    Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims are used to distinguish similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, neither in time, nor spatially, nor in ranking, or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms used in this way are suitable under interchangeable conditions and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operating in a different order than described or depicted herein. It is to be noted that the term "contains", as used in the claims, is not to be construed as being limited to the means described thereafter; this term does not exclude other elements or steps. It can therefore be interpreted as specifying the presence of the listed features, values, steps or components referred to, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, values, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the term "a device containing means A and B" should not be limited to devices that consist only of components A and B.
    Where in embodiments of the present invention reference is made to a waterway, reference is made to a navigable body of water such as a river, a canal, a sea, a lake, an ocean, etc.
    Where in embodiments according to the present invention reference is made to "nautical bottom" or "nautical bottom level" reference is made to the depth at which the physical characteristics of the bottom of a waterway reach a critical limit above which normal navigation is no longer possible. The nautical bottom can be defined as the level where the physical characteristics of the bottom reach critical limits above which contact between the bottom and the keel of the ship influences the controllability and maneuverability of the ship.
    Where in embodiments according to the present inventions reference is made to "soil structure" or "soil type" or "soil type identification", reference is made to the classification of the soil type based on physical parameters of the measured soil based on e.g. the density, shear stress, viscosity or other physical parameters that can identify a soil type.
    Where in embodiments of the present invention reference is made to an accelerometer, reference is made to an apparatus adapted to determine the acceleration or deceleration of an object. Where in embodiments of the present invention reference is made to shear stress, reference is made to the stress occurring parallel or tangentially to the surface of the material.
    Where in embodiments of the present invention reference is made to density, reference is made to the typical values used in ports for determining the nautical bottom. The nautical bottom is determined as the depth at which the mud reaches a density of 1200 kg / m3.
    In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a computerized system for obtaining information concerning a waterway. This information can be, for example, the nautical bottom, although other information such as the type of soil or the soil structure or information related to it can also be obtained. The computerized system may be a system comprising an input means for receiving accelerometer data from an accelerometer positioned on an impact object, for example a free-fall object such as a free-fall penetrometer. Such an input means may be adapted to receive data in real time, quasi real time or to receive data from a storage device. The system also includes a processing unit that is programmed to determine at least one, a combination or all of the density, viscosity or depth of the soil based on the accelerometer data. The processor may be any processor such as, for example, a general-purpose processor that is programmed to perform the derivation. It can be a microprocessor, an FPGA, ... Based on one or more properties that have been derived, a characteristic parameter such as the nautical bottom, a bottom type or a bottom structure can be determined. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that characterization can be performed during or based on a single continuous fall trajectory of a free fall object.
    As indicated above, the computerized system comprises a processing means. According to embodiments of the present invention, the processing unit is adapted to determine a nautical bottom, a bottom structure, a bottom type, ... The processing unit as described above comprises a means for deriving information about a waterway from the accelerometer data and optionally from one or more pressure data, acoustic data, resistivity data and other physical and chemical information concerning the impact with a mud layer. The processing unit may be adapted to detect, based on this information, a deceleration of the impact object from the penetration of the impact object into a low mud and related to the loss of energy due to the shear stress and the pore pressure. The processing unit may be adapted to determine the density of a mud layer based on intrusion into the mud layer based on the information received. The processing unit may be adapted to determine, based on the information received, the thickness of the mud layers by means of a given density based on penetration into the mud layers. The processing unit may be adapted to determine, based on the information received, the thickness of the mud layers by means of a certain shear stress based on penetration into the mud layers. The processing unit can be adapted to determine the thickness of the mud layers by means of a certain resistance based on penetration into the mud layers.
    The processing unit may further comprise an element for coupling position information regarding the position of the impact object to the information regarding the type of soil structure as determined with the impact object.
    The computerized system can be integrated into the free-fall impact object, or in other words, there are also embodiments of the present invention that relate to a free-fall impact object that include such a computerized system. Alternatively, the computerized system can also be separate from the free-fall impact object, and the computer-based system can, for example, typically be placed on a ship or ashore during the free-fall impact measurement.
    By way of illustration, an exemplary system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a free-fall impact object 100 comprising an accelerometer 110 and a computerized system 200. The computerized system comprises an input means 210 for receiving or obtaining data comprising at least accelerometer data and a processing unit 220 for deriving properties or characteristics based on the received data. The computerized system 200 optionally further comprises a memory 230 for receiving and storing data from at least one sensor, and / or an output means 240, such as, for example, any type of output port, a network connection such as a wireless network connection, etc. Flet impact object can furthermore comprise an interface for connecting the object to a calculation unit and / or an imaging element, after the impact object has been lifted.
    A free fall impact object can also comprise one or more further sensors 120. Examples of sensors that can be provided are pressure sensors in the object's head, pressure sensors in the object's tail, optical and / or mechanical sensors, resistance sensors, rows of resistance sensors, additional accelerometers, shear stress sensors, differential pressure sensors, etc. A number of these sensors are discussed with reference to specific embodiments, which can be combined with one another, so the combinations thereof also fall under the present invention. Typically, one or more of these sensors may be integrated and adapted for sensing parameters, during free fall or in case of impact with the subsurface, so as to, for example, use physical characteristics of the waterway, such as, for example, the sediment layers under water. determine. Flet impact object can furthermore comprise a controller for controlling the speed, rotation and the presence of couples on the free fall impact object.
    In one embodiment, the system may include at least a first and a second impact object, wherein at least one of the two impact objects is an impact object as described above. The first and second impact objects are thereby adapted to be used simultaneously and are adapted for use as a transmitter / receiver system for a resistive, acoustic or electromagnetic based measurement.
    By way of illustration, in which embodiments of the present invention are not limited by this illustration and without the described theoretical considerations being limiting, a specific example is discussed below on how the properties of the data can be derived. It should be noted that the formalism used is merely exemplary of the principles that can be applied according to embodiments of the present invention.
    According to embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the free-fall impact object comprises at least one accelerometer. Braking and / or acceleration measurements can be obtained by using this accelerometer. In one embodiment, the speed of the free fall impact object is also determined by integrating the accelerometer measurement data over time, and the position can also be determined by integrating the speed over time.
    FIG. 2 is an illustration of the forces acting on a free-fall impact object in a liquid. The downward force FDown is gravity. The upward force Fup is a combination of the buoyancy and the friction that are directed in the opposite direction to gravity. FIG. 3 is an illustration of the behavior of the free-fall impact object in a muddy layer under water, starting from the launch of the object above water. The acceleration 302 and the speed 304 are shown as a function of the depth 306. Initially, when the free fall impact object is retained, the acceleration 302 and the speed 304 are zero. As soon as the impact object is released, the acceleration 302 of the impact object during the period that the object is not yet in the water (ie still in air) is equal to lg (la in FIG. 3) and the speed increases linearly (2a in FIG. 3). When the impact object ends up in the water, the upward force strongly increases and the impact object slows (1b in FIG. 3). Under water, the force is related to the buoyancy and the frictional force directed in the opposite direction to the direction of gravity.
    The frictional force depends on the velocity 304 of the impact object and at a certain velocity 304 the buoyancy and the friction will compensate for gravity and there is no net force on the impact object (1c in FIG. 3). At that time, the object has reached its final speed (2b in FIG. 3).
    The moment the impact object reaches the mud layer, the braking increases sharply (Id in FIG. 3). The speed 304 of the impact object decreases (2c in FIG. 3) as well as the friction related to it. Due to the reduction of the frictional force, the deceleration reaches a maximum and then falls further to zero (Ie in FIG. 3). According to an embodiment, the energy balance comparison for the free fall penetrometer can be solved based on the acceleration 302, speed 304 and position parameters determined by the accelerometer measurement data, wherein, for example, the processes described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 will be charged. In the following description, the liquid sediment is considered a Newtonian liquid, which is an approximation. This approach nevertheless allows sufficiently accurate results for the derived parameters, such as density. Consequently, the density and other parameters in this example refer to Newtonian fluid behavior.
    At the starting point, which is the level at which the free fall impact object is released, the impact object has a certain potential energy. By dropping it, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. The free fall penetrometer is braked at the moment of impact with the water surface. This level can be used as the starting point of the depth measurements. Once under water, the free fall penetrometer accelerates until it reaches its end speed Vterminai. The final speed of an underwater object is determined by
    where m is the mass of the penetrometer, p is the density of the penetrated fluid, g the gravity is constant and b is the resistance coefficient.
    The energy balance comparison for each stretch of section with a length h is given by for the free fall section
    During the free fall trajectory, the object uses potential energy to generate kinetic energy and to compensate for losses.
    At the final speed, the kinetic energy is constant since the speed is constant. Therefore, the energy generated when changing to potential energy is entirely attributable to losses. When the free fall penetrometer slows down, this means that more energy is lost than is generated by conversion of potential energy. There are three types of losses for the falling object that can be charged.
    These three types of losses are expressed in Joule.
    First there are the losses caused by the movement of the liquid during the fall trajectory.
    These losses are determined by the formula
    where p is the density, V is the volume, g is the gravitational constant and h is the fall height. The second type of loss is the resistance loss. Three examples for the determination of resistance loss are discussed here.
    A first method of determination is for a falling object whose speed is small so that the resistance losses are determined by laminar currents and so that the resistance loss can be determined based on the formula
    wherein b is the resistance coefficient at low speed (i.e. at low
    Reynolds number), v is the speed of the falling object and h is the fall height. The resistance coefficient b is a unique parameter of the falling object and the resistance coefficient is assumed to be constant for a given medium. During the fall, the different layers of medium can be identified on the deceleration curve. For each layer of medium, an experimental resistance coefficient will be used in the calculation. The use of the resistance coefficient can be avoided in the equations by replacing the resistance losses with the shear stress losses.
    A second method of determination is for a falling object that has high speed. In this case, the resistance losses are determined by turbulent currents and can be calculated based on the formula
    where p is the density, v is the speed of the falling object, A is the area of the falling object, C <j is the resistance coefficient at high speed (i.e. with a high Reynolds number) and h is the falling height. A and Q are characteristics of the falling object and are therefore important in determining the density or viscosity. The resistance coefficient Cd is a unique parameter of the falling object and the resistance coefficient is considered constant for a given medium. During the fall, the different layers of medium can be identified on the deceleration curve. For each layer of medium, an experimental resistance coefficient will be used in the calculation. The use of the resistance coefficient can be avoided in the equations by replacing the resistance losses with the shear stress losses.
    A third way of determining the resistance loss is by means of the shear stress on the casing of the falling object. It is determined based on the formula
    where r is the shear stress and A is the surface of the surface sheath and h is the drop height.
    In advantageous embodiments of the present invention, specific characteristics of the free-fall impact object can be taken into account when processing to derive one or more of the density, viscosity, or depth. Typical characteristics of the free fall impact object that can be taken into account by the processing unit and that can be provided as input for the input means are one or more of the mass, the jacket surface (side surface) of the free fall impact object, the diameter of the free fall impact object, an area of the head piece of the free fall impact object, a volume of the free fall impact object, etc.
    The third type of losses that occur with the free fall of an object are caused by the pore pressure that can be built up at the penetration point of the falling object (= the object's head). This pore pressure is often not taken into account in calculations, but can be taken into account if an additional pressure sensor is provided in the head of the falling object. The loss in power on the head can be deduced from the measured pressure on the head by the formula p.Avv, where Ai is the surface of the head, p is the pressure due to the additional pore pressure and v is the speed of the free-falling object. Based on the comparison
    the density p can be determined and as soon as p is determined, all other parameters can also be derived, such as the shear stress r and the viscosity.
    The computerized system and / or the free-fall impact object according to the first aspect can furthermore comprise additional components that implement at least part of the methods as described in the following aspect or an embodiment thereof.
    In a second aspect, the present invention also relates to a method for obtaining information regarding a waterway. The acquisition of information may, for example, include the detection of the level of the nautical bottom underwater, but may also include the determination of a bottom structure or bottom type. The method according to embodiments of the present invention comprises receiving accelerometer data from an accelerometer on a free-fall object and deriving at least one of the density, viscosity or depth of a soil based on the accelerometer data. In addition, shear stress can also be determined. Receiving accelerometer data may include receiving accelerometer data via an input means, also called input port, based on measurements made with a free fall impact object remotely or via an input means in direct connection with the accelerometer for an integrated computerized system. Receiving accelerometer data may, for example, release an impact object under the water surface, comprising at least one accelerometer and advantageously also one or more pressure sensors and shear stress sensors, and inducing a delay due to impact on a mud layer below the surface. water surface. The method may also include obtaining, upon penetration into a mud layer, kinetic energy, speed, position, shear stress and pore pressure based on acceleration information to determine information about the waterway such as the nautical bottom in the sediment, a bottom or mud structure, etc. . The method may also include receiving one or more of a chemical signal, a signal from a resistive measurement, a signal from an acoustic backscatter measurement, a shock and ultrasonic test signal, a signal from an optical backscatter measurement and a signal from an electromagnetic backscatter measurement, and include calculating the nautical bottom based on these signals. The method may further include obtaining location coordinates associated with the position of the impact device and linking the location coordinates with information regarding the soil structure obtained with the impact device. The method may furthermore comprise using a second impact device simultaneously, and using these impact devices as a transmitter and receiver in a resistive, acoustic or electromagnetic measurement.
    In one embodiment, based on the acceleration, speed and position parameters, the motion comparison of the free fall impact device can be solved. The motion comparison of a free-falling object under water is:
    true
    and
    the acceleration and speed of the free fall impact device. The density p and the resistance coefficient b are both parameters depending on the sediment type or mud type invaded. The comparison can also be made by replacing -bdy / dt with the high-speed resistance coefficient,% .p.A.v2.Cd, in the event that the free-falling object reaches higher speeds.
    To determine the density of the mud layers in an alternative way, e.g. as a check, for confirmation or for fine tuning, additional methods can be applied, typically using additional sensors. Consequently, several additional sensors can be integrated into the free-fall impact device. The first way to measure density via a free-fall impact device is to integrate two pressure sensors. One sensor is located near the head of the free fall impact device and one sensor is integrated near the tail of the free fall impact device at a fixed distance from each other. The pressure difference gives an indication of the density based on the Bernouilli equation as follows:
    . When the comparison is worked out in every pressure sensor, this shows that
    because the fluid velocity is constant at every point. This results in
    where h is the fixed distance between the two pressure sensors. In one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a system and method for determining a density in a waterway or a soil structure thereof based on this principle. The system and method are adapted to determine density on the basis of a pressure difference between two pressure sensors in a free-fall impact device and on the basis of the Bernouilli comparison. The principles are also shown in FIG. 7, on which two integrated pressure sensors 702, 704 are represented in an impact device, as well as the distance h1, the distance h between the sensors, the distance h2 and the liquid velocity v. The results for this method may show some deviations from other methods since the pressure build-up in the sensor will not only depend on the depth and density of the material, but also on other factors such as pore pressure. Pore pressure is a local pressure increase due to the sediment grains in the liquid mud that behave like a local valve and that prevent the water in the mud at the top of the free fall impact device from flowing away.
    An alternative way to measure the density is through a tuning fork installed on the head of the free fall penetrometer. The resonant frequency of the tuning fork shifts depending on the variation of the density of the invaded layers. In one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a system and method for determining a density in a waterway or a bottom structure thereof based on a resonance shift occurring in a tuning fork of a free fall impact device. The tuning fork can comprise two elongated parts separated from each other and can comprise a processing unit to monitor the resonance shift. An example of such a system is shown in FIG. 8 showing a piezo transducer 802 and a tuning fork 804.
    In certain embodiments of the present invention, the system and method are adapted to measure a pore density. Two examples of how pore density can be measured are discussed as an illustration. In one example, the density on the head can be measured using a movable head and a pressure sensor. The pressure that is built up on the head of the free fall impact device during penetration into a mud layer is a measure of the pore pressure. An alternative system and method to measure pore pressure is by using a permeable ring or several openings in the head of the free fall penetrometer where the water that flows out when mud is pushed away at impact can flow in. This measures the pressure of the water in the mud at impact.
    An alternative way to measure the shear stress is by introducing a rotating shaft during the free fall. The variation in moment of force due to the friction on the rotating shaft is a measure of the shear stress. The variation of torque will result in a variation of current from the driving motor 902. This current will be a measure of the shear stress. In one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a system and method for determining a shear strength in a waterway or a bottom structure thereof based on a rotating element on the free-fall impact device and by monitoring rotation, e.g. power of a motor of a rotating element. For example, an example of such a system is shown in FIG. 9. The shear strength can be measured directly by integrating a single or multiple shear sensors in the sleeve of the free fall penetrometer. This sensor can be an optical or mechanical shear strength sensor. A series of shear strength sensors in the sleeve has the advantage of being able to measure the shear strength at different speeds in one point. When the free fall penetrometer penetrates a mud layer, it slows down as a result. At a point a stack of vertical sensors passes at different speeds. So the shear strength is measured at different speeds in one point. Due to the non-linear behavior and the non-Newtonian behavior of mud, the shear strength will also be non-linear over different speeds. Therefore, this type of measurement can cover this non-linear behavior. In one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a system and method for measuring the shear strength in a waterway or a bottom structure thereof using an integrated stack of shear stress sensors 1002, 1004, 1006, 008, 1010 which permits a method in which monitoring of shear stress is performed at a single point at different speeds. A corresponding system is shown in FIG. 10.
    In one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a system and method for determining a saltness in a waterway or a soil structure thereof. The system is adapted to measure the electrical resistance between different points along the path of the free fall impact device, eg with one electrical resistance sensor or a matrix of electrical resistance sensors. In FIG. 11, a corresponding system is shown with alternating positive poles 1102,1106, ... and negative poles 1104,1108.
    In one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a system and method for obtaining information about a waterway. The system and method is thereby adapted for sampling a sediment during a free fall of a free fall impact device. The free-fall impact device comprises a sampling tube, typically placed at the top of the free-fall impact device. The sampling tube may typically be provided with a valve so that a sediment sample is not lost when the free fall impact device is retrieved from the water. The method comprises launching a free-fall impact device, and automatically impact-filling the sampling tube with liquid mud by the acceleration induced by the free-fall conditions. After the liquid mud has been sampled, the method also includes automatically closing a valve upon retrieval to ensure that the liquid does not flow back while being pulled out of the mud layer. An example of such a system is shown in FIG. 12.
    The method may further comprise steps corresponding to the functionality of other components described for the system according to the first aspect of the present invention.
    In a further aspect, the present invention also relates to a computer program product for - when executed on a computer, performing a method as described above. The method may include receiving information. The information may thereby include information from the penetration into or removal from a soil structure of a free-fall impact object. Such an object can be adapted for determining the nautical bottom and / or for processing the information received for determining the nautical bottom in the penetrated bottom structure. The computer program product can be adapted to determine acceleration information (braking information), speed, position, shear stress of the impact object and to determine characteristics of the bottom based on this, including one or more of the nautical bottom, the bottom type and the soil structure.
    The present invention also relates to a machine-readable data storage device on which the computer program product is stored as described above and is also related to transmission of such a computer program product over a local or broad domain of telecommunications network.
    By way of illustration, an example of in situ measurements as obtained with embodiments of the present invention is discussed with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereby. FIG. 4 shows the evolution of the speed as a function of the depth of the impact object. FIG. 5 illustrates the result of the losses for the free fall impact object for an in situ measurement. The losses are the sum of the shear strength losses due to the penetration of the layers in combination with the displacement losses. In FIG. 6 shows the corresponding density 602 for the in situ measurement of the penetration of a free-fall impact object through layers. The density 602 is calculated on the basis of the losses due to displacement of the liquid mud by the free fall impact object in combination with the resistance losses. An example of a limit value of 1200 kg / m3 is also indicated by curve 604.
    In an exemplary embodiment, a method and system is described that is adapted to determine the top of a mud layer, by comparing speed curves obtained by pressure measurements and by means of accelerometers. By way of illustration, an exemplary algorithm is described below. The depth can be determined based on formula p = p.g.h and a pressure measurement with a pressure sensor. By differentiating, the speed of the penetrometer can be deduced. The speed can also be derived by integrating acceleration measurements. Comparison of the velocity curve derived from the pressure measurement and from the velocity curve derived from acceleration measurements teaches that a deviation is visible between the two curves at the top of the liquid mud layer. The increase in fluid density generates an increase in pressure on the sensor resulting in an apparent velocity increase, while the fluid density increase, according to fluid mechanics, causes a system delay. The exact displacement of the system is described by the accelerometers. The difference between the two curves is therefore an indication of the density. FIG. 13 illustrates the two speed curves determined by acceleration measurements and pressure measurements, for a zone of water 1302, a zone of liquid mud 1304 and a zone of consolidated mud 1306.
    In another example of an embodiment, methods and systems are described in which the top of a muddy layer and the top of a solid muddy layer is determined by means of a depth meter (echo sounder) and acoustic data. Using specific frequencies, the depth meter can give details about different soil layers. At a frequency of 210 kHz, the top of the liquid mud layer is visible. Turbulence can disrupt information regarding this level and in that case the identification of the top layer can be determined by using a density variation algorithm. The rheological transition layer between the liquid and solid mud layer can also be identified as a variation in rheology (shear resistance and viscosity) and / or the density. The underlying fixed hard layer can be detected with the depth meter at a frequency of 33 kHz.
    In yet another example of an embodiment, a system is described in which a free-fall penetrometer comprises acoustic sensors. Using such a system, an acoustic or seismic map can be made after penetrating the bottom.
    In yet another example of an embodiment, a method and system are described in which they are adapted to make a correlation between the loss of power and the necessary dredging power. In these embodiments, the energy loss of the free fall penetrometer in different layers of the soil is correlated with the energy required to dredge these layers.
    In yet another exemplary embodiment, a system and method are provided in which complementary CPT probing data is obtained to correlate it with free fall penetrometer data. Often CPT probes on land next to the waterway are taken when the soil structure under a waterway or canal needs to be analyzed and the results obtained (e.g. composition of layers) are extrapolated to the waterway. The new sediment layers in the waterway cannot be determined by CPT probing. Therefore, some measurements can be done with the help of a free fall
    Penetrometer in the waterway, the CPT probing data obtained on land complements.
    By way of illustration, with reference to figures, FIG. 14 to FIG. 16, the use of accelerometer data according to embodiments of the present invention is discussed. In FIG. 14 (a) the acceleration 1406 of the object is displayed. The speed can be determined from this acceleration. The thus obtained speed 1402 is shown in FIG. 14 (b). Deviation from the theoretical curve 1404 is indicative of the fact that the object has reached a layer with higher density. By calculating the losses for the object, the losses can be assigned to different forces. One of the forces at play here is the sliding resistance on the mantle of the instrument. Based on the losses, the sliding resistance can be determined, as shown in FIG. 15 (b). The resistance is also responsible for the losses, just like the buoyancy. The density can be calculated from the resistance losses on the basis of formula Fdrag = Cd.p.v2.A in liquid mud. This is shown in FIG. 15 (a). In combination with the pressure sensors, the density variation can be determined more accurately if the depth is known by formula p = p.g.h. The viscosity can also be determined from the speed and the shear resistance, as shown in FIG. 16.
    In one aspect, the present invention also relates to a specifically formed free-fall Penetrometer. The free fall penetrometer according to embodiments of the present invention includes a head adapted to undergo an impact with one or more soil layers in the waterway. The free fall penetrometer further comprises a distinguishable body. The body of the free fall penetrometer is that part of the free fall penetrometer that interacts with the layer to be measured later and less than the head of the free fall penetrometer, in a classic penetrometer experiment. According to embodiments of the present invention, the head of the penetrometer comprises a largest diameter - measured in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the object - that is larger than the diameter of the body (when measured in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the object ) for at least 25% of the length of the body, preferably at least 50% of the length of the body, preferably at least 75% of the length of the body. The head may have any suitable shape, such as, for example, a conical shape. When reference is made to the body, reference may also be made to its outer wall, being the mantle. Thus, according to specific embodiments, the free fall penetrometer head may be a broadened head, for example a broadened conical head, with a largest diameter larger than the diameter of the body or the jacket of the penetrometer. In FIG. 17 an example of such an embodiment is shown. When a bottom layer is penetrated with a head that has a largest diameter larger than the diameter of the jacket, the jacket resistance is limited during the penetration. In alternative embodiments, the largest diameter of the head and of a portion of the body, i.e., the sheath, is larger than the diameter of the remaining portion of the sheath. The part of the casing that also has the larger diameter can, for example, be the part that is positioned closest to the head. In FIG. 18 an example is given of such a widened head and widened portion of the sheath, the head and the first portion of the sheath having a larger diameter - when measured in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the object - than the remaining part of the mantle. When penetrating into the sediment layers with such a free fall penetrometer, the sheath resistance is limited to the resistance for the first widened portion. The free fall penetrometer can also include other elements, such as, for example, standard and / or optional elements as described in other embodiments and / or aspects of the invention or standard and / or optional features known to those skilled in the art.
    In a related aspect, the present invention also relates to a method for obtaining information regarding a waterway. The obtaining of information can for instance comprise the detection of a nautical bottom under water, but can also comprise the determination of a bottom structure and / or bottom type. The method according to embodiments of the present invention comprises receiving two sets of shear resistance data in an area of interest (e.g., one point or a few points for which the same behavior is expected).
    A set of shear resistance data may include at least one value representative of the shear resistance in a given area). A first set of shear resistance data has been determined according to embodiments of the present invention with the aid of a penetrometer with a broadened head piece, as described in a specific embodiment in the previous aspect and a second set of shear resistance data has been determined according to embodiments of the present invention with using a penetrometer with a widened head piece and a partially widened casing piece, as described in another specific embodiment of the foregoing aspect. Moreover, the method also includes the determination of the sheath resistance, based on the two data sets. For example, the determination of the sheath resistance may be based on reducing the combined point resistance at any depth by the total resistance. The total resistance is the resistance obtained through the use of a free-fall penetrometer with a widened conical head piece and a widened first portion of the jacket. The point resistance is the resistance obtained with a free fall penetrometer that only has a broadened head piece and no broadened jacket. The casing resistance is determined by making the difference between the total resistance and the point resistance. In FIG. 19 two profiles are shown, one of which is a profile for a free-fall object with a pointed broadened head piece but without a widened casing 1902 (point resistance for a penetrometer penetrating into the position) and one profile for a free-fall object with a broadened head piece and partly widened sheath piece 1904 (total resistance), the third curve shows the pure sheath resistance 1906, resulting from the difference between the total resistance and the point resistance at each point of the fall trajectory. To obtain the shear resistance data sets, methods can be used as described in one or more of the embodiments or aspects of the present invention. The method can herein also comprise other elements, such as for example standard and / or optional features as described in embodiments or aspects elsewhere in the description and / or standard and / or optional features as known to those skilled in the art. The present invention also relates to a corresponding computerized method, a processor for performing the method and a controller for controlling a free-fall penetrometer system to make the necessary measurements for the described method.
    In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for obtaining information concerning a waterway. The obtaining of information can for instance comprise the detection of a nautical bottom under water, but can also comprise the determination of a bottom structure and / or bottom type. The method according to embodiments of the present invention comprises varying the speed of a penetrometer penetrating the sediment at a particular location (one point or a few points that are expected to exhibit a similar profile) and collecting data for different speeds of the penetrometer. The method also includes determining shear resistance data for the different speeds. Although the measurements cannot take place at the exact same point, it can be assumed that two neighboring points will show a similar soil profile. To obtain the shear resistance data, methods can be used as described in one or more of the embodiments or aspects of the present invention. The method also includes determining the ratio between the difference in shear resistance for different speeds of the penetrometer to the difference in speeds for determining the viscosity. The viscosity can thus be determined as the ratio of the difference in shear resistance for different speeds used to determine the shear resistance to the difference in the speeds used. Varying the speed can be done in various ways, such as changing the penetrometer or changing the fall height. The method is based on taking at least two measurements. By way of illustration, the principle of the method is shown in FIG. 20. The sliding resistance as a function of the speed is shown. The slope is representative of the viscosity of the sediment. The method may also include other elements such as, for example, standard and / or optional features as described in embodiments or aspects elsewhere in the specification and / or standard and / or optional features as known to those skilled in the art. The present invention also relates to a corresponding computerized method, a processor for performing the method and a controller for controlling a free-fall penetrometer system to take the necessary measurements for the described method.
    Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the foregoing description, these figures and description are to be considered as illustrative or exemplary and not limiting. The invention is not limited to the specifically described embodiments.
    The foregoing description provides details of certain embodiments of the invention. It will be understood, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing may appear in text, the invention can be applied in many ways. It should be noted that the use of particular terminology in describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be construed to imply that the terminology is redefined herein to be limited to specific features of the features or aspects of the invention with which this terminology is linked.
    权利要求:
    Claims (20)
    [1]
    A computerized system for obtaining information concerning a waterway, comprising the system - an input means for receiving accelerometer data from an accelerometer on a free fall object, - a processing unit programmed to derive one of the densities, viscosity or depth of a soil based on accelerometer data, in which the system is adapted to determine the speed of the free-fall impact object by integrating the accelerometer data over time and to determine the position by integrating the speed over time .
    [2]
    A computerized system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is programmed to derive the density based on an acceleration / deceleration of the free-fall object, the buoyancy and one or more of friction and pore pressure.
    [3]
    A computerized system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the system is adapted to interact with or includes a free-fall object and wherein the processing unit is programmed to provide mass information of the free-fall object and information regarding at least one dimension of to charge free-fall object and / or to charge, for a free-fall object that is an elongated object, a lateral surface along the length of the elongated object and / or to charge the diameter of the free-fall object for determining at least one of the density, viscosity or depth of the soil.
    [4]
    A computerized system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit is programmed to charge for one or a combination of the volume, length, resistance coefficient or friction coefficient of the free-fall object.
    [5]
    A computerized system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit is also programmed to charge a pressure measurement obtained with the free fall object and / or a measurement of an optical or mechanical sensor obtained with the free fall object .
    [6]
    A computerized system according to claim 5, wherein the pressure measurement is provided in the head of the free-fall object to account for the pore pressure on the free-fall object.
    [7]
    A computerized system according to any of claims 5 or 6, wherein the processing unit is adapted to use the pressure sensor measurement or the optical sensor measurement or the mechanical sensor measurement for cross-checking, compensation or fine-tuning of the obtained value for the density, viscosity or depth.
    [8]
    A computerized system according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit is programmed to derive a shear stress based on the optical or mechanical sensor measurements and to derive the density, viscosity or depth based on this shear stress.
    [9]
    A computerized system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system is further adapted to derive a shear stress.
    [10]
    A computerized system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the free-fall object comprises a row of optical or mechanical sensors along the length of the free-fall object and wherein the processing unit is adapted to determine the shear stress on the free-fall object as function of the speed.
    [11]
    A method for obtaining information regarding a waterway, comprising the method - receiving accelerometer data from an accelerometer on a free-fall object, deriving at least one of the density, viscosity or depth of soil based on the accelerometer data wherein the method is adapted to determine the speed of the free-fall impact object by integrating the accelerometer data over time and to determine the position by integrating the speed over time.
    [12]
    A method according to claim 11, wherein the deduction comprises the derivation of at least the density, based on the accelerometer data.
    [13]
    A method according to claim 12, wherein the diverting comprises diverting the density based on the buoyancy through the volume displaced by the free-fall object during its fall trajectory in the liquid.
    [14]
    A method according to claim 13, deriving comprising deriving at least one of the density, viscosity or depth of the soil based on acceleration / deceleration of the free fall object, the buoyancy through the displaced volume and one or more of friction or pore pressure, taking into account mass information and information concerning at least one dimension of the free-fall object whose accelerometer data is obtained, taking into account a lateral surface along the length of the free-fall object used, and / or taking into account a diameter of the free fall object.
    [15]
    A method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, comprising deducting taking into account a pressure measurement obtained with the free-fall object and / or taking into account an optical or mechanical sensor measurement obtained with the free-fall object.
    [16]
    A method according to claim 15, wherein the method comprises the use of the optical or mechanical sensor measurements to derive the shear stress and determine one of the density, viscosity or depth based on the shear stress for cross-checking values for obtain the density viscosity or depth based on the accelerometer data.
    [17]
    A method according to any of claims 11 to 16, wherein the method further comprises deriving the shear stress based on the accelerometer data.
    [18]
    A method according to any one of claims 11 to 17, the method comprising deriving the shear stress as a function of the speed based on a single fall experiment with a free-fall object.
    [19]
    19. A free-fall impact object for obtaining information concerning a waterway, the free-fall impact object comprising an accelerometer for determining accelerometer data and a processing unit programmed to derive at least one of the density, viscosity or depth of a soil based on the accelerometer data, wherein the processing unit is adapted to determine the speed of the free fall impact object by integrating the accelerometer data over time and to determine the position by integrating the speed over time.
    [20]
    A free-fall impact object according to claim 19, wherein the free-fall impact object comprises a computerized system according to claims 1 to 10.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    EP2460939B1|2019-09-18|
    GB201020546D0|2011-01-19|
    EP2460939A1|2012-06-06|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    US4492111A|1981-10-07|1985-01-08|Kirkland James L|Rheological penetrometer|
    DE3834846A1|1988-10-13|1990-04-19|Jastram Werke|Method and device for the examination of the surface condition in terrain which is difficult to access or inaccessible|
    US5681982A|1995-11-01|1997-10-28|The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York|Probe for evaluating seafloor geoacoustic and geotechnical properties|
    EP2136180A2|2008-06-20|2009-12-23|M.D.C.E. Bvba|Method and system for measuring a rheological transition level|
    WO2010076295A2|2008-12-31|2010-07-08|Itelegance Bvba|System and method for sand detection|
    EP3045890A1|2015-01-16|2016-07-20|Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien|Device for determining the elastic properties of surfaces and floors and method for operating the device|
    CN110346536A|2019-07-01|2019-10-18|大连理工大学|A kind of a wide range of weak soil soil response continuous parameters measuring device|
    法律状态:
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    GB201020546|2010-12-04|
    GBGB1020546.6A|GB201020546D0|2010-12-04|2010-12-04|Determination of a waterway characteristic|
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