Abstract
The development of climbing robots for mooring chain applications are still in its infancy due to the operational complexity and the geometrical features of the chain. Mooring chains are subjected to high tidal waves, harsh environmental conditions and storms in daily basis. Therefore, the integrity assessment of chain links is vital and regular inspection is mandatory for offshore structures. The Magnetic adhesion tracked-wheel crawler robot technique presented in this study is suitable for mooring chain climbing both in air and underwater (in-situ conditions). The robotic platform which is presented in this paper can climb mooring chains at a maximum speed of 42 cm/minute with an external load of 50 N. A numerical study was conducted to investigate the adhesion module and structural design related analysis. Numerical results are validated using a prototyped robot in laboratory conditions. The proposed robot can be used as a platform to convey equipment i.e. tools for non-destructive testing applications.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1063-1074 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part I: Journal of Systems and Control Engineering |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 21 May 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Magnetic adhesion robot
- 09 Engineering
- Numerical modelling
- 01 Mathematical Sciences
- Inspection platform
- Mooring chain
- Robot Design
- Tracked-wheel crawler
- Crawler Robot
- Chain climbing robot