Expansion spool supports often create more issues than they solve.  Traditional sleepers create scour and freespan problems that often impede their operation as expansion supports.

Our custom-designed and patented product X-Matt provides an elegant solution to these problems, providing low friction supports for Z-spools and pipelines where thermal expansion can be expected.

X-Matt is a high-performance concrete mattress with a continuous HDPE surface for low friction, abrasion-free sliding.  X-Matt is based on a low profile, brick patterned mattress that stacks neatly on deck. It self-stabilises and does not promote scour.

Its ultra-low profile means free spans do not occur at the touchdown points. They also occupy minimal deck space when compared with conventional methods like sleeper supports. This reduces the cost of installation and maintenance.

X-Matt benefits: 

• The X-Matt provides extra long (10m+) expansion support to account for installation tolerances
• They do not require steel reinforcing over this length
• The brick pattern provides continuous support without the pipeline catching
• The large blocks provide excellent bearing capacity onto the sea bed
• They stack efficiently on deck compared with sleepers
• They are self stable and do not require scour skirts or mattress protection
• They are low profile avoiding the spanning issues at the touch down points associated with sleepers
• The Heavy Density Concrete mix design achieve an sg >3.0Te/m3
• The heavy density was very stable in Internal Waves and the cyclone design condition

 

Optimised stacking on deck.