cofferdam

cofferdam

cofferdam.
1. A temporary structure in the form of an enclosed dam which can be erected on the seabed or the bed of a river and pumped dry to enable men to work within it below water level without having to wear diving suits. They are used largely in harbour works and for the construction of the piers of bridges. See also caisson.

2. Heavy transverse bulkheads in large merchant vessels, particularly tankers, built as a safety measure between the holds or oil tanks. They consist of a double bulkhead with a narrow space between them, the space frequently being used for the carriage of oil fuel or water ballast.

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"cofferdam." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"cofferdam." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-cofferdam.html

"cofferdam." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-cofferdam.html

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cofferdam

cofferdam temporary barrier for excluding water from an area that is normally submerged. Made commonly of wood, steel, or concrete sheet piling (see pile ), cofferdams are used in constructing the foundations of dams, bridges, and similar subaqueous structures and for temporary drydocks. If double sheeting is utilized, the space between the sheets is usually filled with clay and gravel. When great strain or pressure is likely to be encountered, as in deep water, the pneumatic caisson is preferred to the cofferdam.

Bibliography: See L. White and E. A. Prentis, Cofferdams (2d ed. 1956).

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"cofferdam." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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cofferdam

cof·fer·dam / ˈkôfərˌdam; ˈkäfərˌdam/ • n. a watertight enclosure pumped dry to permit construction work below the waterline, as when building bridges or repairing a ship.

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"cofferdam." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"cofferdam." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-cofferdam.html

"cofferdam." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-cofferdam.html

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cofferdam

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"cofferdam." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Reusable Cofferdam Keeps Project Green.
Magazine article from: Texas Contractor; 7/7/2008
A River Runs Around It.(Whitaker Construction repairs sewer line with cofferdam)
Magazine article from: Rocky Mountain Construction; 7/25/2005
Batavia businesses want cofferdam removed.(News)
Newspaper article from: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL); 4/4/2008

Facts and information from other sites

cofferdam images
cofferdam. Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)