Caisson (engineering)

In geotechnical engineering, a caisson (/ˈkeɪsən, -sɒn/; borrowed from French caisson 'box', from Italian cassone 'large box', an augmentative of cassa) is a watertight retaining structure^[1] used, for example, to work on the foundations of a bridge pier, for the construction of a concrete dam,^[2] or for the repair of ships.^[3]

Caissons are constructed in such a way that the water can be pumped out, keeping the work environment dry. When piers are being built using an open caisson, and it is not practical to reach suitable soil, friction pilings may be driven to form a suitable sub-foundation. These piles are connected by a foundation pad upon which the column pier is erected.

Caisson engineering has been used since at least the 19th century, with three prominent examples being the Royal Albert Bridge (completed in 1859), the Eads Bridge (completed in 1874), and the Brooklyn Bridge (completed in 1883).^[4]

^ "Caisson" def. 3. Knight, Edward Henry. Knight's American mechanical dictionary A description of tools, instruments, machines, processes, and engineering; history of inventions; general technological vocabulary; and digest of mechanical appliances in science and the arts Archived 2021-03-02 at the Wayback Machine. vol. 1. Boston: Houghton, Osgood and Co., 1880. 420 Archived 2022-10-16 at the Wayback Machine. Print.
^ Aichel, Ordulf George. The caisson as a new element in concrete dam construction; a proposal made in connection with the Columbia River Power Project Archived 2022-03-02 at the Wayback Machine. New York: Spon & Chamberlain; [etc.], 1916. Print.
^ Wilson, Theodore Delavan, and Edward J. Reed. An outline of ship building, theoretical and practical Archived 2022-04-30 at the Wayback Machine. New York: J. Wiley & son, 1873. 383 Archived 2021-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. Print.
^ "The History of Caisson Drilling". Foundation Structures. 2 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2022-12-09.

[1] "Caisson" def. 3. Knight, Edward Henry. Knight's American mechanical dictionary A description of tools, instruments, machines, processes, and engineering; history of inventions; general technological vocabulary; and digest of mechanical appliances in science and the arts Archived 2021-03-02 at the Wayback Machine. vol. 1. Boston: Houghton, Osgood and Co., 1880. 420 Archived 2022-10-16 at the Wayback Machine. Print.

[2] Aichel, Ordulf George. The caisson as a new element in concrete dam construction; a proposal made in connection with the Columbia River Power Project Archived 2022-03-02 at the Wayback Machine. New York: Spon & Chamberlain; [etc.], 1916. Print.

[3] Wilson, Theodore Delavan, and Edward J. Reed. An outline of ship building, theoretical and practical Archived 2022-04-30 at the Wayback Machine. New York: J. Wiley & son, 1873. 383 Archived 2021-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. Print.

[4] "The History of Caisson Drilling". Foundation Structures. 2 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2022-12-09.

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