You may have heard of cofferdams, especially if you work in an industry where water intrusion is frequently a problem. There are many different types of cofferdams – coffer means ‘box’ so ‘cofferdam’ is simply a catch-all term for any type of dam that creates a box or wall to prevent water from going where it is not desired.
Most cofferdams are permanent, and their construction takes a great deal of time and effort, including the driving of steel piles deep into the earth in order to create the required stability. Some cofferdams though are required for a temporary need. It does not make sense for a temporary cofferdam to take up a great deal of time and money for its construction. This is where temporary cofferdams can be so beneficial.
A Water Inflated Cofferdam is an Excellent Example of Temporary Cofferdam Construction
A water-inflated cofferdam is one example of a temporary cofferdam. Such a cofferdam is almost like a pneumatic tube, like the inner tube of a bicycle wheel. Instead of air, though, such cofferdams are inflated using the very resource they are being used to contain – water! They are very easy to put in place and even easier to inflate. The installation of a water-filled cofferdam can be done in a short time. Compare this to the time needed to construct a cofferdam where you have to drive metal piles into the ground!
Removal is just as simple. The water that has provided the barrier within the cofferdam is released and pumped out. The cofferdam is then removed from the place where it was installed, cleaned, and then placed into storage. If handled with care, a water-inflated cofferdam can be used many times over.
So, in short, here are 6 benefits of temporary cofferdam construction as opposed to creating permanent or semi-permanent damming solutions.
6 Benefits of Temporary Cofferdam Construction
- Easy to install
- Can quickly provide a dry working environment
- Cost is much less than non-temporary cofferdams
- Installation can be achieved in only a few hours
- Completely reusable if handled with care
- Environmentally friendly
If you would like to know more about temporary cofferdam construction using water-inflated cofferdams, then the people you need to be speaking to could be found at Dam-It-Dams. We have years of experience in providing amazing water-filled cofferdams to all our customers, across the country and even around the world!