Large rectangular or cylindrical watertight boxes or chambers used in construction, especially when building bridges or tunnels underwater.
From French 'caisson' meaning 'large box,' derived from Latin 'capsa' meaning 'chest' or 'case.' The term evolved to describe specialized engineering structures used in underwater and foundation work.
Caissons were crucial inventions for 19th-century engineering—they're essentially giant diving bells filled with pressurized air that allowed workers to build deep underwater foundations. However, workers faced a deadly condition called 'the bends' from rapid pressure changes, which helped scientists understand how gases affect the human body.
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