For other uses of the word, see Trench (disambiguation).
A gas main being laid in a trench
A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit).[1]
In geology, trenches result from erosion by rivers or by geological movement of tectonic plates. In civil engineering, trenches are often created to install underground utilities such as gas, water, power and communication lines. In construction, trenches are dug for foundations of buildings, retaining walls and dams, and for cut-and-cover construction of tunnels. In archaeology, the "trench method" is used for searching and excavating ancient ruins or to dig into strata of sedimented material. In geotechnical engineering, trenches serve for locating faults and investigating deep soil properties. In trench warfare, soldiers occupy trenches to protect them against weapons fire and artillery.
Trenches are dug by use of manual tools such as shovels and pickaxes, or by heavy equipment such as backhoes, trenchers and excavators.
For deep trenches, the instability of steep earthen walls requires engineering and safety techniques such as shoring. Trenches are usually considered temporary structures to be backfilled with soil after construction, or abandoned after use. Some trenches are stabilized using durable materials such as concrete to create open passages such as canals and sunken roadways.
^Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Volume 8, Page 374 (Code revised as of July 1, 2003, via Compliance Magazine's website) Archived June 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow...
The Mariana Trench is an oceanic trench located in the western Pacific Ocean, about 200 kilometres (124 mi) east of the Mariana Islands; it is the deepest...
Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which combatants are well-protected from the enemy's...
Oceanic trenches are prominent, long, narrow topographic depressions of the ocean floor. They are typically 50 to 100 kilometers (30 to 60 mi) wide and...
Trench foot, also known by other names, is a type of foot damage due to moisture. Initial symptoms often include tingling or itching which can progress...
The trench boot, sometimes known as the "Pershing boot," was an American combat boot used in the latter stages of World War I, made for the cold mud of...
A trench coat is a variety of coat made of waterproof heavy-duty fabric, originally developed for British Army officers before the First World War, and...
A trench knife is a combat knife designed to kill or incapacitate an enemy at close quarters, such as in a trench or other confined area. It was developed...
The Trench may refer to: The Trench (Dix), a 1923 painting by Otto Dix that was confiscated by the Nazis and later lost The Trench (novel), a 1999 novel...
Trench shields (also called trench boxes or trench sheets) are steel or aluminum structures used to avoid cave-ins and protect utility workers while performing...
Ridge Tonga Trench Kermadec Trench Osbourn Trough Louisville Seamount Chain Hikurangi Trough New Zealand The Tonga Trench is an oceanic trench located in...
Philippine Trench (also called the Philippine Deep, Mindanao Trench, and the Mindanao Deep) is a submarine trench to the east of the Philippines. The trench is...
Frederic Herbert Trench (12 November 1865 – 11 June 1923) was an Irish poet. Trench was born in Avonmore, County Cork, and educated at Haileybury and Keble...
A percolation trench, also called an infiltration trench, is a type of best management practice (BMP) that is used to manage stormwater runoff, prevent...
The Yap Trench, also known as the West Caroline Trench, is an oceanic trench near Yap Island in the western Pacific Ocean. The trench is roughly J-shaped...
Trench Town is the location of the Trench Town Culture Yard Museum, a National Heritage Site presenting the unique history and contribution of Trench...
The Japan Trench is an oceanic trench part of the Pacific Ring of Fire off northeast Japan. It extends from the Kuril Islands to the northern end of the...
2014 The Negros Trench is an oceanic trench located northeast of the Sulu Trench and west of Negros Island Region in Visayas, the trench is located in the...
Trench shoring is the process of bracing the walls of a trench to prevent collapse and cave-ins. The phrase can also be used as a noun to refer to the...
The Tethys Trench was an ancient oceanic trench that existed in the northern part of the Tethys Ocean during the middle Mesozoic to early Cenozoic eras...
trench lies the Fiordland Basin, which can be considered an extension of the trench. The Puysegur Trench mirrors the Kermadec Trench and Tonga Trench...
The Winchester Model 1897, also known as the Model 97, M97, Riot Gun, or Trench Gun, is a pump-action shotgun with an external hammer and tube magazine...
The earliest shotguns specifically designed for combat were the trench guns or trench shotguns issued in World War I. While limited in range, the multiple...
The Ryukyu Trench (琉球海溝, Ryūkyū kaikō), also called Nansei-Shotō Trench, is a 1398 km (868 mi) long oceanic trench located along the southeastern edge...
Global Information