counterfort

American  

[koun-ter-fawrt, -fohrt] / ˈkaʊn tərˌfɔrt, -ˌfoʊrt /

noun

1. a buttress, especially one for strengthening a basement wall against the pressure of earth.

2. a cantilevered weight, as in a retaining wall, having the form of a pier built on the side of the material to be retained.

---

counterfort British  

/ ˈkaʊntəˌfɔːt /

noun

1. civil engineering a strengthening buttress at right angles to a retaining wall, bonded to it to prevent overturning or to increase its bending strength

---

Etymology

Origin of counterfort

1580–90; partial translation of Middle French contrefort, equivalent to contre counter- + fort strength (derivative of fort (adj.) strong)

Example Sentences

Mr. Mensch states that "it would take up too much time to prove that the counterfort acts really as a beam."

From Some Mooted Questions in Reinforced Concrete Design American Society of Civil Engineers, Transactions, Paper No. 1169, Volume LXX, Dec. 1910 by Godfrey, Edward

These forms were built full height in 16-ft. sections with a counterfort coming at the center of each section.

From Concrete Construction Methods and Costs by Gillette, Halbert Powers

He seems to mean the force tending to pull the counterfort loose from the horizontal slab.

From Some Mooted Questions in Reinforced Concrete Design American Society of Civil Engineers, Transactions, Paper No. 1169, Volume LXX, Dec. 1910 by Godfrey, Edward

Each counterfort extended back 16 ft. and was 4 ft. thick for a height of 6 ft. and then 3 ft. thick.

From Concrete Construction Methods and Costs by Gillette, Halbert Powers

In a counterfort, the inclined rods are sufficient to take the overturning stress.

From Some Mooted Questions in Reinforced Concrete Design American Society of Civil Engineers, Transactions, Paper No. 1169, Volume LXX, Dec. 1910 by Godfrey, Edward