1 INTRODUCTION Panama Canal is the southern most

1. INTRODUCTION Panama Canal is the southern most country of Central America. Panama is connected to Atlantic Ocean with the Great Ocean. This Canal separates (ayırmak) South America and North America.

The Panama Canal is not such as the Suez Canal (Süveyş kanalı). There is Gotun Lake which is high from sea level in the middle of Panama Canal.

This lake is an artificial (yapay). It was occurred Gotun Dam construction. Surface of the water of this lake is higher than water level of two oceans. So it is done with the removal ( kaldırmak) of the ship passage.

Structure was started in 1904. Construction was completed by the United States and the canal was opened in 1914. During the construction of 77 km long canal, there were diseases such as malaria(sıtma) and yellow fever(sarıhurma hastalığı).

Materials were provided with transportation wagons for panama canal building long.

(vinç) (demiryolu)

2. 000 m 3 of concrete were used in construction. 50, 000 tons of iron were used in construction.

About 9 hours to journey along the canal. Oving to seesaw (iniş çıkış ) the ships are movement comfortable.

Panama canal is a engineering wonder of the world and it is the most expensive canal. Canal made important contributions to the development of the country.

2. Construction of the Panama Canal

There were swamp (bataklık) in foundation of canal. They spilled oil swamps and were used the most powerful machines. For example : To keep cover and to remove (kaldırmak) ship.

WORKING PRINCIPLE POOLS Special of Panama canal system is a own system pool. Canal reason of conduct in this place, there is a lake above from sea level and the lake is suitable (uygun) for ship traffic.

Ships with the help of input and output pools, is removed to the level of the lake water 28 m above.

Size of the pools are very large. The pools can pass every tonnage ship. Height difference between two pools is 10 m.

There are covers in canal. This cover is provided transmition of ship. This operation makes the open and close

Covers width of 33, 5 meters and 305 meters in length.

The world's largest ships can pass easily through this channel. However, the big ships can not pass the Suez Canal.

3. OPERATING SYSTEM Gotun lake's water surface is higher than in the two oceans. Ship from the ocean, the lake level gradually increased until by the pools. A large number of ways in this lake is then again gradually with the aid of the other pools is lowered to the level of the ocean.

STEP BY STEP 1) When the ship comes first pool to the door, drain cover (tahliye kapağı) is opened to sea of the pool. According to the basis of the composite dishes will continue to even out pool water level and the sea water level. The entrance door is opened. The ship is withdrawn (çekilmek) to pool. And drain cover is closed.

2) Ship come in the first pool, drain cover is opened between first and second pools. The cover opened for balance pool water and sea water. The entrance second door is opened and drain cover is closed.

3) Drain cover of third pool is opened. Basis of the composite dishes will continue to even out pool water and the sea water level. The entrance third door is opened. Drain cover is closed.

4) In final stage of entering to pool cover is opened. The water level is withdrawn between pools and lake. The output door is opened. The ship moves. Exit door gate is closed.