解:
(1) $\because OA ⊥ OC,$
$\therefore ∠ AOC = 90°。$
$\because \overset{\frown}{AD}=2\overset{\frown}{CD},$
$\therefore ∠ AOD = 2∠ COD,$
$\therefore ∠ COD = \frac{1}{3}∠ AOC = 30°。$
(2) 由
(1)知$∠ AOD = 2∠ COD = 2×30° = 60°,$
$\because OA = OD,$
$\therefore △ AOD$为等边三角形,
$\therefore AD = OA = 4。$
(3) 过点$D$作$DE ⊥ OC,$交$\odot O$于点$E,$连接$AE,$交$OC$于点$P,$连接$DP,$$OE,$此时$AP+PD$的值最小。
根据圆的对称性,易得$E$是点$D$关于$OC$的对称点,$OC$是$DE$的垂直平分线,
$\therefore PD = PE,$
$\therefore AP + PD = AP + PE = AE。$
由
(1)知$∠ COD = 30°,$
$\therefore ∠ COE = ∠ COD = 30°,$
$\therefore ∠ DOE = 60°。$
$\because ∠ AOD = 60°,$
$\therefore ∠ DOE = ∠ AOD。$
$\because AO = EO,$
$\therefore OB ⊥ AE,$$AB = BE。$
在$\mathrm{Rt}△ AOB$中,$\because ∠ AOB = 60°,$
$\therefore ∠ OAB = 30°。$
$\because OA = 4,$
$\therefore OB = \frac{1}{2}OA = 2,$
$\therefore AB = \sqrt{OA^2 - OB^2} = 2\sqrt{3},$
$\therefore BE = AB = 2\sqrt{3},$
$\therefore AE = AB + BE = 4\sqrt{3},$
即$AP+PD$的最小值为$4\sqrt{3}。$