The world of engineering has made great strides. However, history has shown that not everything works as intended. Sometimes failures are almost imperceptible, but other times one mistake can lead to a global catastrophe.
The most common culprits for mistakes are ignorance, poor communication and, in some cases, indifference and negligence. However, after many engineering failures, people have learned and are paying more attention to design, construction and safety protocols.
To get an even better picture, National Geographic provides an opportunity to look at the biggest technical mistakes that have cost dearly. All this in the program “Engineering Disasters” very soon – on Friday, November 5, at 22.00!
In anticipation of the show, National Geographic presents five engineering misses that have surprisingly not ended in misfortune.
Two in one – airport and railway
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New Zealand is one of the smallest countries in the world, so setting up a large transport system there is not easy. What is the solution? It turns out that one of the main traffic points – Gisborne Airport – is crossed by an active railway. Although it sounds very dangerous, so far nothing terrible has ever happened.
Although the two types of vehicles move close to each other and there are often delays, this system has been in place for years. The airport itself is small – planes flying from there are used for private trips or overflights to Australia.
That’s not all – it turns out that the other three airport runways are not paved, but paved. They are also actively used by aircraft.
The worst building in the UK
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There are a variety of truly incredible and unique buildings in London. Architects with excellent skills are regularly sought, and not for free – their talents and abilities cost millions. One of the most prominent skyscrapers in London has been named “The Walkie – Talkie” due to its unique design, as the building is curved.
However, due to its shape, the glass building has caused various accidents. The front of the house reflects sunlight so intensely that in 2013 it ignited the carpet in the adjacent building. But not only that – it once melted the roof of a luxury car on the street, but during the wind, the curved surface creates a strong wind tunnel that can overturn pedestrians.
Despite all the incidents and the conflicting assessments, the building has been in central London since 2009 and is welcomed by Londoners.
The wonder of world architecture – a failed project
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The Sydney Opera House is not only one of Australia’s most remarkable and unique buildings. Most people love the design of a building, so many are surprised to hear that a building is a classic example of poor project management.
In 1959, the foundations of the opera began to be laid, and construction was to be completed within four years. However, the construction took 14 years, and instead of the planned six million, almost 90 million euros were spent. That’s not all – construction work began even before the project plan was completed. Such chaos led to various mistakes.
Afterwards, the chief designer was dissatisfied and withdrew from the project, taking the opera’s construction plans with him. This meant that the designers had to complete the building without a model. Almost none of the basic rules for sound project management and accounting were met during the construction.
Miraculously today, the building is admired by people from all over the world. But who knows, maybe the building should have looked completely different?
The most dangerous market in the world
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When visiting Thailand, you can find one of the largest markets for fresh seafood, called The Maeklong Railway Market. It trades on an active railway. Six trains run through the street every day. When the train beeps, there is a great deal of chaos: street vendors are in a hurry to close their parasols, the goods are set aside and they have to get out of the way quickly to avoid traffic jams.
Fortunately, traders and visitors are not opposed to such an infrastructure solution. Vendors even know the exact train running times. The only reason this place is not closed is the great stubbornness of the traders.
Failure costs money
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Designed in 2008, the bridge in the heart of Italy, Venice, is now full of stories and notoriety. The designers had never imagined that so many people would visit and cross it. After several pedestrians fell and were injured, the government fined the Spanish architect Santiago Kalatrav hundreds of thousands of euros.
The architect informed the city that the glass steps of the bridge will have to be changed every 20 years. Instead, eight of them had to be replaced in the fourth year after the bridge was opened. Although the bridge is now a very attractive tourist attraction, it should not be crossed in the rain. The bridge is not able to withstand the thousands of tourists who want to walk on it every day.
To get acquainted with less successful engineering solutions, watch the latest series of the second season of the exciting program “Engineering Disasters” already on Friday, November 5, at 22.00!
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