Engineering Marvels Explained

Building underwater can be very challenging, however it has the ability to create some very important structures. We even have the ability to create underwater cities like Atlantis, although there isn’t much interest for something like that yet. There are several impressive underwater buildings, like the Transbay tube in San Francisco. There are three main challenges: Finding Suitable…

It was completed in 537 AD and is the last of three churches to be erected by the Eastern Roman Empire. The history of the building is complicated, it was designed by the Greek mathematicians Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. The design visible today is not the same as the original one, when it was converted into a mosque many of the Greek Orthodox architecture was removed and Muslim…

Triangles are commonly used in architecture because they are a strong, reliable shape and for their aesthetic beauty. You can see triangular buildings all over the the world, like the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the Australia House in Japan. So why are they so popular? Triangles are used often in buildings because they are a strong and stable shape. The three sides of a triangle…

The Florence Cathedral is an iconic landmark that is easily recognised and has withstood the test of time. It took more then a hundred year to construct, one of the biggest problems was that it had been designed to have the largest dome ever seen at the time. Moreover, any architect was forbidden to include buttresses in their design since the Gothic style was considered ugly. There was also the…

When we talk about making cities more sustainable it is important we keep in mind the triple bottom line – the economic, social and environmental impact. There are many differing opinions on the correct strategy to achieve sustainability, however I will outline the most prevalent tactics such us a need to change how we view transport and how we build the world around us. Motor vehicles account…

Earthquakes are typically much stronger, but with a little bit of science we can create buildings that can withstand the shaking. In order to understand how we should go about handling earthquakes we need to understand what they are. An earthquake causes the ground to suddenly start shaking. While buildings can handle vertical forces very well, ie. gravity, they aren’t equipped to handle…

“A truss is an assembly of members such as beams, connected by nodes, that creates a rigid structure.” – wikipedia In simpler terms a truss is when you connect beams to form many triangular shapes creating one big structure. Looking a lot like this: A truss will only undergo axial force, this is an internal force that acts perpendicular to the structures cross-section. In a truss this force can…

The G-Cans is an underground water infrastructure project in Kasukabe, Japan. Its main purpose is to prevent flooding during the typhoon season, it is in use about seven times a year. It consists of five concrete containment silos with heights of 65m and diameters of 32m, connected by 6.4 kilometres of tunnels, 50m below the surface. There are also large water tanks (25.4x177x78 metres) and 59…

Emperor Nero is infamous for trying to burn down Rome, amongst other things. He is also well known for commissioning an extravagant palace, inside it there was a revolving Dining Room! This might remind you a bit of the revolving restaurant in the CN Tower in Toronto, while quite similar in that it allows you to enjoy breath taking views of the city; it has a key difference! Back in 54 A.D there…

Why was the Hoover Dam built? Is it truly a marvel of engineering, or just a big slab of concrete? Farmers wanted to control the Colorado river, so a plan was brought to congress to build a dam on the Arizona-Nevada border. The dam would have multiple purposes, it would help control flooding and generate hydroelectric power, that would help recoup the costs. It took a while to convince everyone…

Most people have heard of the tallest building in the world, at 830m tall and built in Dubai. But how does it stand upright when it’s built on soft sand and must battle strong desert winds? The chief architect, Adrian Smith, faced a problem with traditional skyscraper designs. They have wide bases and become shorter as they rise. A tower like the Burj Khalifa would need an enormous base. It…

Concrete is found in almost every structure that is around us, 20 billion tons are used every year, however it also has its drawbacks. It is estimated that 8% of yearly CO2 emissions can be attributed to concrete, this is due to the high temperatures needed to bind all the ingredients together. Modern concrete uses a mainly a mixture of silica sand, limestone, clay, chalk and other ingredients…

Cable-stayed bridges are bridges that have cables supporting the deck, these cables are all attached to one or more supporting towers, usually in a fan-like shape. While they may look similar, suspension bridges and cable-stayed bridges have quite a few structural differences. Structural design: In a suspension bridge, the main cables are suspended from tall towers and anchored at each end of…