The USS Ronald Reagan is a 4.5 billion dollars Nimitz-class supercarrier. Powered by 2 nuclear reactors, the 1100ft. long vessel is equipped with all the necessary facilities to house 6000 personnel and over 80 aircraft. Viewers are given an exclusive look at how the crew of these ‘floating naval base’ is put through a series of test in order to obtain their flight deck certification. Take a glimpse at the various facilities on the ship that keep the 6000 strong crew fed, rested, and entertained.
What began as a racing track, and thanks to Adolf Hitler’s World War II propaganda efforts, the track grew into a sophisticated high-speed road system, linking to almost all the major cities in Germany. The Autobahn boasts of having super thick road beds, 4% or less grades, wide lanes, and build on layers of technology. The Autobahn allows vehicles to travel at speeds exceeding 160km/h for roughly 2/3 of its roads. The episode profiles the operations of the highway cops, and their reliance on technology in training, monitoring of roads and various methods of arrest. It also looks at the ADAC, an automobile club, which provides on the spot road assistance. Nicknamed ‘The Yellow Angels’, they also provide air medical rescue. The system of maintenance of the Autobahn is also examined. All this infrastructure makes this mega structure into one of the world’s most safest super highway.
The Channel Tunnel or Euro Tunnel is one of the world’s longest underground rail tunnels, and links England with France. Consisting of two rail tunnels and a small service tunnel in-between, they total 153 km in length. The documentary looks at the race between the British and the French to complete the tunneling of the Channel Tunnel and the obstacles faced in its construction.
For 20 years, the Sears Tower held the record for the world’s tallest building. Completed in 1973, the 110 stories high building is almost half a kilometer tall. And it still holds the record for having the world’s highest antenna. John Zils, structural engineer and designer of this mega-structure shares some of the secrets about the tower. And get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the various systems and controls that are vital to the building, like security monitoring, the elevators, and the water and power distribution to the various levels, and even the machines that cleans the windows.
Located 5 km off the coast of Osaka, Japan, is the Kansai International Airport. The airport is built entirely on a man-made island, 4 km long and 1 km wide. The only link between the island and Osaka is by the world’s longest 2-tiered bridge. Although the airport is built to withstand earthquakes and typhoons, the artificial island itself is sinking faster than anticipated. The episode looks at the various measures that are taken to keep the airport ‘afloat’, and the various facilities and services available to keep the airport running.
In 1955, two ferries sank along the Akashi Strait, Japan, killing 168 children. It led to a 30 year research on designing a bridge that would link the Awaji Island to Kobe; the bridge would also have to be able to withstand severe earthquakes and typhoons, a norm in that area. In 1988, Japan began construction of the world’s longest, highest and most expensive suspension bridge, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. The episode presents a stage by stage look at the construction of the suspension bridge, and the obstacles faced in its construction, including the Kobe earthquake in 1995.
In the Paraná River of South America, lies the Itaipú Dam. Costing 20 billion dollars, the Itaipú Dam is the world's largest and most powerful hydroelectric power plant. It is a representation of the efforts and accomplishment of two countries, Brazil and Paraguay. The episode examines the efforts undertaken and the sacrifices made to construct the dam, including how the largest diversion channel was constructed to divert water from the world’s 7th largest river away from the main construction site.
Designed by Cesar Pelli, the Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world on the date of its completion. Located in Kuala Lumpur, the design of the 88 storey, 450m tall twin towers, carries an Islamic geometrical influence. The towers are a symbol of Malaysia’s pride. To instill competition, the contract for the construction of the towers were awarded to two different construction companies, each company was assigned to work on one of the towers. This episode takes a look at how the construction companies competed to complete their tower before the other. Problems faced, from the soil samples, the unique cement mixture used as a steel substitute, to the tropical weather, are covered.
Megastructures gets an inside look into the 13-year design and construction of Atlantic City's towering new casino, the Borgata.
In 1906, an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 rocked San Francisco. An earthquake of similar or greater proportions is expected to occur in San Francisco again, and soon. The episode takes a look at the efforts that are being made to retrofit and strengthen America’s most recognized bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, before the next big earthquake happens. It also gives a brief history about the construction of the suspension bridge, and the people who were involved in its construction.
The worst of the worst were sent here—men like Al "Scarface" Capone, Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, "The Birdman" Robert Stroud. For 29 years, Alcatraz was a ferocious battle between America's toughest prison and the brilliant criminal minds locked inside. We'll explore the design, construction and legendary escapes from The Rock.
Cameras are taken inside the Pentagon for a rare look at the usual going ons in the Pentagon, and a look at how the important meetings might be conducted. High ranking military officials and politicians also share their feelings about the Pentagon.
Megastructure takes viewers on an inside look at how the Port of Singapore is able to move a third of the world's trade through the use of shipping and high-tech mega-systems.
Located near Johannesburg, South Africa, the Tau Tona is a gold mine. The Tau Tona is the main economic life blood of Johannesburg, supplying half the world’s gold needs. It is the deepest and largest working mine in the world. Its main shaft is 3.6 km deep and consists of 800 km of tunneling. This episode gives viewers a tour of the dynamic systems involved in maintaining a working environment deep in the earth. It also provides a glimpse of what life as a mine worker is like in Tau Tona. Risking heat exhaustion, and with 10 earthquakes a day, the miners work through narrow tunnels to extract gold from a 25 cm thick gold vein.
Power systems and infrastructures that keep Las Vegas glittering are examined.
Located in Alberta, Canada is the world’s largest known single deposit of oil worth trillions of dollars. However, the oil is trapped in a complex mixture of sand, water and clay, and the cost of extracting the fuel from the soil will cost billions. The episode profiles the competition between the Syncrude and the Shell Oil companies to extract the black gold. It looks at the various mega machines and systems that are used to extract, transport and the process used to separate the oil from the sand.
A satellite delivered by a rocket that is launched from the earth’s equator instead of any other place, can have its lifespan extended for as much as 3 years. This would mean huge savings for the companies that own these satellites. Thus the Sea Launch was constructed. The Sea Launch is made up of 2 megastructures, a floating launch pad called the Odyssey and a shipping vessel called the Commander. The episode gives a brief history of the construction, the successes and the failures of the Sea Launch.
A historic and present look at Holland's efforts to hold on to their precious land from floods as a result of rising sea levels and climate changes. After a storm in 1916, the Dutch began a labor intensive construction of a Barrier Dam in 1923, stretching 30 km in length. It resulted in the reclamation of 165,000 ha of new land, and creation of a fresh water lake. However, in 1953, a combination of a hurricane and high spring tides caused the North Sea waters to force through the barrier and flood the Dutch coastline, resulting in the loss of over 1,800 lives and 47,000 livestock. The disaster resulted in Holland's creation of the 'Delta Project'. Costing billions of dollars, the project began in 1958. The project consisted of the construction of concrete dams, steel sea walls and retractable floodgates. Environmental considerations also led to the construction of the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt, one of the biggest in the world. It consists of 2 floating gates built on special docks. The vast gates are controlled by a computer system that allows the gates to be kept open but closes when a flood is imminent. Also presented are current emergency plans that include allocation of certain areas of land to be flooded during worse case flooding..
Megastructure looks at how one of Dubai's greatest engineering marvel came to be. Examining the Palm-Jumeira Island from it's design to it's method of construction, the documentary also lists the problems faced in it's construction. Like the effects from the September 11 fears to corrosions and weather.
Spanning 559 acres and host to over 250,000 permanent seats, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the largest seated sporting arena in the world. The Speedway opened its gates in 1909 during the horse-and-buggy era. Now, it is one of the most technologically advanced racetracks on the globe.
The North Branch Correctional Institution (NBCI) will house 2,000 violent criminals. Its security measures are much more than technological marvels they are the features that will protect the lives of prison guards and revolutionize rehabilitation programs for inmates.
It is the largest passenger plane ever built and it is a 12 billion dollar investment. The episode documents the history of the Airbus A380, from its design concept, its interior features, the precision manufacturing, the logistics, the final assembly and its final maiden flight.
Virginia-class submarine with the U.S. Navy
The episode follows the construction process of the 25 million dollar Kingda Ka Roller Coaster being built by Six Flags. Constructed under secrecy, the 139m tall roller coaster will be the fastest and tallest roller coaster in the world when completed, breaking the Dragster’s record. The documentary includes brief comments from Project Engineer, Jeff Glinter, and Chief Corporate Engineer, Larry Chickola. And explains how the Kingda Ka utilises a hydraulic launch system to launch riders to a speed of 206km/h in 3 seconds.
Examining construction of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in the Colorado mountains. Including the technical challenges it presented.
'National Geographic Channel MegaStructures' takes a look at the construction history of Boston Big Dig project. Costing almost 15 billion dollars and taking almost 20 yrs to complete, the Boston's Big Dig is considered to be the most complex, expensive, and technically challenging civil engineering public works project in the United States. The project was inspired by Fred Salvucci, the Transportation Commissioner to the Mayor of Boston, who wanted to find a solution to the city’s traffic woes. He came up with an idea to link up the major sectors of the city with a system of wide underground tunnels for traffic. Consisting of 4 elements, a tunnel under the harbor, an underground connection to the Interstate 90, an underground traffic system under the city itself to replace the elevated city highway, and a wide cable-stayed bridge to replace the old double-decked bridge. The episode looks at the many obstacles that were faced in the construction, from water leaks to residential protest. The episode also contains brief words from some of the major people involved in the project.
Explore the Baikonur Cosmodrome, crown jewel of Russia's space program. Trace the glorious history of this megacomplex from the landmark launches of Sputnik and the first cosmonauts to its current status as a gateway to the International Space Station.
Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter and intercity railroad terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. The terminal serves commuters traveling on the Metro-North Railroad to Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York, as well as to Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The terminal also contains a connection to the New York City Subway at Grand Central–42nd Street. Grand Central Terminal has intricate designs both on its inside and outside, lending to its landmark designations, including as a U.S. National Historic Landmark. The terminal is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, with 21.9 million visitors in 2013.
The episodes documents the 134,000 ton Mega Ship's voyage through the pirate infested waters of the Singapore and Malacca Straits carrying millions of dollars of precious cargo. From the bridge to the engine room, Megastructures follow Captain Llewellyn as he guides his ship to the port of Singapore.
Behind the scenes of geothermal power complexes in California and Iceland, and a look at how scientists hope to expand its use by digging deeper into the Earth's crust.
A history of the Berlin Wall, the “wall of shame” that divided East and West Germany from 1961 to 1989. The hour chronicles escape attempts and how East German authorities responded to them, and also recalls the opening of the Wall on Nov. 9, 1989. East and West Germany were formally reunited a year later.
Exploring Nevada's Hoover Dam in Black Canyon on the Colorado River. The 726-foot dam weighs more than 6,600,000 tons and is 660 feet thick at its base. Completed in 1936, it can store up to two years' worth of the Colorado's average water flow, and generates four billion hours of hydroelectric power a year.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is the United States Department of the Navy's primary law enforcement agency. Let Megastructures give you a first hand tour!
NGC steps into the world of garbage in California's Puente Hills landfill, America's biggest landfill, to uncover the inner-workings at LA's filthiest suburb.
10,000 tons of crystal clear ice and 30,000 tons of pure snow are needed to build the Ice Hotel in Sweden every year. The hotel accommodates over 100 guests and every bedroom is unique. It has become renowned for its ingenuity and originality but it isn't the only structure created from ice. A little further into Sweden's northern wilderness is a network of roads that are created every winter on top of the Baltic Sea. Witness the construction and disappearance of two of the world's most unique Megastructures.
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Track the flight of a Tomahawk cruise missile from launch to target and discover the technology that makes the missile the ultimate surgical attack weapon.
The history and evolution of the gun.
It's man made and one of the strongest materials on earth. Explore the science behind steel and the innovations it has made possible -- from the Brooklyn Bridge to the tools for medical miracles.
The Apache helicopter, a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter, is assembled at the Boeing IDS plant in Mesa, Arizona.
Superchoppers of the 21st century.
The 150-year history and evolution of the machine gun is chronicled, from the 19th-century Gatling gun to the first gangster hit with a Tommy Gun to one of the deadliest weapons in the world.
Thousands of tons of ice and snow are used to build the Ice Hotel in Sweden every year.
Investigators try to learn whether humans' technological achievements can survive Mother Nature's most violent forces.
New technologies improve submarines.
Brick: They are an essential building block of civilization. They are one of the worlds first building materials and today they continue to create structures that amaze us. From paving our driveways to lining our fireplaces and chimneys, brick is part of our daily lives. But when thousands or millions of these simple blocks are stacked together, people have changed the course of history. How Its Built: Brick will bring viewers through the process that takes a lump of clay, forms it into a simple block, and then uses fire to transform it into a rock hard building material.
Concrete: It is the most widely used building material on earth. It was a building block of the Roman Empire and is a material of choice for a new generation of gravity-defying skyscrapers. From the sidewalks of New York to the fast-growing Burj Dubai, slated to be the worlds tallest building when it is completed in 2008, concrete continues to be a crucial tool of engineers and architects alike. Concrete's footprint is everywhere.
An inside look at the Ferrari sports car manufacturing plant located in Maranello, Italy.
One hundred billion dollars in bullion. Monster money-making machines, impenetrable subterranean vaults. An army of protectors. All supporting the world's most powerful economy. Explore the heart of "In God We Trust," the elaborate systems of design and protection at the US Treasury premier currency manufacturer and her sister operation, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Join us as we unlock the secrets inside the steel vaults.
Soaring 2716 feet about the city of Dubai, Burj Khalita took seven years to build and cost a staggering $1.5 billion.
Incredible technology is making these 'super copters' much more impervious to attack, with Kevlar and other advanced composite materials strengthening the body - while keeping it lightweight. Using live action, re-creations, amazing archival footage and advanced CGI, we marvel at the creation of today's 'super copters' - extraordinary multi-purpose helicopters for the twenty-first century.
In Iceland, a giant tunnel boring machine called `Jaws' has chewed up nine miles of basalt to aid a hydroelectric project. See the rock cruncher at work as it burrows deep down.
In an attempt to tap into a vast natural gas supply, the US is drilling the Atlantic sea bed. Discover what it takes to drill in the dark depths.
The world's first electromagnetic levitation train linking Shanghai's airport and financial district offers a safe, energy efficient transport system that could change the face of 21st century travel.
Megastructures heads to the tiny desert kingdom of Dubai to explore the remarkable engineering behind the seven-star Burj Al-Arab Hotel. Five years in the making, this striking building stands like a gigantic white sail off the shore of Dubai. As this programme reveals, a refusal to compromise on the part of the hotel’s young designers ensured that the project pushed the boundaries of design. The Burj Al-Arab was envisaged by Dubai’s crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as a means of diversifying the country’s economy away from oil into tourism. The Sheikh dreamt of a luxury hotel that would put Dubai on the world map, and surprised many by choosing a relatively inexperienced British firm to supply the design.
Engineers in Dubai must overcome obstacles as they construct a chain of 300 islands shaped to resemble the world.
The engineering, design and construction of a man-made archipelago, built in the shape of a world map, just off the coast off Dubai, the project of ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Megastructures will take you on a voyage through the largest ocean liner ever built, from the cutting of the first steel panel to the installation of the iconic red and black funnel of this 800 million dollar giant of the seas.
We look at one of the gas industry’s riskiest projects ever undertaken. By 2008, Britain will be connected to Norway via a 1,200 km super pipeline. It’s composed of over one million tonnes of steel and equating to a 1/3 of the world’s combined pipeline production company. Yet all of the work must be completed by robots working 3 km under the North Sea against harsh underwater currents, sub-zero temperatures and abysmal wind and wave conditions.
Welcome to the South Pole, one of the most isolated places on the planet. For decades, the South Pole has been a haven for astronomy, climatology, and other science fields. Now, nearly 50 years after the first research station was built, a team of mega-builders is daring to construct a 21st century science research facility: the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
Demolition of the (1927) Carquinez Bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area
For years, when a jumbo jet reached the end of its 30-year lifespan, it'd end up in a scrap yard, or rotting at the end of a runway. But at the Evergreen Air Center in Marana, Arizona, planes past their prime are recycled instead. We'll witness each step.
A specialist demolition team attempt to create the largest artificial reef in the world by sinking the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. As they battle through thick steel plating and hazardous waste, the workers are aided by marine architects, divers, engineering units and local authorities.
The North Branch Correctional Institution (NBCI) will house 2,000 violent criminals. Its security measures are much more than technological marvels they are the features that will protect the lives of prison guards and revolutionize rehabilitation programs for inmates.
Just in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, workers are feverishly putting the finishing touches on the National Aquatics Centre – the Beijing Water Cube. A stroke of design genius, this Olympic Megastructure is a steel honeycomb-like frame enclosed entirely by a unique skin, modelled after soap bubbles. Using 90 kilometres worth of steel in 22,000 beams following no conventional straight lines, the Beijing Water Cube must be topped with 100,000 square metres of bubbles. Looking for a truly unique covering, the design team focuses on ETFE – a light-weight plastic invented to protect spaceships from cosmic radiation. Among ETFE’s unique properties, dot patterns on its surface can trap solar energy in the winter and reflect solar energy in the summer, keeping the building cool. The Beijing Water Cube is the largest ETFE construction in the world, and because of its honeycomb-like structure, 3,500 ETFE bubbles must be cut individually, and sized. Factor in that the dimensions have been created in Germany and must be translated into a Chinese database and the Beijing Water Cube becomes a bit of a logistical nightmare. Beijing’s Water Cube represents a true morphing of molecular science, architecture and structural engineering.
This episode looks at the Karahnjukar Hydroelectric Project in Iceland - an audacious engineering feat that includes the building of Europe's highest dam, the drilling of 30-mile-long tunnels and the construction of a gigantic underground power plant.
The design and construction of the Shanghai World Financial Centre which, at 101 floors high, will be China's tallest structure.
A historic bridge is being taken down and recycled, but the demolition team faces challenges while doing it.
Follow expert scientists and engineers as they complete work on a Large Hadron Collider, a machine that will be able to capture pictures of atoms.
Mega Green Tech is in search of geothermal power.
A team of experts mobilises to demolish, excavate and recycle a 25,000 ton dam built of concrete and steel. The pressure is on: they have just half the time needed to complete the job. Worse yet, their biggest challenge stands behind the old dam – one million cubic yards of boulders, gravel and sand that the river has stacked against it for nearly a century. To remove this blockade, the team gambles on a radical, dangerous plan that's never been tried before: turning the energy of a perfect storm against the debris. If they are not successful, a generation of endangered salmon returning to spawn may be wiped out.
2010 environmental improvement plan in Beijing, China
Looks at the technological designs and construction of the huge cruiseliner "Freedom of the Seas".
Engineers discuss the construction of the Bahrain World Trade Centre's two 50-storey, sail-shaped skyscrapers and the ambitious plan to power the buildings using wind turbines.
World's Largest Casino follows the construction of the world's biggest casino and its second biggest building. It's being sited in Macau, in Southern China, which is being groomed to be Asia's capital of gambling. The Venetian is to be built by the Sands Corporation of Las Vegas, and is to feature a giant hotel with 3000 suites, a 15,000 seat arena, a theatre, event halls, 350 shops along indoor canals hundreds of metres long, an outdoor lagoon for gondola rides, and above all, a huge casino floor the size of eight football pitches. We follow the reclamation of land between two islands for this project, and watch it fly up in record time due to special working methods being devised – from on-site factories, to having prefabricated parts trucked in from China. We see how the ambitious designs are brought to reality, despite the pressures and an environment that's very different from America, both in terms of climate and culture. We go in-depth into the amazing concern for detail in the outfitting and decoration which will turn a giant concrete conglomeration of structures into a place designed to entice people to stay as long as possible. Andwe meet the people responsible for putting the project together, and see how they co-operate to get the resort open on time. But will the public come to visit this US$2.4bn megastructure? There's no guarantee...
The world of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), an evolving technology to harness the sun's rays on a massive scale to power entire communities.
In 2002, Chinese engineers and workers tackled one of the biggest construction projects on earth, the Yangshan Deep Water Port. Thirty km out to sea, with 20 km of quay and fifty berths, Yangshan is destined to become the biggest deepwater port ever built. Linked to China by the world’s second-longest ocean bridge, Yangshan’s deep water allows the world’s biggest container ships to come calling. Its massive cranes, cutting-edge control system, and focused personnel are already shattering records for loading and unloading gigantic container ships and it’s not even finished being built.
Go inside the construction of China's three ultimate bridges: the Lupu, the world's longest arch bridge; the Runyang, the country's largest suspension bridge; and the Sutong, soon to be the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.
Witness the Bahrain World Trade Center. Two 50-story glass "sails" rise over 240 meters into the sky along the shores of the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. This unique architectural marvel is powered in part by a revolutionary new means for a building this size - wind. It's the world's first large-scale integration of wind turbines into a skyscraper. Three massive turbines will supply clean power to the buildings. In this hour, we explore the science behind the concept and discover how engineers and construction crews attempt to tackle this audacious project. In an oil-rich region of the world, the team transforms the vision to reality and looks to the future, committed to a renewable energy source of mega proportions.
The Orange Bowl, home to the Miami Dolphins for 21 seasons and host of five Super Bowls is about to be demolished. It’s a monster breakdown job, with a monster deadline: in just four months, a demolition team needs to clear over a quarter million feet of stadium to prepare for a new stadium. Not only is there a tight timetable, everything must be salvaged or recycled. But before the team can break down the stadium, they have to save parts of it. After a memorabilia company combs the bowl for collectibles and auctions off what they salvage, it’s finally time for the demolitionists to get their hands on the bowl. 50,000 left over orange seats, nearly 100,000 square feet of turf, and eight ten-ton stadium light towers are recycled or resold, freeing the team to take down the stadium itself. Using a combination of wrecking balls and mega machines, they cut, pull and pummel this historic structure until it’s nothing more than rubble. The iconic Orange Bowl, is about to be history.
Perched 4,000 feet above the Colorado River on the very edge of the Grand Canyon is one of the most recent and innovative engineering marvels of our time. The Grand Canyon Skywalk, opened to the public in March 2007, is an engineering masterpiece united with natural wonder. It is the first ever cantilever designed glass bridge. Constructed in a horseshoe shape, visitors are given the chance to walk out over the edge of the canyon and look straight down. It's about 4,000 feet above the canyon, which is higher than any of the world's largest buildings and extends 70 feet from the edge. Take a closer look at the Skywalk's design, construction and the people that made it a reality.
In the extreme Russian north a team of engineers are ready to dismantle a Typhoon-class submarine – the world's largest nuclear submarine. In its heyday, this monster sub was a terrifying weapon of war. It prowled the oceans of the world armed with 20 deadly nuclear missiles. Now that the Cold War is over, the Typhoon is ready for demolition. But dismantling a submarine with two nuclear reactors is a risky mission. It will take the team over a year to remove the radioactive nuclear fuel, move the submarine into the dry dock and cut its hull into pieces small enough for recycling.
Railroads are the backbone of American industry. 170,000 miles of track crisscross the country from coast to coast, moving two quadrillion tons of freight every year. But nothing lasts forever, and that includes a couple of 180-ton locomotives. Their engine technology is inefficient so they're headed for the scrap dealer where they'll be cut down and cannibalised. Any salvageable parts must come out intact for resale, while any leftover metals – like steel and copper – will be cut up, melted down and ultimately reformed into new products. In this business, nothing goes to waste. Take an inside look at the unknown world of scrap, where locomotives go to die and be reborn
Three teams of engineers are locked in a race to harness what may be the most powerful form of green energy: swift tidal currents and battering waves, the power of the oceans. Each team believes it can solve a portion of the world's energy needs. They're testing three different machines designed to be placed in the water and convert oceanic energy into electricity. But getting the machine from the design stage to implementation is a difficult challenge and now each team prepares to install their systems and turn them on for the first time. If they succeed, they could radically change the way we power our planet.
The only purpose-built "flying crane" in existence, the Air-Crane heavy lift-helicopter is the most powerful helicopter workhorse in the world. It does extra-heavy, brute-force work with surgical precision thanks to its ability to keep its hanging load from twisting or swinging while aloft. It's also the only helicopter in the world with an aft-facing pilot seat to allow the payload to be strategically placed.
Breaking through over 40 feet of ice demands a vessel of incredible power. That's where the Icebreaker comes into its own. These behemoths keep the world's shipping lanes open during the harshest of conditions, making them vital to the global economy. Follow the construction of a vessel that can break ice and carry cargo at the same time: the Arctic Icebreaking Containership. This is the largest commercial icebreaker ever built.
This installment follows the demolition of a 40-year-old rocket launch tower at Cape Canaveral. This tough, 90m high structure represents a massive logistical challenge for a family of demolition experts. Up to a third of the building’s entire weight must be stripped out before the tower can be imploded. Workers must brave high winds at great heights to ensure charges are planted correctly.
Explorers the innovative construction of 1 Bryant Park.
At 610m high the Guangzhou Sightseeing and TV Tower is the tallest television tower on earth and among the world's top ten tallest buildings. Tough enough to withstand typhoon, earthquake and other assaults from Mother Nature, this elegant building forced a rewrite of the rule books. A deceptively simple twist in the middle of the main 450m tower sets this super tall building in a mega class of its own and, proves a test of massive proportions for the team responsible for breathing life into the vision of Dutch architects Mark Hemel and Barbara Kuit.
For over 40 years the Big Red Box at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, carried skiers, hikers, paragliders and sightseers up to the 3,400-metre summit of Rendezvous Mountain. But nothing lasts forever, so when cable inspector Norm Duke found evidence of stress fractures inside the aging steel track cables, there was no choice but to tear down and replace Jackson's iconic aerial tram. At a cost of US$31 million, this two year construction project is a top-to-bottom, state-of-the-art replacement. It will operate in 120 kph winds and minus 30°C temperatures, all with the quiet precision of a giant Swiss watch. Construction crews battle a record-breaking snowfall, zero visibility, high winds and impassable mud-slick mountain roads to build its five towers and two terminals, and string more than ten miles of heavy steel cable as they risk their lives in a battle to finish before winter closes in.
The ambitious plans behind One Bryant Park, which is set to become New York's second tallest building and one of the most energy-efficient skyscrapers in the world.
Three teams of engineers are locked in a race to harness what may be the most powerful form of green energy: swift tidal currents and battering waves, the power of the oceans.
It's one of the biggest construction projects in British engineering history. A new high-speed rail line costing several billion pounds and cutting through some of the most heavily developed land on the planet to complete a high speed link between two of Europe's major capitals: the Channel Tunnel between London and Paris. High Speed One's design and construction overcame unprecedented obstacles to achieve what many thought was impossible. Step aboard to explore the engineering behind this UK super train line.
An ambitious young king who seizes the throne of the Khmer Empire by murder, commissions the largest stone temple in the world built entirely on a swamp - the mighty temple of Angkor Wat.
Uncover how Abu Dhabi's extraordinary Aldar HQ skyscraper, in the form of a circle sitting on its edge, came to be built.
The secrets behind Singapore's Marina Bay Sands development, which includes hotels, a museum, casino, waterfront promenade and theatres.
A huge project is underway in the Arabian Gulf, so vast it can be seen from space. Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island in the shape of a palm tree.
Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, one of the world's largest cruise ships, which features 16 decks and can accommodate 5400 passengers.
The Pearl River Tower is one of the first of a new generation of super smart buildings. It will use less than half the energy of a conventional skyscraper and will harvest the forces of nature to make energy of its own. With a curved facade that faces directly into the wind, the Pearl River Tower in China's Guangzhou City is shaped for performance. With a design specific to its environment, the Pearl River Tower utilizes a multitude of energy efficient technologies in one single structure, and symbolizes the future for super-tall building design.
With its vibrant diversity of attractions and facilities and the ground-breaking design that creates maximum visual impact, Singapore's Marina Bay Sands development is bound to become a timeless landmark. Seldom before have so many challenges been encountered by engineers and builders. As the complex involves hotel towers, a museum, casino, waterfront promenade, theatres and a skypark - all being worked on simultaneously, it is one of the largest and most complex construction sites that engineers ever had to deal with.
Central to Dubai’s reputation as a leisure capital is: the Dubai Mall. With an indoor aquarium, ice rink, roller coaster and 1,200 shops, it must be completed by a nearly impossible deadline.
As the World's insatiable need for oil and gas grows, companies are going deeper, into more hostile environments than ever before. Watch as we rip apart the largest oil rigs on the planet to reveal the secrets of these amazing technological achievements… and discover if they can survive Mother Nature's most violent forces.
South Korea never constructed a submerged tunnel, but now tackles the challenge of building one of the deepest immersed highways on Earth. Designed for the fickle conditions of the Pacific, the giant tunnel must be both earthquake and typhoon proof.
"I love what I do. I get to tear stuff up." Every day around the world, thousands of planes, trains, and automobiles get cut down to size for recycling. A jumbo jet costing a hundred million dollars becomes parts the size of beer cans in a matter of hours. An 18-ton steel rail car is attacked by some of the world's most expensive knives. And a fleet of automobiles dies a torturous death -the equivalent of an agonizing tooth extraction and an elaborate embalming ... all to process them for shredding and recycling. Finally, shredded metal is reborn as shiny new Land Rovers.
Planned to be one of the greenest buildings in Asia, and possibly the world, the Eco Ark aims to be a glowing example of how to turn a problem into a solution. Its walls are made completely out of recycled material.
Locomotives don't last forever. Eventually they go to a scrap yard to die. Their parts are cut up, melted down and ultimately reformed into new products. In this business, nothing goes to waste
After serving as home of the New York Yankees for over 80 year's, the iconic Yankee Stadium is set to be demolished. Join the Mega Breakdown team as they follow just what goes into demolishing this gigantic stadium in the heart of New York City.
Time was, if you wanted to leave earth, you needed a government ride. But in the very desert that helped give birth to the Space Age, Spaceport America will rise. The space version of an airport, it's a revolution in travel, with a revolutionary design to match. Yet the spaceport faces a world of hurdles. "Probably the most complicated project I've ever been on," says an engineer. The site sits in the middle of nowhere: no roads, no water, no power. And the spaceport won't be built unless a rancher controlling the land for a runway changes her mind.
To save one of the most iconic engineering wonders of all time requires the creation of another masterpiece: the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge.
How much military power does it take to sink a top naval warship? Experience the mission at the hands of the US and Canadian Navy and Air Forces as they mount a sink exercise on a massive 4,250 foot long destroyer, to test their firepower and skill.
Lupu Bridge in Shanghai, Runyang Bridge in Jiangsu Province, and Sutong Bridge near Suzhou
Formula Rossa - The ultimate speed roller coaster is part of the world's largest indoor theme park - Ferrari World on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. This awe-inspiring ride takes you from 0 to 240 km/h in under 5 seconds. You can feel mind-blowing acceleration like in a Formula One car. Follow construction manager Andreas Granig and his team as they struggle against aggressive conditions in the desert environment and build up a power system which is unseen in the world. 20,800 horsepower propels the F1 Ferrari inspired coaster train to a height of 52 m and lets it run through more than 2km of humps, curves and camelbacks. See the dramatic installations 50 meters above ground. In their quest for speed the engineers overcome heat and danger to take the title for the fastest roller coaster in the world.
Come summer 2012, the eyes of the world will be focused on a sporting megastructure: London's Olympic Stadium - the centerpiece of the 2012 Games. By day it will be the venue for all track and field events, and by night, a dazzling stage for London's opening and closing ceremonies. But this isn't just a place where world records will be set. It's a milestone in sporting architecture. Designed to be different, Stadium 2012 is the world's first "demountable" Olympic Stadium. Bolted together like a giant Meccano set, the 80,000-seat arena can be taken apart and downsized to a 25,000-seat athletics venue after the games. But creating a stadium that's lighter and tighter is a massive undertaking, fraught with challenges. Will London have an Olympic arena to be proud of? Or will this go down in history as the stadium that failed to impress?
Built in the middle of the desert, the new Meydan racecourse will define raceday luxury. But will it be finished in time for the Dubai World Cup?
Experience the mighty mega shredder. The world's largest recycling machine takes the floor space of an entire factory. It will reduce the equivalent of 450 cars an hour to an unrecognizable pulp.
Five million people live in a land area smaller than New York City. To make such a small and highly urbanised place liveable, Singapore is embarking on its most ambitious project to date.
This metal-chomping monster takes up the floor space of an entire factory and it can reduce the equivalent of 450 cars an hour to little more than pulp.
There are no such similar Buildings in the world. The Bahrain World Trade Center (also called Bahrain WTC or BWTC) is a 240-metre-high (787 ft), 50-floor, twin tower complex located in Manama, Bahrain. The towers were built in 2008 by the multi-national architectural firm Atkins. It is the first skyscraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its design. The wind turbines were developed, built and installed by Danish company Norwin A/S. The structure is constructed close to the King Faisal Highway, near popular landmarks such as the towers of Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH), NBB and Abraj Al Lulu. It currently ranks as the second-tallest building in Bahrain, after the twin towers of the Bahrain Financial Harbour.
The Shanghai Tower (Chinese: 上海中心大厦; pinyin: Shànghǎi Zhōngxīn Dàshà; Shanghainese: Zånhe Tsonshin Dasa; literally: "Shanghai Centre Tower") is a 632-metre (2,073 ft), 128-story megatall skyscraper in Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai.[9]. It also has the world's highest observation deck within a building or structure (Level 121, 561.25 m),[10] and the world's fastest elevators at a top speed of nearly 46 miles per hour (74km/h).[11][12] It is the world's second-tallest building by height to architectural top (behind Dubai's Burj Khalifa, 828 m). Designed by international design firm Gensler and owned by the Shanghai city government,[2] it is the tallest of the world's first triple-adjacent super-tall buildings in Pudong, the other two being the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Centre. Its tiered construction, designed for high energy efficiency, provides nine separate zones divided between office, retail and leisure use.[
he World or The World Islands (Arabic: جزر العالم; Juzur al-Ālam) is an artificial archipelago of various small islands constructed in the rough shape of a world map, located in the waters of the Persian Gulf, 4.0 kilometres (2.5 mi) off the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[1] The World islands are composed mainly of sand dredged from Dubai's shallow coastal waters, and are one of several artificial island developments in Dubai.[1] The World's developer is Nakheel Properties, and the project was originally conceived by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. Construction of the 300 islands began in 2003, only to halt due to the 2008 financial crisis.[2] Though 60 percent of the islands had been sold off to private contractors back in 2008, development on most of these islands has failed to initiate.[3] As of July 2012, the Lebanon Island was developed and was the only island that had so far been developed commercially, being used for private corporate events and public parties. As of late 2013, only two of the islands had been developed. In January 2014, Kleindienst Group announced the launch of "The Heart of Europe" project;[4] by February 2014, one of Kleindienst Group's brands - JK Properties - announced in their monthly newsletter that the project was "well underway".[5] The first of these series of islands will be Europe, Sweden and Germany with development led by Kleindienst Group.
A veritable temple for Real Madrid fans, we go inside the cutting-edge renovation of the team’s iconic stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu. Transforming the concrete building with a futuristic metallic façade, retractable roof, 360-degree video scoreboard, and a revolutionary underground pitch system – all while hosting matches – will defy the limits of engineering. Go beyond the game and discover the incredible engineering of this iconic stadium that is home to the thrill and passion of one of the greatest football clubs of all time.
