Engineering Disaster: Falling Structure

Engineers and architects have been obsessed on building the tallest structure on Earth.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, initially standing at 146.5
meters, the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than
3,800 years until Lincoln Cathedral was finished in 1311 AD. In the field of engineering, it is
very important to reduce the risk of failure. Additionally, meeting the standards of the
community, technology must be used efficiently. This can sometime lead to engineers
and architects to take shortcuts which will eventually lead to failures.

One of the engineering failures is that KVLY broadcasting tower that was 2,063 feet high,
it is higher than any structure on Earth before it has been shattered to pieces. Moreover,
the trademark configuration highlight of broadcasting hours is its lattice framework which
is shot together in 20 to 40-foot areas right to the top. Additionally, this structure has a
guideline that consists of high-strength pre-tensioned cables. It is a challenge for
engineers to decrease the probability of failure during the times when the tower is being
built. Another engineering failures is that ship tanker and causing oil spill at the sea.
Additionally, there was human error and it was catastrophic for marine life. Moreover, it
was said that their radar on the ship was defected. The State of California is prone to
earthquakes because it lies on the San Andreas fault. Way back October 17, 2989, due
to a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, the Cypress viaduct collapsed. Due to the intense
tremor, it caused a major shear for the columns and forcing it to collapse. Finally, dam
failure causes extreme damages as it collapsed and unleashing massive amounts of
water and has flooded the town of Saunders conveying a 132 million gallons of water.

Reference:

Top Documentary Films. (2017). Engineering Disaster: Falling Structure: Best Documentary
2017. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymqPTKjJv84&feature=youtu.be