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Top 10 Big Engineering Projects Around the World

Even though the pandemic has hit us hard, mankind's dream of building big and building powerful structures and facilities cannot be dominated. Today we will talk about the top 10 big engineering projects around the world. These massive projects are prides of their developers and of the people of the region they are built in as well.

1. Large Hadron Collider, France

Large Hadron Collider, France

A hundred meters below the border of France and Switzerland, there lies a giant of cutting-edge science. The Large Hadron Collider of France is 28 kilometers long and is possibly the largest and most complex piece of engineering in a single facility in the world.

The project is basically a giant underground ring, with superconducting magnets inside it around the tube to propel particles along the length of the tube. When working, the inside of the tube becomes the emptiest place in the whole known universe - having literally nothing inside it.

2. Three Gorges Dam, China

Three Gorges Dam, China

The world's largest hydropower project is located on the mighty Yangtze River in the Three Gorges section and is capable of generating as much energy as 18 nuclear power plants! The giant dam spans 1.3 miles and is 600 feet tall, with 32 main turbines and auxiliary buildings. It is used to control the flooding of the Yangtze river valley.

The Three Gorges Dam is an awesome example of heavy construction engineering. Built to withstand major earthquakes of 7 Richter scale, it is able to hold back the pressure of the water of a reservoir that allows movements of 10,000-ton freighters in and out of mainland China.

3. Gotthard Base Tunnel, Switzerland-Italy

Gotthard Base Tunnel

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is known as the deepest and longest tunnel in the world. Running between Zurich and Milan, the tunnel goes right under the Alps mountain range. It is extremely important in terms of economy of both countries, taking most of the passenger and commercial traffic clogging up existing traditional overland connections.

The tunnel is 95 miles long and has two tubes each carrying one railway track, which are connected every 325 meters. The tunnel took 14 years to build and has been active since December 2016.

4. Andasol Solar Plant, Spain

Andasol Solar Plant, Spain

Is it a power station? Is it a farm? The world's largest solar power station is located in Andasol, in Andalusian Spain. Over six hundred thousand solar panels are installed over two spreads of land totaling 126 acres, supplying power to around 450,000 people in Spain.

The Andasol Solar Power Plant consists of solar fields, thermal storage systems, heat exchangers, steam turbines, generators and condensers. It uses tanks full of molten salts to store energy for the time when the sun isn't shining.

5. T30 Hotel, China

 T30  Hotel, China

While not a large project, this hotel in Lin Gang, China has taken place on our list of top ten engineering projects in the world because of the superb engineering factor. This 30 level hotel was built in just 360 hours, believe it or not! The technology used here is prefabricated building blocks and structural elements.

Not only fast, the T30 Hotel building was designed to be efficient as well. It saves a lot of energy - a similar building built in the conventional design will burn 5 times more energy than this! Also, this environment friendly building generates only a fraction of wastes than others in the same area.

6. London Crossrail, UK

London Crossrail, UK

One of London's most ambitious construction projects, the Crossrail project is considered the largest construction project in the whole Europe, such is its spread. It is a high-tech high-capacity high-speed underground railway system weaving in and out of the existing London tube.

Expected to build nine new stations to begin with and at least 42 kilometers of new tunnelling work to be done, the London Crossrail is the first new complete underground line to be completed in almost 30 years. It would relieve a lot of congestion on existing passenger transport systems, carrying 1.5 million people across London in 45 minutes.

7. Boston Big Dig, USA

Boston Big Dig, USA

Complicated to the level of maddening, the Boston Big Dig is a project to reduce the nightmarish traffic congestion in the city. It is basically a superhighway to be constructed under an existing highway and an extra third tunnel under Boston Harbor. All of this is supposed to interact with the existing system seamlessly.

Appalling in its design complexity, the project has been steeped with complications from the very beginning. An included plan to connect Boston's two main train stations had to be ditched right at the beginning. Add to that a myriad of issues consisting of criminal actions, leaks, use of bad materials, poor execution, and political challenges to boot - and it's a wonder how the project finished at all in 2007.

8. Marmaray Project, Turkey

Marmaray Project, Turkey

One of the longest single transport constructions in the world, the Marmaray project is a 48 mile long intercontinental commuter rail line from Istanbul. Going as a twin tunnel under the Bosphorus strait along the sea of Marmara, it runs between Halkali and Gebze, connecting Europe and Asia by railway.

The Marmaray Project comprises four major segments as the underwater railway tunnel, improvement of the Gebze-Haydarpasa and Sirkeci-Halkali suburban railway lines, electrical and mechanical works, and the procurement of new rolling stock. The mile-long tunnel is earthquake proof, and connects the whole 48 miles of the rail project.

9. Masdar City, UAE

Masdar City, UAE

The UAE is not new to conjuring up whole cities out of nothing. Still under construction in Abu Dhabi, this particular massive project will be the world's first zero-carbon city. Running entirely on renewable energy, the city will not allow any private cars or small automobiles, relying entirely upon mass transit and personal rapid transit systems.

The city will be run entirely on renewable energy, supplied by the biggest solar farm in the middle east and many wind farms. The water situation which is already tough in the deserts will be supported by robust recycling mechanisms.

10. Eko Atlantic City, Nigeria

Eko  Atlantic City, Nigeria

Not to be outdone by UAE, the Nigerian government is building a city in the state of Lagos on reclaimed land from the ocean. This planned commercial city is expected to be an awesome seafront city, housing 250,000 and commuting 150,000 people daily.

The idea is to transform Lagos into a mega city-state that rivals Dubai, the Eko Atlantic City is expected to rejuvenate the economy of Lagos, especially in the real estate sector. Tons of supporting businesses are expected to pop up once the city is functional with its luxury flats, marinas, retail centers, and high-tech offices.

Top 10 Big Engineering Projects Around the World