Structural Engineering
Buildings and structures take careful planning in order to ensure that they don't collapse or fail in any way. Structural engineers analyze and study the way in which buildings support loads.
The World Trade Center employed several new approaches to skyscraper construction. From slurry walls to sky lobbies to "tube within a tube" design features, what made this project distinctive from an architectural engineering standpoint?
The materials used to build the World Trade Center's twin towers have been heavily scrutinized since the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- including the steel that formed the frames of the skyscrapers.
It's been compared Jerusalem's Wailing Wall. What purpose did the slurry wall serve the World Trade Center, and what is its significance now?
It took years to construct the 110-story World Trade Center towers and less than an hour to bring them down to rubble. What ultimately caused the towers to collapse on Sept. 11, 2001?
Pisa without its precariously tilted landmark is like San Francisco without the Golden Gate or London without Buckingham Palace. Will the peculiarly enduring tower ever vanish from the Italian skyline?
When it came to building or improving things, the ancient Romans really knew their stuff. Which cool engineering tricks did they pass along to us?
Skyscrapers are fascinating engineering feats, but they can also be beautiful additions to city skylines. Travel to new heights with this skyscraper gallery.
Over the centuries, some of the most breathtaking buildings on Earth have been restored many times. Whether they were to make necessary repairs, update designs or adjust to changing needs, all these projects required big bucks.
Water towers can be found in just about every town and city in America. Have you ever wondered if they freeze in the winter?
Bridges move cars, trains, bikes and people, among other things. These 10 may even move your soul with their engineering ingenuity and beauty. So which 10 make the cut?
Have you ever passed by an abandoned warehouse or gas station and wondered why the government doesn't just tear it down? Well, it may be a brownfield.
Whether we're trying to save a sinking city or dig a massive tunnel, our appetite for construction knows no bounds. But if designers had known the actual cost of these 10 projects, they might have gone back to the drawing board.
Bridges are amazing displays of scientific engineering. This collection of pictures highlights some of the most spectacular structures ever created.
Abandoned mine shafts may look romantic with their clapboarded entrances and rusting pickaxes, but they can be deadly. So who ensures that these dangerous sites are properly closed up? You may find the answer a little unsettling.
Hefting a sofa up a flight of stairs can take a lot of logistics. So what does moving thousand-ton buildings across cities -- or even oceans -- entail?
Domed cities would provide the same temperature year-round, no rain or snow, and the ability to go outside without worrying about a sunburn. Have they been tried before, and what about the people who enjoy their seasons?
The Hoover Dam holds back 10 trillion gallons of water. That's enough to cover the state of Connecticut 10 feet deep. How much damage would be done if the dam broke?
If you wanted to build a Great Pyramid in today's market, you would need to take into consideration a lot of factors. How much labor would you need? What about materials? And how much would it cost you?
The Alaska Pipeline carries oil from wells in the far north of Alaska down to the the port in Valdez, Alaska. If that pipeline blew up, what would happen to all that oil, and how much damage would it do?
When pyramids come to mind, most of us think of Egypt, but pyramids exist in many parts of the world. How were they constructed without earth-moving or heavy-lift machinery? And most of all, why were these amazing structures built?
They don't have engines, brakes or accelerators. No, these amazing machines rely on physical, centripetal and gravitational forces to urge thrills, screams and that sinking stomach feeling we all love (and hate). Read more about the science of fun.
A tunnel can be simply defined as a tube hollowed through soil or stone, but actually constructing a tunnel is a challenge. Find out how tunnels are built.
Whether they make you think of Hurricane Katrina or Led Zeppelin, levees are a critical safety feature for low-lying areas located near water. Why do they break?
The twin towers of the World Trade Center were true originals -- their history is one of innovation, persistence and grand ideas.
It's a leap of faith onto a curvy steep wet chute... Discover how water slides work and what draws thrill-seekers to them.
