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Engineering is a fundamental part of day-to-day life. Many creations that we use, such as the bridges, were conceived with the help of engineering. Engineering marvels can be found in every field of knowledge, ranging from medical technology to transportation solutions. Here are some engineering marvels that inspire us even today.
1. Golden Gate Bridge
This bridge, which is the symbol of San Francisco, is a combination of bridge and statue. Its construction was completed in 1937 and has been a part of San Francisco since then. The Hell Gate Bridge in New York City inspired the design of this bridge, which you can see all along Manhattan’s Upper East Side, extending out into the East River. This bridge’s dedication was celebrated on May 27, 1937, an event that drew over 200,000 spectators.
The Golden Gate Bridge is nearly 2.5 kilometers long but rises only 70 meters above the water’s surface. Despite its length and height, the Golden Gate Bridge can withstand the typically strong winds in San Francisco. People must endure a tight squeeze when walking along the bridge’s right side. This part of the bridge is nicknamed “the ambler’s lane.” This bridge is an engineering marvel that inspires other countries to build suspension bridges.
2. The Great Wall of China
This wall was built some 2000 years ago, yet it still stands today. It stretches for 8,850 kilometers and winds through mountains, deserts, and plains. The Great Wall of China has a history that dates back to ancient times. Thousands of workers worked together to build this wall, working in primitive conditions. The resulting wall is visibly uneven because China was suffering from a series of natural disasters.
This was just the beginning of China’s great construction works still being carried out today. There’s more to come in the future, such as an undersea tunnel linking Hong Kong and Macau with the rest of China.
3. The Panama Canal
This engineering marvel was completed in 1914 and worked by connecting two oceans: the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. This canal is between 24 and 72 kilometers long, depending on its location. It also carries more than 74,000 ships every year.
The canal’s construction began in 1903, and it took nearly ten years before the canal was fully operational in 1914. This engineering marvel has been the subject of several documentaries and is particularly famous for its bridge, which works like an alligator jaw. The canal is one of the most important engineering marvels that inspire other countries to build great marine canals.
4. Eiffel Tower, Paris
Gustave Eiffel designed this tower in 1887, and it was then completed in 1889. It is surrounded by a square that can hold 10,000 people. The tower was named after French engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower designer. The Eiffel Tower is more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) tall, weighs more than 8 million kilograms, and features more than 2 million rivets.
The engineers who made this engineering marvel used a process called “monolithic construction.” This method provides large amounts of stability and strength even when used in tall structures. The tower’s structure is built from steel girders instead of wooden beams or concrete blocks.
The Eiffel Tower is open to the public and has become one of Paris’s most important tourist attractions. The Eiffel Tower is still standing and is used as an inspiration for many other structures.
5. Electric Linear Actuator
Actuators are used in all sorts of industries, from instantaneous suspension bridges to large car lifts. The electric linear actuator is an engineering marvel that is used in avionics and robotics. It is a motor whose rotation axis has rotational symmetry. A linear actuator can move in any direction and can be applied to rotating or stationary loads.
The most commonly known type of actuator is the pneumatic or hydraulic one. It consists of a piston and cylinder that are connected by a mechanism to control the flow of pressurized or suctioned air or liquid. Pneumatic actuators work by using air pressure to air-lift objects.
Engineering is the backbone of many technological developments and projects today. Engineers are passionate about the work of their field, and they aim to make people’s lives easier with their advances. The four engineering marvels presented above are just a few examples of engineering projects that continue to inspire us even today. Countless other engineering marvels continue to be built throughout the world.
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