The BEST episodes of Extreme Engineering
Every episode of Extreme Engineering ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Extreme Engineering!
Each episode of Extreme Engineering discussed some major construction project, some of them are projects that have already been completed like Hong Kong's airport. Others talked abount projects that are currently under construction like Tuneling Under the Alps. And some episodes talked about more futuristic projects that may never be done like the Transatlantic Tunnel. Most episodes finished by examining some sort of disaster scenario which could threaten or ruin the project that was being examined.
#4 - Widening the Panama Canal
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/4/2003
A documentary looking at plans to update the Panama Canal. This magnificent waterway cuts through 50 miles of tropical jungle, allowing ships to travel easily from the Atlantic to the Pacific. However, time has passed this engineering marvel by - many modern supercargo ships are three times the size the canal can safely accommodate, so plans are in motion to widen the structure. The project faces all manner of environmental challenges, as well as leaving the canal closed to…
Watch Now:Amazon
#7 - Cooper River Bridge
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/5/2004
Connecting the bustling port city of Charleston and Mount Pleasant in South Carolina, the Cooper River Bridge will be the longest cable-stay bridge in America. Spanning 490 metres across a busy shipping lane, the bridge has to be built of sturdy stuff. But the biggest threat to its survival is nature. Not only is the structure standing on one of the most seismic spots on the East Coast, it also faces the frequent threat of 300kmph hurricanes. The engineers faced a very tall order – especially with a relatively low budget of $531million. The mainline structure will accommodate eight 4m-wide lanes of traffic, separated by a central barrier. The road deck itself is suspended 54m above sea level by 128 individual cables, strung in parallel from the diamond-shaped support towers. Cable-stayed bridges consist of one or more pillars located in the middle of the span, with cables supporting the roadbed. In this case, each cable is capable of holding 500 tons. To protect the cables from changing weather conditions and moisture they’re enclosed in high-density polymer pipes. Rock barrier islands have been built up around the support towers to prevent ships from careering into the bridge. Plastic hinge zones are being built into towers to allow flexibility during an 8.0 magnitude earthquake. In addition, a damping system has been developed to ensure the structure can withstand hurricane-force wind. The Cooper River Bridge is designed to remain in operation for the next 100 years.
Watch Now:Amazon
#8 - Dubai's Ski Resort
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/21/2006
How do you make your mall stand out? By building one of the world's largest indoor ski resorts--in the deserts of Dubai! Ski Dubai features snow-making machines and slopes ranging in difficulty from easy to "black diamond."
Watch Now:Amazon
#10 - London's Olympic Aquatic Stadium
Season 9 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/29/2011
The London Aquatics Centre will host 44 swimming & diving events during the 2012 Olympics and live on as a new addition to the London landscape. Danny Forster goes with crews as they construct one of the most advanced swimming facilities ever built.
Watch Now:Amazon
#12 - Port of Rotterdam
Season 8 - Episode 10 - Aired 7/1/2010
Danny Forster goes behind the scenes at the Port of Rotterdam, where crews are in the middle of the largest Earth-moving project in history - all to triple the port's capacity, and help it serve the biggest ships on the planet.
Watch Now:Amazon
#13 - Abu Dhabi Central Market
Season 8 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/17/2010
Abu Dhabi's $15 billion Central Market will be a new cultural hub for an emerging world destination, complete with offices, parks, luxurious shops, and hotels - and all centered around the world's tallest residential tower, over 1250 feet high.
Watch Now:Amazon
#14 - Gotthard Base Tunnel
Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/30/2010
The Swiss government is spending 18 billion dollars to create the Gotthard Base Tunnel - the longest tunnel in the world, getting people and goods through the Alps up to 3 times faster and ultimately changing European transit forever.
Watch Now:Amazon
#16 - New Orleans Surge Barrier
Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 5/9/2010
In an attempt to save the city from another disaster, New Orleans is building the world's strongest hurricane protection system, including the largest storm surge barrier ever built and radical hurricane resistant homes.
Watch Now:Amazon
#23 - Big Easy Rebuild
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 7/5/2006
This episode takes a look at the emergency repairs implemented in order to help the city of New Orleans recover from the disastrous flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005. Katrina was one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history and New Orleans bore the brunt of its fierce attack.
Watch Now:Amazon
