Stingy Atilius
We often like to repeat: “This is how they built it before!”, of course, meaning quality, reliability, “for centuries!” and all that stuff. So, ancient architects also sometimes made mistakes, as happened with the amphitheater in the city of Fideni.
True, in this situation it is not the architect who is to blame, but elementary greed. It was like this: in 27 AD, a certain Atilius decided to build an amphitheater for gladiator fights and other spectacles in Fidenae, a suburb of Rome.
And since main goal Atilia had no desire to entertain the respectable Romans, but, as was later indicated when drawing up the police report - “dirty profit”, the entrepreneur tried to save as much as possible on both materials and preliminary study soil at the construction site. Simply put, he built something seemingly grandiose in the form of an amphitheater out of nothing in some swamp. He gathered gladiators there and hung attractive posters throughout the great city.
It all ended very sadly. When 30 thousand spectators crammed into the Atilian building, the amphitheater collapsed and more than 20 thousand remained under the rubble.
After this tragedy, the Roman Senate decided that henceforth, before any construction, it is necessary to conduct soil studies where the foundation of the building is planned. And in order to exclude savings on the construction of entertainment venues, a ban was introduced on holding games by those whose wealth was estimated at less than 400 thousand sesterces (this is about a million dollars at the current exchange rate).
Of course, no one began to restore the Atilius building. His fate is unknown; most likely, he was executed and rightly so.
The same tower
During the construction of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, which, in fact, is the bell tower of the Catholic Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the lessons of the ancestors were clearly forgotten. The tower began to tilt even during construction, and all because its prohibitively small foundation was placed on extremely swampy soil.
Pisans for a long time They suspected that the author of the unsuccessful project was their fellow countryman, the sculptor Bonnano Pisano. At first, Pisano was not against such fame, but when he saw the tower completed and already crooked to the point of impossibility, he declared that the guest workers were to blame for everything and that this was generally intended.
But the Pisans, not yet realizing their future benefits from the flow of tourists, demanded that the bell tower stand straight, as it should be. Pisano touched the masonry, estimated the height and declared that he had nothing to do with this architectural absurdity. After which, no matter how hard the Pisans tried to find someone responsible for such an obvious violation of construction rules, no one admitted authorship.
Having suffered in suspense, the Pisans waited until Bonnano died, blamed all the architectural mistakes on him, and buried the sculptor next to the tower, which still stands today, constantly surrounded by crowds of posing tourists who, judging by their photographs, received the most ridiculous poses.
St. Francis didn't help
Dam of St. Francis was part of a whole system of dams and reservoirs designed to provide water to such a metropolis as Los Angeles. It was built over two years, from 1924 to 1926. And in March 1928, the dam collapsed, releasing 45 billion liters of water, which flooded several towns and killed at least 600 people. Later, corpses were found even on the Mexican border. Last remains The victims of this disaster were discovered in the desert in 1992.
An investigation conducted by a government commission showed that: the dimensions of the dam comply with the standards; the concrete used for construction was of high quality; no earthquakes in specified period didn't happen; the foundation is excellent. But the place where this foundation was placed clearly let us down. It turns out that the lower right edge of the dam rested on an outcrop of mica - a rather unstable material in terms of foundation. As a result, the building collapsed.
Later studies showed that the dam stood on an ancient fault. Due to water seepage, the fault began to move, which led to the tragedy.
The court did not punish the chief engineer and builder of the dam, William Mulholland. After all, no technology of that time could have determined the presence of a fault. However, Mulholland sincerely considered himself guilty, since he personally examined suspicious cracks in the dam a few hours before the disaster, but came to the conclusion that everything was normal. After the trial, the engineer retired from business and lived the rest of his life as a recluse. The dam was not restored.
"Galloping Gertie"
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, or Tacoma Narrows Suspension Bridge, built across the strait of the same name in Washington state, was nicknamed by its builders “Galloping Gertie” because it strong wind The road surface of the bridge began to sway dangerously.
The bridge was opened for traffic in July 1940, but in November of the same year the traffic closed by itself due to the collapse of the central span. The cause of the accident, according to official version: “The phenomenon of forced mechanical resonance, when the frequency of wind flow oscillations coincides with the natural frequency of oscillations of the bridge structures. A main reason destruction is aeroelastic flutter (dynamic torsional vibrations) due to underestimation of dynamic wind loads when designing the structure.” Simply put, the wind that day was too strong (up to 65 kilometers per hour), and the bridge was not designed for the air flow to twist its steel structures like laundry.
After the collapse of the Tacoma Bridge (fortunately, there were no casualties), all the fundamentals of designing any structures from the point of view of aerodynamics were reconsidered. In 1950, the bridge was rebuilt, taking into account new trends, and at that time it became the third longest suspension bridge in the world. From 2002 to 2007, another similar bridge was built nearby to increase capacity.
Architecture is a branch that is perhaps no less precise than surgery. In any case, not only comfort, but also human life directly depends on the quality work of architects and builders. Our review contains 15 cases where architectural mistakes cost people their lives.
1. Highway 19 Overpass, Laval, Quebec, 2006
Five people were killed and six were seriously injured when a 66-foot section of roadway collapsed.
2. Ronan Point, London, 1968
An explosion in one of the apartments in the 22-storey Ronan Point building in London, where all building regulations were met, led to a progressive collapse. The accident occurred because the design was similar to a house of cards. This tragedy claimed the lives of four people.
3. Pier One Playground, Brooklyn, New York, 2010
The engineers who designed this playground focused on its futuristic design and completely forgot to think about the materials. Most structures were made of pure steel, which was heated to 50 degrees in summer months.
4. Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri, 1979
The roof of Kemper Arena consisted of several long-span coverings that were supposed to protect against rain and wind, but the strength of the bolts that held it in place was calculated incorrectly. In 1979 the roof collapsed. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
5. Concert hall named after Walt Disney, Los Angeles, 2005
The strikingly beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall has become another landmark of Los Angeles. The building was designed by the famous architect Frank Gehry, and according to his plan, the outer walls of the building were covered with steel panels. However, already in 2005, the builders had to slightly change the facade of the building, since the metal became a powerful reflector sun rays and all the residents of the nearby home suffered disproportionately high temperature.
6. I-35W Bridge, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2007
Due to its outdated design, part of the freeway bridge collapsed during rush hour, causing several cars to slide into the Mississippi River. 13 people were killed and another 145 were injured.
7. Seongsu Daegyo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea, 1994
On October 21, 1994, part of a bridge collapsed in Seoul, which had recently been repaired. Parts of the bridge, along with buses and cars, fell into the river from a height of 20 meters. The tragedy claimed the lives of 32 people, most which are children.
8. Sampoong Shopping Center, Seoul, South Korea, 1995
On July 9, 1995, as a result of gross violations of building regulations, one of the most large buildings South Korea - shopping mall Sampoong. Under the rubble of the building, 502 people died, 937 were injured or seriously injured.
9. Great Boston Tunnel, Boston, 2006
On July 10, 2006, in a tunnel through which cars were moving, a ceiling weighing about 25 tons collapsed. A woman died under the rubble.
10. Bridge over the Tuo River - Fenghuang, China, 2007
In August 2007, the only 268-meter bridge across the Tuo River collapsed in the Chinese province of Hanan. The disaster occurred during the dismantling of scaffolding. As a result of the accident, 30 people died, 60 were injured, and more than 10 were missing.
11. Ville-Marie Tunnel, Montreal, Canada, 2011
Due to an outdated design in the Ville-Marie Tunnel, a concrete slab, which was part of a concrete structure installed to help drivers' eyes quickly adapt to the darkness in the tunnel, collapsed onto the road. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident.
12. Val di Stave, Italy, 1985
The Stave Dam failure in 1985 killed 248 people and destroyed 62 buildings.
3. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri, 1981
On July 17, 1981, during a party in the hotel atrium, two suspended galleries, located one above the other, collapsed. As a result of this incident, 114 people died and 216 were seriously injured.
14. Railway bridge, Jefferson City, Missouri, 1855
Due to the carelessness of the builders, the first passenger train that traveled along the new railway, provoked her crash. This tragedy claimed the lives of 30 people.
15. Banqiao Dam, Henan Province, China People's Republic, 1975
Banqiao is an earth dam built in 1952 for flood control. Gross mistakes were made during the construction of the dam, and it became covered with cracks, and subsequently could not withstand the pressure of tropical typhoon Nina. The sinking killed 26,000 people.
In architecture, as in surgery, everything must be precise. After all, a person’s life depends on how well the work is done. Our list presents 12 mistakes of architects and builders that turned into disasters and caused people to die.
1. Sampoong Shopping Center, Seoul, South Korea, 1995
The largest shopping center in South Korea, Sampoong, collapsed in 1995. The reason was the grossest violations committed by the architects. The result was 502 dead and 937 injured.
2. Bridge over the Tuo River - Fenghuang, China, 2007
In China, in Hanan province, in 2007 they ended construction work 268-meter bridge. But immediately after their completion, disaster struck. The bridge over the Tuo River collapsed while scaffolding was being dismantled. The result was 30 dead, 60 wounded and over 10 missing.
3. Seongsu Daegyo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea, 1994
In South Korea, shortly after completion repair work There was an accident on the Seongsu Daegyo Bridge. Part of it fell off, causing cars and buses that were crossing the bridge at the time to fall from a height of 20 meters. This disaster took the lives of 32 people, many of them were children.
4. Highway 19 Overpass, Laval, Quebec, 2006
In 2006, in Quebec, on Highway 19 Overpass, a 20-meter-long portion of the road surface collapsed. As a result of this accident, 5 people were killed and 6 were injured.
5. Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri, 1979
In 1979, the roof of Kemper Arena collapsed in Missouri. Fortunately, no one was injured in this accident.
6. I-35W Bridge, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2007
The design of this bridge was long outdated, but no one attached any importance to this until in 2007, during rush hour, part of the bridge collapsed. The cars that were on the bridge ended up in the water. Then 13 people died and 145 were injured.
7. Great Boston Tunnel, Boston, 2006
In this tunnel, a ceiling weighing 25 tons collapsed while cars were moving. One person died.
8. Pier One Playground, Brooklyn, New York, 2010
It is not known who was the architect of this playground, but he clearly miscalculated with its materials, since in the summer, in 50-degree heat, most steel structures became very hot, making the playground unsuitable for children's games.
9. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, 2005
The facade of this incredibly luxurious Concert Hall in Los Angeles had to be urgently changed because its architect did not take into account one important detail. The metal was a strong reflector of the sun's rays, causing people living nearby to suffer from high temperatures.
10. Ville-Marie Tunnel, Montreal, Canada, 2011
A special concrete structure was installed in this tunnel to help drivers adapt to the darkness. But in 2011, a concrete slab of this structure collapsed onto the road. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
11. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri, 1981
This incident happened in July 1981, when 2 hanging galleries collapsed at the hotel. Then 114 people died and 216 were injured.
12. Banqiao Dam, Henan Province, People's Republic of China, 1975
In 1952, a dam called Bayanzo was built, which was intended to protect against floods. But during its construction, the architects and builders made unacceptable mistakes. In 1975, tropical typhoon Nina demolished this dam. The result is very deplorable. This disaster claimed the lives of 26 thousand people.
Amphitheater in Fideni
Date: 27 AD
Place: Fideni city
Current Status: Destroyed
The Fidenese amphitheater was destroyed in 27 AD. This wooden structure collapsed due to too many people coming to watch the gladiator fights. This incident convinced the architects of the need to strengthen the buildings.
Lesson learned: Consider the weight the structure can support.
Alexandria Lighthouse
Date: 1303
Place: Alexandria
Current Status: Destroyed
The Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria was one of the seven wonders ancient world until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1303. Since its first construction (around 280 BC), this structure has been an example of unusual architecture, since the lighthouse was about 384 feet tall (the height of a 42-story building), and at the same time was able to withstand ocean storms, several previous earthquakes and wars.
Lesson Learned: Unfortunately, some buildings don't last forever. Advances in technology help buildings withstand the harshest natural conditions.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Date: 1173
Place: Pisa
Current status: Built
At the beginning of the construction of the leaning Leaning Tower of Pisa in 1173, its height reached 60 meters. The tower was built on a swampy area, causing the entire structure to tilt. Ultimately, in order to prevent the tower from falling, it was necessary to strengthen the foundation.
Lesson Learned: It is essential to create a strong foundation and build buildings on it.
St. Francis Dam
Date: 1928
Location: Los Angeles
Current state: Destroyed
The St. Francis Dam was built in 1924 and failed in 1928, due to structural and geological reasons. As a result, 600 people died in a flood caused by defects in the dam's foundation.
Lesson Learned: Regular inspections of industrial structures such as dams, bridges, etc. are essential to ensure public safety.
Tacoma Bridge
Date: 1940
Location: Tacoma
Current Status: Restored
In 1940, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed during a storm, becoming the largest artificial reef and also the most dramatic failure in bridge building history. From that moment on, design suspension bridges was completely changed.
Lesson Learned: When constructing, you should always consider the following: natural factors like the wind and weather changes.
John Hancock Tower
Date: 1976
Location: Boston
Current condition: Renovated
The John Hancock Tower is a 60-story skyscraper in Boston that opened in 1976. Due to the constant thermal stress to which the building's panels were subjected, its windows flew out and shattered on the asphalt after flying hundreds of feet. Ultimately, 10,000 windows were replaced. The total cost of repairs was $5 million. Another miscalculation of the architects was the inability of the building to resist strong gusts of wind, which is why the building swayed too much. This provoked bouts of motion sickness among residents of the upper floors.
Lesson Learned: When building large structures such as skyscrapers, small factors have large consequences.
Spa Hotel Vdara
Date: 2009
Location: Las Vegas
Current Condition: Refurbished
In 2009, the Vdara spa hotel opened in Las Vegas. Its unique curved design allows the sun's rays to accumulate and reflect towards the hotel pool. This often caused the pool temperature to rise, causing sunburn in people and the melting of objects.
Lesson Learned: Architects must juggle multiple responsibilities and rely on various areas knowledge, including science.
"Lotus Riverside"
Date: 2009
Place: Shanghai
Current Status: Destroyed
In 2009, the Lotus Riverside residential complex in Shanghai consisted of eleven 13-story buildings. The excavation of an underground garage under one of the buildings led to the collapse of the entire building, as the excavated soil was later dumped in a landfill near the river. Due to the heavy weight, the river bank collapsed, causing river water soaked into the ground, turning the soil under the building into mud.
Lesson learned: Even during renovation work, you should always check the foundation and other important elements designs. Structural strength and public safety are the highest priority.
Due to mistakes and miscalculations of architects and designers, even the most reliable structures sometimes collapse or become simply unsuitable for normal use. 15 similar mistakes that led to various consequences await you further.
I-35W Bridge, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2007
Due to its outdated design, part of the freeway bridge collapsed during rush hour, causing several cars to slide into the Mississippi River. 13 people were killed and another 145 were injured.
Highway 19 Overpass, Laval, Quebec, 2006
Five people were killed and six were seriously injured when a 66-pound portion of the roadway collapsed.
Ronan Point apartment building, London, 1968
An explosion in one of the apartments in the 22-storey Ronan Point building in London, where all building regulations were met, led to a progressive collapse. The accident occurred because the design was similar to a house of cards. This tragedy claimed the lives of four people.
Pier One Playground, Brooklyn, New York, 2010
The engineers who designed this playground focused on its futuristic design and completely forgot to think about the materials. Most structures were made of pure steel, which heated up to 50 degrees during the summer months.
Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri, 1979
The roof of Kemper Arena consisted of several long-span coverings that were supposed to protect against rain and wind, but the strength of the bolts that held it in place was calculated incorrectly. In 1979 the roof collapsed. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, 2005
The strikingly beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall has become another landmark of Los Angeles. The building was designed by the famous architect Frank Gehry, and according to his plan, the outer walls of the building were covered with steel panels. However, already in 2005, the builders had to slightly change the facade of the building, since the metal became a powerful reflector of the sun's rays and all residents of nearby houses suffered from excessively high temperatures.
Seongsu Daegyo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea, 1994
On October 21, 1994, part of a bridge collapsed in Seoul, which had recently been repaired. Parts of the bridge, along with buses and cars, fell into the river from a height of 20 meters. The tragedy claimed the lives of 32 people, most of whom were children.
Sampoong Shopping Center, Seoul, South Korea, 1995
On July 9, 1995, one of the largest buildings in South Korea, the Sampoong shopping center, collapsed as a result of gross violations of building regulations. Under the rubble of the building, 502 people died, 937 were injured or seriously injured.
Great Boston Tunnel, Boston, 2006
On July 10, 2006, in a tunnel through which cars were moving, a ceiling weighing about 25 tons collapsed. A woman died under the rubble.
Bridge over the Tuo River - Fenghuang, China, 2007
In August 2007, the only 268-meter bridge across the Tuo River collapsed in the Chinese province of Hanan. The disaster occurred during the dismantling of scaffolding. As a result of the accident, 30 people died, 60 were injured, and more than 10 were missing.
Ville-Marie Tunnel, Montreal, Canada, 2011
Due to an outdated design in the Ville-Marie Tunnel, a concrete slab, which was part of a concrete structure installed to help drivers' eyes quickly adapt to the darkness in the tunnel, collapsed onto the road. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident.
Val di Stave, Italy, 1985
The Stave Dam failure in 1985 killed 248 people and destroyed 62 buildings.
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri, 1981
On July 17, 1981, during a party in the hotel atrium, two suspended galleries, located one above the other, collapsed. As a result of this incident, 114 people died and 216 were seriously injured.
Railroad Bridge, Jefferson City, Missouri, 1855
Due to the carelessness of the builders, the first passenger train that traveled along the new railway provoked its collapse. This tragedy claimed the lives of 30 people.
Banqiao Dam, Henan Province, People's Republic of China, 1975
Banqiao is an earth dam built in 1952 for flood control. Gross mistakes were made during the construction of the dam, and it became covered with cracks, and subsequently could not withstand the pressure of tropical typhoon Nina. The sinking killed 26,000 people.
