Kansai International Airport
Megastructures
National Geographic Channel
Season 2004
Kansai International Airport is considered a construction wonder in 20th century, compared to Hoover Dam and Panama Canal. It costs unbelievable amount of $15 billion US dollars for the first phase because it is built in the middle of the water. It was the first time the construction of this kind was created. Therefore the Japanese engineers had to overcome many challenges to make it reality. The factors might force the island sink back to the sea includes the uneven settling of the foundation, earth quakes, tide waves, typhoon, etc. Finally the Kansai officials and engineers had confidence to beat the mother of nature and continue to add up another artificial island with another runway on it.
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(Movie copyright: National Geographic)
