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Three Gorges Dam Begins Storing Water

Posted by michael on from the snorkels-in-short-supply dept.

Anonymous Coward writes "The Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in the world, and one of the largest engineering projects underway right now, has begun accumulating water in the reservoir."

1 of 667 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Hoover dam will stand 1800 years! by sllim · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Maybe he is making stuff up, maybe not.
    Back when the Hoover Dam was built over-engineering was considered the best way of building, well almost anything.

    You have to consider that it is the computer that has helped us under-engineer stuff.
    When the Hoover dam was built you had little choice. If you tried to use the correct amount of concrete on the correct scale you might have gotten it wrong.
    If you multiplied that number by a factor of 10 (consider the poster did say 1800 years, 180 years is 1/10th that) then you know that even if you did make a mistake somewhere you still wouldn't have a problem.

    Look at the difference between old time skyscrapers (Empire State) and new ones (not a completley fair comparison, but the World Trade Center).
    The Empire State building has taken at least 2 plane hits during its lifespan.

    Once during WWII with a twin engine bomber.