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Engineering Fun & Facts
Engineering Fun & Facts
The Eiffel Tower — The “Wobbly Giant” That Never Fell
- When the Eiffel Tower was built in 1889, many Parisians thought it would collapse in the wind.
- But structural engineer Maurice Koechlin designed the tower’s shape using careful math so the wind would flow around it instead of pushing it over.
- The tower can grow up to 6 inches taller on hot days because the metal expands.
- Thanks to Koechlin’s design, the “wobbly giant” is one of the safest structures in the world.
The Eiffel Tower is very stable due to its triangulated shape - Draw or build your perfectly stable structure.
Elsie Eaves — The Engineer Who Helped Build Giant Dams
- Elsie Eaves was one of the earliest women to make a big impact in structural engineering.
- She worked on major dams and huge infrastructure projects, helping make them safer and more efficient.
- She was the first woman ever elected to the American Society of Civil Engineers — a superhero moment in engineering history!
The Burj Khalifa — The Skyscraper Inspired by a Flower
- The world’s tallest building was designed by structural engineer Bill Baker, who created a special “buttressed core” system.
- The shape was inspired by a desert flower, and that shape helps the building stand strong against fierce desert winds.
- If you stacked three Eiffel Towers on top of each other, the Burj Khalifa would still be taller.
Which shape of nature would inspire your very own skyscraper?
Elizabeth Bragg — The First Woman in the United States to Earn an Engineering Degree
- Elizabeth Bragg became the first woman in the U.S. to get an engineering degree (1876).
- Her work helped open the door for women to design buildings, bridges, and other structures.
- She studied engineering at a time when most people thought women couldn’t — she proved them wrong.
The Millau Viaduct — Taller Than the Clouds
- This bridge in France is taller than the Eiffel Tower and sometimes sits above the clouds.
- Structural engineer Michel Virlogeux designed it to be incredibly light and strong, using slender towers that look like sails.
- The bridge is so high that drivers sometimes feel like they’re flying.
If you like, write the story of what happens to the lorry after it disappears in the clouds...
The Brooklyn Bridge — Saved by a Woman Engineer
- When the chief engineer, Washington Roebling, became too sick to work on-site, his wife Emily Roebling stepped in.
- She learned engineering, mathematics, and cable construction so she could supervise the entire project.
- Emily was the first person to cross the finished bridge — she carried a rooster for good luck.
The Forth Bridge — The Bridge That Never Stops Being Painted
- This Scottish railway bridge is so huge and so strong that it became a symbol of engineering toughness.
- Engineers Benjamin Baker and John Fowler invented a new “cantilever” design that allowed the bridge to stretch across a massive gap.
- For decades, people said the bridge was always being painted — by the time painters finished, it was time to start again.
A cantilever is something that sticks out into space but is only held up at one end - just like a diving board!
Julia Morgan — The Master Builder Who Designed Over 700 Buildings
- Julia Morgan earned her engineering degree in 1894 and went on to design more than 700 buildings.
- She used structural engineering to make buildings strong during earthquakes — especially important in California.
- She designed a castle (Hearst Castle) with secret passages and indoor pools!
The Leaning Tower of Pisa — Saved by Engineers 800 Years Later
- The tower started leaning before it was even finished.
- In the 1990s, structural engineers used clever tricks, like removing soil from underneath one side, to stop it from falling.
- The tower still leans, but now it’s safe for at least 200 more years.
What other clever tricks could you think of to stop a tower from falling?
The Golden Gate Bridge — The Bridge That Dances
- The Golden Gate Bridge can sway up to 27 feet in strong winds.
- Structural engineer Joseph Strauss insisted on a flexible design so the bridge could “dance” instead of break.
- During construction, Strauss also made workers wear hard hats — one of the first big projects to require them.
Engineering Game
Engineering Game
Complete this crossword to know what happened to the bridge workers
Complete this crossword to know what happened to the bridge workers
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