The Most Ambitious Civil Engineering Projects across the Globe (and what to expect in the future)

There is no denying that civil engineering has had a massive impact in our world. Our incredible buildings, highways, railway, underground tunnels, irrigation systems, dams and bridges have not only connected the world to one another, but also connected society to a better and brighter future.

 

Follow us as we count down to some of the world"s largest and most ambitious civil engineering projects of the 21^st century. What has made history? And, furthermore, what is yet to come?

 

Big Dig Tunnel Project: completed in 2004, the Big Dig in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest civil construction project in the USA. It cost the government 14.6 billion US dollars; however, many would agree that this tunnel project was certainly worth it.

UK Chunnel Tunnel Project: recently completed in 2006, this underground tunnel runs from London to France and connects two of Europe"s largest cities. It is the biggest civil engineering project in the UK and has proven to be a huge success for all travelers.

 

Central Japan International Airport: the Nagoya airport is an offshore airport completed in 2005. It costs 7 billion US dollars and is now the third largest airport in Japan. 

There are several projects that are still being completed for the future. This includes:

 

The China River Diversion: located in China, this will be the largest civil infrastructure project in the history of the world. It will cost nearly 25 billion US dollars and will take nearly 50 years to complete. Expected completion year will be 2050.

 

The Three Gorges Dam: Located on the Yangtze River in China, this project began in 1999 and will not be finished until 2014, or later. It will be the largest hydroelectric dam in the world and will cost an estimated 24 billion US dollars.

The South Valley Development Project: expected to be completed in 2017, this will be the biggest irrigation pumping station in the world. Located in Egypt, civil engineering began in 1999 on this ambitious project. The cost is unknown.