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FOSTER: The spire was designed to be 400 feet tall
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Engineering Catastrophes

The spire was designedto be 400 feet tall, but because there wereunderground tunnels...

FOSTER: The spire was designed
to be 400 feet tall, but because there were
underground tunnels beneath the site, the structure
would have been too heavy

Full Transcript

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.499
FOSTER: The spire was designed to be 400 feet tall,
00:00:04.499 --> 00:00:07.499
but because there were underground tunnels beneath
00:00:07.499 --> 00:00:10.633
the site, the structure would have been too heavy.
Duration
12 seconds
Views
69
Timestamp in Movie
00:38:00
Uploaded
Oct 28, 2025
Season
6
Episode
9
Genres
documentary
Production
Moviecoop

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Movie Summary

With access to all phases of design and a large cast of experts, some of the great failures of engineering history are uncovered.
S06 • E05 More than 100,000 vehicles a day, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:18
More than 100,000 vehicles a day,
S06 • E03 [Patrick] They found out that the bridge was gonna go any minute now. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:22
[Patrick] They found out that the bridge was gonna go any...
S06 • E09 So the final design had to be around 25 percent shorter. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:06
So the final design had to be around 25 percent shorter.
S06 • E04 Just shock. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:19
Just shock.
S06 • E07 NARRATOR: But it was in the last part - Engineering Catastrophes 00:06
NARRATOR: But it was in the last part
S06 • E09 NARRATOR: Making the obelisk both shorter and lighter - Engineering Catastrophes 00:09
NARRATOR: Making the obelisk both shorter and lighter
S06 • E08 [humming] - Engineering Catastrophes 00:14
[humming]
S06 • E05 [narrator] With Denver's traffic in a jam, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:41
[narrator] With Denver's traffic in a jam,
S06 • E07 In the designing stage, it was taken into account that - Engineering Catastrophes 00:12
In the designing stage, it was taken into account that
S06 • E09 Just before Christmas 2009, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:08
Just before Christmas 2009,
S06 • E06 [narrator] The huge concrete cylinder would weigh over 13,000 tons. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:14
[narrator] The huge concrete cylinder would weigh over 13,00...
S06 • E08 I started looking around, thinking, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:13
I started looking around, thinking,
S06 • E07 {\an8}Sea level is the base level for measuring elevation - Engineering Catastrophes 00:11
{\an8}Sea level is the base level for measuring elevation
S06 • E03 It folded just like a carpenter's ruler. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:05
It folded just like a carpenter's ruler.
S06 • E10 A detailed investigation was launched - Engineering Catastrophes 00:22
A detailed investigation was launched
S06 • E01 These welds were effectively all that was holding - Engineering Catastrophes 00:06
These welds were effectively all that was holding
S06 • E04 [narrator] The interchange below ground to a halt - Engineering Catastrophes 00:29
[narrator] The interchange below ground to a halt
S06 • E03 And then it swam down in the ice, creating a spume of ice up in the air. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:08
And then it swam down in the ice, creating a spume of ice up...
S06 • E02 For a city to get a championship game for any sport, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:12
For a city to get a championship game for any sport,
S06 • E06 And for tolerances, they were willing - Engineering Catastrophes 00:24
And for tolerances, they were willing