Japan’s Kansai International Airport, often mistaken as a floating airport, is actually built on a man-made island in Osaka Bay.
It opened in 1994 and cost around $20 billion to construct. The airport was a major engineering achievement, designed to solve land shortage and noise pollution issues near urban centers.
However, it was constructed on soft seabed clay, which has caused it to sink more than 12 meters since opening—double the amount engineers initially predicted.
The island continues to subside slowly, currently at a rate of around 4 to 6 centimeters per year, though the pace has been gradually slowing.
To combat the sinking, engineers have continually raised buildings and runways and installed advanced protective measures like seawalls and pumps.
With the added threat of sea-level rise due to climate change, experts warn that the airport could face severe flooding or even be at risk of submersion by 2056.
However, this projection depends on many variables, and Japan is actively implementing engineering solutions to extend the airport’s operational life.
It opened in 1994 and cost around $20 billion to construct. The airport was a major engineering achievement, designed to solve land shortage and noise pollution issues near urban centers.
However, it was constructed on soft seabed clay, which has caused it to sink more than 12 meters since opening—double the amount engineers initially predicted.
The island continues to subside slowly, currently at a rate of around 4 to 6 centimeters per year, though the pace has been gradually slowing.
To combat the sinking, engineers have continually raised buildings and runways and installed advanced protective measures like seawalls and pumps.
With the added threat of sea-level rise due to climate change, experts warn that the airport could face severe flooding or even be at risk of submersion by 2056.
However, this projection depends on many variables, and Japan is actively implementing engineering solutions to extend the airport’s operational life.
Japan’s Kansai International Airport, often mistaken as a floating airport, is actually built on a man-made island in Osaka Bay.
It opened in 1994 and cost around $20 billion to construct. The airport was a major engineering achievement, designed to solve land shortage and noise pollution issues near urban centers.
However, it was constructed on soft seabed clay, which has caused it to sink more than 12 meters since opening—double the amount engineers initially predicted.
The island continues to subside slowly, currently at a rate of around 4 to 6 centimeters per year, though the pace has been gradually slowing.
To combat the sinking, engineers have continually raised buildings and runways and installed advanced protective measures like seawalls and pumps.
With the added threat of sea-level rise due to climate change, experts warn that the airport could face severe flooding or even be at risk of submersion by 2056.
However, this projection depends on many variables, and Japan is actively implementing engineering solutions to extend the airport’s operational life.
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