How are underwater expressways/highways built?
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Imagine you have a toy car and a really long plastic tube filled with water. Now, you want to make a way for your toy car to drive through the water inside the tube. That’s kind of how underwater expressways or highways are built, but on a much larger scale.
First, engineers find a suitable location where they want to build the underwater expressway. They study the area to make sure it’s safe and won’t harm the environment.
Then, they start by building a sturdy structure called a tunnel. It’s like a big, strong pipe that can hold the water away from the cars. They use special materials that can withstand the pressure of the water and keep everything inside dry.
To make the tunnel, they can use different methods. Sometimes they dig a trench on the sea or river floor and place the tunnel inside. Other times, they build sections of the tunnel on land and then put them underwater, connecting them like puzzle pieces.
Once the tunnel is in place, engineers make sure it’s strong and secure. They check for any leaks and reinforce it so it can handle the weight of the water above it. Safety is very important!
Finally, they make the tunnel ready for cars to drive through. They install things like lights to help drivers see, ventilation systems to provide fresh air, and even emergency exits in case something goes wrong.
And just like that, the underwater expressway is ready! Cars can now drive through the tunnel, underwater, from one side to the other. It’s like a secret road for cars to use and helps people travel more easily across bodies of water, like rivers or oceans.
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Most underwater tunnels are actually underground tunnels, far below the river bottom. Immediately outside of the tunnel is rock, not water. For example, a river or channel may be 50 feet deep but the tunnel would bored 100 feet deep, with 50 feet of earth & rock between the tunnel and the water.
Most commonly two ways of doing it:
* Drilling through the riverbed like any tunnels
* Build sections of the tunnel, sink them underwater and connect them, then drain the tunnel.
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