Engineering The palms in Dubai aka 8th wonder of the world - Essay Example

The Islands add about 1, 600 km to Dubai’s coastline and have already been termed as the eighth wonder of the world. The three islands facilitate over 100 luxury hotels and a large number of residential and entertainment centers [1]. This report presents an analysis of one of the best engineering marvels, the Palm Islands project. The report will first give a background of the project, including the construction process, and then discuss the challenges faced by the engineering team. The impacts of this mega project on the local environment and the coastal eco system will also be discussed in detail.

Table of Contents Abstract 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Reasons for construction of the Palm Islands 4 Construction Process 4 Curving the land 5 Engineering Challenges 6 Environmental Impact 8 Project Result 9 Conclusion 9 References 11 Introduction The UAE is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing economies. This country has witnessed immense investments in the construction industry hence becoming the largest construction market in the GCC [2]. According to Noack [3], the country’s construction industry managed to record a strong development between 2007 and 2009 despite the global financial distress.

In 2009, the industry contributed approximately 8% to the country’s GDP. . An island is made up of piles of lava rising above the water level. Technically, the Palm islands are manmade peninsulas made of sand dredged from the Persian Gulf [4]. Among the three islands, the Palm Deira is the largest and is also the largest artificial island in the world. Construction was commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The islands were constructed by Jan De Nul and Van Oord, the former being a Belgian company and the latter a Dutch company, with each settlement shaped like a palm tree.

Palm Jumeriah was the first island to be constructed. Its construction commenced in June 2001. Also situated on an artificial island in Dubai is the Burj al Arab. This is a luxury hotel standing 280 meters from Jumeriah beach. It is the world’s fourth tallest hotel and has a private curved bridge connecting it to the main land [5]. Reasons for construction of the Palm Islands The Palm Island is unquestionably one of the most ambitious and enterprising ventures to have ever been imagined and constructed.

The core purpose of the entire construction of the islands was to increase the tourism sector in Dubai. This was to be achieved by providing a tourist destination that stands out from the rest, brimming with world class hotels, upscale amenities and hundreds of miles of beaches all in one unique place [2]. The other objectives of the construction project were to complete reclamation of land and as a result, achieve pioneer status as well as fame. The reclamation would then allow for construction of hotels and housing facilities.

This would involve many foreign investors and hence improve Dubai’s international recognition [3]. Construction Process Construction of The Palms began in mid 2001 [5]. The Islands are made of sand