Episodes
-
Have you ever wondered what life would be like without electricity? Most of us don’t give it much thought—until the lights go out.
In February 2021, Winter Storm Uri swept across Texas, plunging millions into darkness. Roads froze, power lines snapped, and hospitals were overwhelmed. Texans faced days of uncertainty in freezing temperatures, underscoring the fragility of our energy systems.
This event highlighted the need for a more resilient energy future. The U.S. has relied heavily on fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas for energy. However, over the past decades, the energy landscape has shifted toward renewable sources such as wind and solar power. Despite this effort, renewables come with challenges, such as intermittency, which is why backup systems like natural gas remain crucial.
Innovating in an urban setting is becoming more and more critical. An example is the case of JFK Airport’s New Terminal One in New York, where an advanced microgrid that combines solar, battery, and hydrogen technologies is being implemented. This system can operate independently of the grid during outages, offering resilience in a high-risk coastal area.
Ferrovial’s commitment to innovation and sustainability reflects its vision to create a better world. By modernizing infrastructure and investing in clean energy, the company is helping communities adapt to the challenges of climate change while ensuring a stable power supply for generations to come.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Yes We Cast. Our team includes Francisco Izuzquiza, Alberto Espinosa, Ignacio Fernández Vázquez, Luciano Branca, Gabriel Ureta, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Marina Pastor, Bethany Ashcroft and Fatima Gracia De Vargas.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Let's travel back in time, about 100 years, to the state of Texas. Today, five of the most populated cities in the United States are here, but in the early 20th century, it was a small rural community connected by dirt paths. The arrival of industrialization completely transformed the area, especially two communities, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
Transportation advancements contributed to its rapid expansion, with one critical network: highways. However, there came a point when the development of the road network and population growth became uncoordinated. This presented a challenge: How can we create a future transportation network that supports sustainable population and economic growth?
The mission was clear: designing a project to enhance urban mobility while tackling congestion and traffic jams. But the challenge was anything but simple, as we had to accommodate over 13 million vehicles on the roads. Our team started looking for a real-time solution that wouldn't take years to implement, and that's when the concept of Managed Lanes was born.
This groundbreaking system introduces additional lanes with advanced technology that analyzes traffic patterns and creates a pricing strategy tailored to demand. By offering drivers the choice to use these lanes, we reduce traffic and revolutionize how people move around.
In this episode, join Jose Espinosa, CEO of Texpress Lanes, and María Chávez, sustainability manager at Cintra, the highways subsidiary of Ferrovial, as they dive deep into the workings of this innovative system. Discover how the LBJ Express, NTE, and NTE 35W set the standard for sustainable mobility in Texas.
Sounds of Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Yes We Cast. Our team includes Francisco Izuzquiza, Alberto Espinosa, Ignacio Fernández Vázquez, Luciano Branca, Gabriel Ureta, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Marina Pastor, Bethany Ashcroft and Fatima Gracia De Vargas.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Missing episodes?
-
Have you ever dreamt of flying? This dream is quite common. Humans have always been fascinated by the skies, and our quest to conquer them dates back to the Spain of Al-Ándalus. Amazing, isn’t it?
In the 9th century, the Andalusian scientist Abbás Ibn Firnás decided he wanted to fly. After a few crashes, he created a prototype that was able to glide for a few seconds. Interestingly, this device also became the world's first parachute when he attempted to land.
Fast forward to the past century, the Wright Brothers made history by creating the first airplane. With this achievement, the aviation industry took off, leading to the creation of the first airports.
Today, airports have become global hubs, connecting the world through the skies. This transformation has been driven by continuous innovation and adaptation to meet new user needs and security requirements.
Our colleagues from Ferrovial's Airports subsidiary, Víctor Vicente, Asset Manager; Laura López Sotomayor, Financial Director; and Ismael Ordoñez, Head of Asset Management, share insights on how airports have evolved into the infrastructures we know today. Furthermore, what can we expect from the future of aviation? Tune in to this episode and join us in a guessing game about how the horizon might look the next time we take a plane.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Yes We Cast. Our team includes Francisco Izuzquiza, Alberto Espinosa, Ignacio Fernández Vázquez, Luciano Branca, Gabriel Ureta, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Marina Pastor, Bethany Ashcroft and Fatima Gracia De Vargas.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
London is one of the main metropolitan areas of the world. If you think about the English capital, you can probably name ten iconic things off the top of your head. Shakespeare, Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, Sherlock Holmes. A city that's buzzing with music and theater, in constant movement.
The London metro system, or the "tube" as Londoners call it, is a symbol of the city's vitality. It's not just a network of tunnels and trains but a testament to the city's evolution. From its small beginning to the complex system, it is today, a lot of history and effort has gone into making it what it is.
The Tube, the world's first underground railway, has a rich history that dates back to the construction of the Metropolitan Railway, the first metro line, inaugurated on January 10th, 1863. Today, the system boasts 275 stations organized on 11 lines, a far cry from its humble beginnings.
Today, the London underground has grown and evolved alongside the city. In this episode, we delve into London's history and the Tube's evolution, culminating in the Northern Line Extension. Carlota Guiu Morros and David Drake Sloan, who spearheaded this project, share the challenges and necessities of constructing one of London's largest redevelopments in 300 years.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Yes We Cast. Our team includes Francisco Izuzquiza, Alberto Espinosa, Ignacio Fernández Vázquez, Luciano Branca, Gabriel Ureta, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Marina Pastor, Bethany Ashcroft and Fatima Gracia De Vargas.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
During the hurricane season in the Atlantic, a period that runs from June 1 to November 30 each year, the tropical cyclones that head towards the US and Caribbean coasts test the management and strength of all constructions and infrastructures. Meteorologist Albert Martinez explains how to predict the path of a hurricane and the deadlines citizens have to prepare for potential hazards.
Edgar Acosta, Design Build Estimating Manager at Webber, and Daniel Morrow, Construction Manager at Webber, tell us how Hurricane Harvey impacted the Houston area in 2017 and how neighbors organized to help rebuild the damaged homes.
We also hear from Paul Staton, Business Director at Webber, and Ryan McCalla, Vice President of Civil Works Operations at Webber, as they explain how engineering helps manage these emergencies, taking us through the Port Miami underwater tunnel and two large bridges near Houston, specially designed to facilitate evacuations and ensure the safety of the population.
Sounds of Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Yes We Cast. Our team includes Francisco Izuzquiza, Alberto Espinosa, Sergio F. Núñez, Luciano Branca, Kevin Garcia King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Claudia Castañón Piqueras, Amanda Loro, Bethany Ashcroft and Fatima Gracia De Vargas.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
We have always been struck by the incredible height of skyscrapers. Do you know how tall the tallest building in the world is? The current record is 2,717 feet, over half a mile. Nonetheless, we are sure that somewhere in the world, an even taller one is already being planned. Have you ever wondered how tall they are downwards? How many feet would they have had to build underground, to support such a height above?
And how is the tallest building in the world built?
In this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure, we dive, or rather climb, to the tallest building in the world. We want to discover what it takes to build a skyscraper and how they have evolved throughout history. We are joined by Eduardo Ortega, head of the architecture department within the technical management of Ferrovial Construction, Benjamín Juárez, Director of safety, health and wellbeing at Ferrovial, and Jorge Iglesis, architect and professor at the University of Chile.
Sounds of Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Yes We Cast. Our team includes Francisco Izuzquiza, Alberto Espinosa, Sergio F. Núñez, Luciano Branca, Kevin Garcia King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Claudia Castañón Piqueras, Amanda Loro, Bethany Ashcroft and Fatima Gracia De Vargas.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
In 1765 the Scotsman James Watt invented the steam engine. In 4500 BC, humans from way back then invented the wheel.
More than six thousand years of difference between one invention and the other, but both completely transformed society at the time and all that was to come.
On a smaller scale, construction, engineering and architecture evolve thanks to the accumulation of experience and the arrival of new technologies that drive change. In this episode of Sounds of Infrastructure, we delve into how innovation has pushed the wheel of evolution to keep turning: sustainability, digital development, new forms of construction worldwide... Various examples of how human beings keep reinventing themselves and guarantee progress.
Sounds of Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Yes We Cast. Our team includes Francisco Izuzquiza, Alberto Espinosa, Sergio F. Núñez, Luciano Branca, Kevin Garcia King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Claudia Castañón Piqueras, Amanda Loro, Bethany Ashcroft and Fatima Gracia De Vargas.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Imagine the highways of the future with faster drive times, fewer accidents and reliable, instant safety alerts that are navigated by a mixture of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). As vehicles are getting smarter, so as the roads in which they circulate in thanks to emergence of new technologies like 5G, C-V2X and real-time sensing which are being retrofitted into the existing infrastructure.
In this episode, Cintra's Senior Innovation Manager, Jen Duthie, explains the concept of smart highways, using Cintra's AIVIA Smart Roads initiative (Smart Roads Technology Solution - Cintra’s AIVIA (aiviasmartroads.com)) as an example, together with the technologies around it and how mobility solutions like these will make our roads safer and more reliable for all users.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Craig Lawless, Kevin García King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Bethany Ashcroft, Fátima Gracia de Vargas and Paloma González de Canales Díaz. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel. You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com and at www.aiviasmartroads.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
On a warm August night in 1790, Madrid’s Plaza Mayor was home to one of the worst fires the city had ever seen. Over the course of nine days, the fire not only burned most of the square, but also wreaked havoc outside of it too.
After the fire was finally put out, the king commissioned the architect Juan de Villanueva to rebuild the square. His task? To make sure it never burned down again.
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure we tell you the story behind Madrid’s most famous square and the work Ferrovial took on to bring the square back to its former glory.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Craig Lawless, Kevin García King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Bethany Ashcroft, Fátima García de Vargas and Paloma González de Canales Díaz. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
This World Water Day, we take a look at what cities across the world are doing to diversify their water supplies and make sure they don’t face their very own ‘Day Zero’ - the apocalyptical sounding event that threatened Cape Town in early 2018.
Peter Bailey guides us through Houston’s plan to diversify from groundwater and stop the city from sinking, and Eva Muñoz Manzanera explains how the Spanish city of Águilas is using desalination to help irrigate the region.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Craig Lawless, Kevin García King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Bethany Ashcroft, Fátima García de Vargas and Paloma González de Canales Díaz. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Diversity and inclusion are terms we’ve been hearing a lot more of recently. But although their definitions are pretty straightforward, we don’t always know exactly what they mean when it comes to their use in the world of business.
To help celebrate International Women’s Day, we’ve decided to dig a little deeper into what these two words mean. We talk to Webber’s Chelsea Russo about her experiences working in often male dominated fields, and how that has influenced her perception of diversity in different companies and her day to day work. We also chat about the Women of Webber program and ask whether enough is being done to push diversity and inclusion in workforces across the globe.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Craig Lawless, Kevin García King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Bethany Ashcroft and Paloma González de Canales Díaz. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure we get to grips with Formula 1 surfaces. We get to the root of the problem of what made the asphalt feel like ice at the Turkish Grand Prix in 2020, ask what caused a disastrous resurfacing of Silverstone in 2018, and find out what it takes to formulate the perfect asphalt for the perfect circuit.
Thanks to our F1 experts Damien Smith and Chris Medland and our asphalt experts Fernando Moreno and José Javier García for chatting to us for this episode.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Craig Lawless, Kevin García King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Bethany Ashcroft and Paloma González de Canales Díaz. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
The part of the story about Hoover Dam that most people don’t know is that the dam itself nearly didn’t happen at all.
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure, we talk to the author and LA Times journalist Michael Hiltzik, who’s book ‘Colossus’ details the history of the dam.
We find out how Herbert Hoover finally convinced the seven states to come to an agreement, learn about the construction methods invented to pull off the project and ask what the future holds for the dam and the region it serves.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Craig Lawless, Kevin García King, José García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias, Bethany Ashcroft and Paloma González de Canales Díaz. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
The bridge that we see today is not the bridge that chief engineer Joseph Strauss had in mind when he first pitched his idea for the Golden Gate. His 1921 design was big and clunky. Like one of those old metal railway bridges you see in the movies. Not something that would fit in with the surroundings of the San Francisco Bay.
But Strauss had designed his bridge (a mix of a cantilever and suspension bridge) like this for one reason: No suspension bridge had ever spanned a gap as big as the Golden Gate before.
It would take over 10 years of planning, hundreds of sketches and an almost complete redesign, but the bridge many people said would be impossible to build, was about to be built.
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure, we go beyond the iconic image of the Golden Gate bridge and ask ‘how did they actually build it?’. We talk to Luis Martín Tereso, one of Ferrovail’s most experienced bridge engineers, and to the author Henry Petroski, to find out how a suspension bridge actually works, how construction workers battled with the elements of the San Francisco bay, and how Strauss used pioneering safety and construction methods to pull it all off.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Kevin García King, José Luis García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias Valverde, Manuel Sánchez Medina and Craig Lawless. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Of all of the buzzwords to come out of the tech world over the last 20 years, there’s one in particular that’s really stuck around. IOT: The Internet of Things.
Although you’ve probably heard of it, it’s a technology that never really got the red carpet treatment. And yet these days, it seems to be everywhere you look.
Now, Ferrovial is working on a new project to turn its highways into connected highways, using a variety of different sensors and the internet of things.
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure, we take a look at the pilot tests Ferrovial is working on right now, and find out how the system will automatically share information like traffic conditions, incidents and potential hazards with drivers on the highway, in real time.
We find out what the connected highway will look like in the world of autonomous vehicles and ask how marketing will work in the world of autonomous and connected vehicles.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Kevin García King, José Luis García Guaita, Arantxa Gulias Valverde, Manuel Sánchez Medina and Craig Lawless. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
The Caixaforum Madrid is a building that makes you stop for one reason: it looks like it’s floating. Even after staring at it for a couple of minutes, it’s difficult to figure out. There are so many design decisions that just don’t seem to make sense. And that’s exactly what makes it beautiful.
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure, we see how Ferrovial took the iconic Herzog and De Meuron design and made it happen. The team would need to make this old industrial power station five times its original size and completely re-engineer the structural integrity of the building. And this design, paired with a 460 square metre vertical garden, would become one of Madrid’s most photographed buildings and one of Ferrovial’s most iconic projects.
Sounds Like Infrastructure is a collaboration between Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Kevin García King, José Luis García Guaita, Theresa Beno, Arantxa Gulias Valverde, Manuel Sánchez Medina and Craig Lawless. Editing by Craig Lawless.
In addition to the podcast, we have a great blog with so many more stories about infrastructure projects. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the other episodes on the official Ferrovial Podcast page. We also have a Spanish Podcast channel.
You can also find out more about us at www.ferrovial.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
What is it like to build in one of the most seismically active countries in the world? How do you design an earthquake resistant building?
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure, we dig into the rules that govern construction in Chile and find out the techniques that engineers and companies like Ferrovial are using to combat the huge forces produced by an earthquake.
Sounds like Infrastructure is produced by Ferrovial and Veleta Media. Our team includes Kevin Garcia King, Candela Del Valle Dominguez, Jose Luis Garcia Guaita, Theresa Beno, Arantxa Gulías Valverde, and Craig Lawless. Editing by Craig Lawless.
We have a great blog with more infrastructure stories like this one at https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/.
You can also learn more about Ferrovial at www.ferrovial.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
In 2013, a whitepaper that aimed to revolutionise transport appeared on the internet. The paper had been published by Elon Musk, who had sat down with some SpaceX and Tesla engineers to flesh out the idea for what they called Hyperloop.
People thought the whitepaper would come with the news that Musk was launching a new company. But surprisingly, it didn’t. Instead, he made the idea and research open source. By doing that, he had left a tantalising engineering challenge.
Almost a decade after the publication of Musk’s paper, Ferrovial are collaborating with Hyperloop TT, a company aiming to have passengers in pods in a 3-5km tube in the next three years.
On this episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure we look at the technology behind Hyperloop, what it means for the train and plane, and ask what benefits Hyperloop could bring to our cities in the form of social equality.
We also find out what happened in the 1840’s when a system that uses some of the same technology as Hyperloop was brought into service. Spoiler alert, it didn’t go well…
Sounds like Infrastructure is a podcast produced by Ferrovial. Our team includes Kevin Garcia King, Candela Del Valle Dominguez, Jose Luis Garcia Guaita, Theresa Beno, Arantxa Gulías Valverde, and Craig Lawless. Editing by Craig Lawless.
We have a great blog with more infrastructure stories like this one at https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/. You can also learn more about Ferrovial at www.ferrovial.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Here is a question that you’ve probably asked yourself: is it possible to have a road where there is little to no congestion? A road where cars don’t get stuck in traffic? In 2008, Ferrovial and Cintra asked themselves that same question as they were about to build a new stretch of highway in Dallas that would aim to solve this problem. The answer? To dynamically price the road.
In this episode, we are looking at where dynamic pricing came from and why it’s cropping out in so many areas of the economy. We look at how one decision in the airline industry set the whole dynamic pricing ball in motion, what dynamic pricing on a highway actually looks like and how the concept of the price tag came about.
This episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure was produced by Craig Lawless and Kevin Garcia King. Original music and editing by Craig Lawless. If you liked this episode, share it with your friends or go to our channel to listen to other cool stories!
To learn more about Ferrovial and check out some of our other projects, visit www.ferrovial.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
In this episode we take a look at two stories related to explosives and infrastructure. One for destruction, the other for construction.
At the beginning of the second World War, the Swiss found themselves surrounded by fighting in Europe. Although they had been officially neutral for more than 100 years, the military weren’t convinced the Germans wouldn’t invade. To help deter an invasion, they came up with a strategy of defense that included placing more than 3,000 demolition points on different bridges and tunnels across the country.
Fast forward to today and explosives are still being used in our infrastructure. But instead of preventing an invasion, they're now being used as a form of innovation to make construction processes much more efficient.
After a number of fatal rockfalls on a notoriously dangerous stretch of road in the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, the local community petitioned the government to connect the ring road that was being built around the island to the towns of El Risco and La Aldea. The decision was made to construct more than 8km of bridges and tunnels, and working in this difficult landscape under strict regulations brought about an innovation that had never been seen before in civil works in Spain: the team would be manufacturing their own explosives on-site.
This episode of Sounds Like Infrastructure was produced by Craig Lawless and Kevin Garcia King. Original music and editing by Craig Lawless. If you liked this episode, share it with your friends or go to our channel to listen to other cool stories!
To learn more about Ferrovial and check out some of our other projects, visit www.ferrovial.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Show more
