Contrary to what many people think, engineering is not a recent development. The difference is that today’s advanced technology makes current innovations appear particularly extraordinary. That said, history has seen remarkable engineering achievements in transportation and space exploration.

While many engineering projects have been successful, some have failed. On the upside, these mishaps offer engineers opportunities to learn from their mistakes and acquire essential experience in addressing real-world challenges. Let’s explore some of the most notorious engineering disasters with this perspective.

1. St. Francis Dam Disaster in Los Angeles

On March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam in Los Angeles collapsed, killing at least 600 people and causing millions of dollars in damage. Self-taught engineer William Mulholland designed the dam.

While Mulholland had previously designed the successful Los Angeles Aqueduct, this dam disaster occurred just 12 hours after an inspection. Experts later found that a faulty foundation and poor understanding of the local geography caused the collapse. Surprisingly, Mulholland was not fired; he resigned a year later.

2. Miscalculation of the France Rail Network

A small mistake can lead to big problems, as French railway engineers learned the hard way. In 2014, France ordered 2,000 high-speed trains. When they arrived, engineers discovered that the trains were too wide for the tracks by 10 centimeters. This small error led to over $70 million in repairs. The engineers claimed they had never worked with high-speed trains, but the mistake was costly.

3. Great Molasses Flood of Boston

On January 15, 1919, a huge molasses tank exploded in Boston, sending a river of sticky syrup through the streets. More than 2 million gallons of molasses spilled out, causing destruction and killing 21 people. The engineers who built the tank did not design it to withstand temperature changes, which caused it to burst when the weather warmed up. The result was a disaster that shocked the city.

4. 1971 to 1976 Ford Pintos

In the 1970s, Ford faced one of its biggest recalls after discovering a problem with the Pinto’s fuel tank. The tank was easily ruptured due to the car’s design, causing deadly fires. Ford engineers developed a cheap fix, costing only $11 per car, but the issue wasn’t addressed until after a lawsuit was filed. By the time Ford recalled the Pinto in 1978, over 2 million cars had been sold, leading to significant financial losses.

5. The Hyatt Regency Hotel Walkway

In 1980, engineers were tasked with building walkways over the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Missouri. The project, which took just one year, seemed like a success. However, in July 1981, the walkways collapsed during a dance, killing 114 people and injuring about 200 others. The collapse was caused by the walkways being too heavy for the design and the use of weak support rods.

6. New Orleans Levee System

The levees in New Orleans failed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, causing massive flooding and deaths. The Army Corps of Engineers had overlooked the strength of the soil when designing the levee system, making it weak against strong storms. Additionally, the levees were not high enough. While the engineers were partly to blame, mismanagement of funds by politicians and officials also played a role in the disaster.

7. The Sinking of the Titanic

The sinking of the Titanic is one of the most famous engineering failures in history. While the cause of the disaster is debated, the ship’s design contributed to its downfall. The bulkheads, which were supposed to hold water in case of flooding, were too short. When the Titanic struck an iceberg, it took on too much water, making it impossible to stay afloat. The ship’s speed and the captain’s failure to avoid icebergs also played a part in the tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,500 people.

8. The Collapse of the Quebec Bridge

The Quebec Bridge disaster is unique because it happened twice. In 1907, during construction, the bridge collapsed, killing most of the workers. A weak suspension and faulty design caused the failure. Construction restarted in 1913, but in 1916, the center span of the bridge fell again, killing 13 workers. Despite these tragedies, the bridge was finally completed in 1917 and opened to traffic.