0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to the genius world of monster engineering!
0:00:04 > 0:00:05Ah!
0:00:05 > 0:00:06- Aaah!- Aaah!
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Each show, we're going to introduce you to three geniuses...
0:00:11 > 0:00:12Oh!
0:00:12 > 0:00:15..whose ideas have quite literally built the world.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19- We put all their epic brilliance... - Yes!
0:00:19 > 0:00:21- ..to the test...- Hit it, hit it!
0:00:21 > 0:00:24..when we tackle our own genius monster build.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Don't you dare demolish this!
0:00:27 > 0:00:28Going higher...
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Why is it swinging?!
0:00:30 > 0:00:32..faster,
0:00:32 > 0:00:33and scarier!
0:00:35 > 0:00:36Oh, no!
0:00:36 > 0:00:37All in the name of science.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40That is a massive piece of construction.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42What could possibly go wrong?
0:00:45 > 0:00:46Ah!
0:00:47 > 0:00:49And on this show,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51things are getting wet...
0:00:51 > 0:00:52THEY LAUGH
0:00:53 > 0:00:54..windy...
0:00:54 > 0:00:55Ah!
0:00:55 > 0:00:58..and seriously bumpy!
0:00:59 > 0:01:04As we find out what it takes to battle nature.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07This is Absolute Genius!
0:01:43 > 0:01:46The awesome power of the elements.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49They push engineering to its absolute limits.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53And resulted in some truly genius monster builds.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54I'm freezing here!
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Hold tight, cos today's show is all about battling nature.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Right, you can turn it off now, lads!
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Right, that's it, we're going for a cup of tea.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10From tsunamis to tornadoes,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13we've always faced threats from the elements.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17For centuries, our greatest minds have thought of amazing ways
0:02:17 > 0:02:20to build structures that protect us from these disasters.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25And these days, when a natural disaster strikes,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28it doesn't necessarily mean everything gets destroyed.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32And it's all thanks to some seriously genius engineering.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34In your face, Mother Nature!
0:02:36 > 0:02:38This is the Netherlands.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40It's flat.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Really flat.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45In fact, about half of the land here
0:02:45 > 0:02:48is less than one metre above sea-level!
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Throughout history, the country has faced
0:02:52 > 0:02:55the constant threat of serious flooding.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59And serious floods risk homes, jobs and even lives.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02But in recent times,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06some genius engineering has helped keep the Dutch dry.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09And of course, there's only one way for us to get there!
0:03:10 > 0:03:13This massive barrier is part of the Delta Works.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17It's one of the biggest flood prevention projects in the world.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Without it, a huge area of land could be under the sea.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23And it's all thanks to our first genius.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24Please welcome
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Johan van Veen.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28"I'm not good on the water!"
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Yeah, I know how you feel, mate.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Oh, what a relief. Back on dry land.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Dutch water expert and genius helper Eric Van Der Weegen
0:03:39 > 0:03:43is waiting to tell us more about van Veen's genius creation.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Behind us is seriously a genius monster build.
0:03:52 > 0:03:53It's astronomical in size.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55But why is it here?
0:03:55 > 0:03:58In 1953, the water from the North Sea
0:03:58 > 0:04:01was coming inside the Eastern Scheldt.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04On that side is Holland, and a lot of people died then.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07So in Holland, there were houses destroyed,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09people died, absolute devastation?
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Yes, it was terrible.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13And then the government in Holland said
0:04:13 > 0:04:14that it must happen, never again.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16That where van Veen comes into this?
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Yes. Johan van Veen, he said,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21"I have a plan to make the coast shorter.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Van Veen's plan was called the Delta Works.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31It's made up of a network of 13 dams, dykes and storm barriers,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33laid out along the Dutch coast.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Together, they keep the sea where it belongs.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38You know, out at sea.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40At almost four miles long, the Oosterschelde,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42or Eastern Shield,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44is the largest of these flood defences.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Right, and now we're near the barrier, you can see how big it is.
0:04:47 > 0:04:48But how does it work?
0:04:50 > 0:04:51When the water level is expected
0:04:51 > 0:04:54more than three metres above sea level,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56then we close the gates.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- So these hydraulics push down this gate?- Yes.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03So this whole steel wall disappears completely underwater?
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Underwater, yes. Most of the barrier is underwater.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08You stand here on a big building.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10It's five storeys high.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15The size of this place is staggering!
0:05:15 > 0:05:16But what about the science?
0:05:16 > 0:05:19How does it work? We're going to need some help!
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Meet Fran. Our scientist friend...
0:05:23 > 0:05:28- Go!- ..who can explain things in a way that even we can understand.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It works, Franny!
0:05:30 > 0:05:32She loves a good experiment!
0:05:34 > 0:05:36And best of all, she pops up...
0:05:36 > 0:05:37Hello!
0:05:37 > 0:05:39..whenever we need her.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Franny, everybody.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Right, we need to get back to the UK to see Fran.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Yeah. Ron, how much to get back to the UK?
0:05:45 > 0:05:48- How much you got?- How much have we got?
0:05:48 > 0:05:51- We'll talk about that on the boat. - Yeah.- Right, start the engine.
0:05:51 > 0:05:52Hop in.
0:05:56 > 0:05:57- Argh!- Argh!
0:06:01 > 0:06:04- You two look a bit... - Netherlandish?
0:06:04 > 0:06:06- No.- Windswept.- Windswept's the word.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08We've just been to see flood defence barriers.
0:06:08 > 0:06:09They were incredible, Fran!
0:06:09 > 0:06:11- You missed out.- I know, but do you know how they work?
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- BOTH:- No.- Well, to build something that can withstand the push of the
0:06:14 > 0:06:17sea, you need to know where that push comes from.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- Yes.- The thing is, the push that water has on objects is all down to
0:06:20 > 0:06:22- this equation.- Equations?
0:06:22 > 0:06:24- Bear with me.- Fran.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- They've only just finished school. - It's like being back in maths.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32- Force equals...- Yes.- ..mass times...- Using science words.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34- Acceleration. So force...- Yes.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- It's just the amount of push that water has.- Force, yes.- Right?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40And that equals mass, that's how much water you've got,
0:06:40 > 0:06:41and acceleration.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44So that's not how fast the water's going,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46but how much it's changing speed.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Right, the problem is, Fran.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52- Yeah.- We don't understand what you're talking about.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Ah! Well, I thought you wouldn't using this.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56- Yeah.- So we're going to do it Fran style.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- Fran style?- Come with me! Come on!
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Fran, we expected something a bit more high energy.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07This is all tranquil and lovely and floaty.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09It is. It's all very calming.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13And it should be calming, because this water isn't flowing very fast.
0:07:13 > 0:07:14Which means that when it's hitting our kayak,
0:07:14 > 0:07:18which it's doing all the time, it's not changing its speed much.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Which means the water isn't pushing on us with much force.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Oh, I see. So the more water changes its speed, the greater the push.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Exactly! So if we were to go somewhere where the water
0:07:29 > 0:07:31is flowing faster to begin with,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33then it might be a little bit of a different story.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35What do you mean? Where's faster?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40To help us understand her equation,
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Fran is making us paddle against the flow of these rapids.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Fran, this is not very tranquil and lovely!
0:07:47 > 0:07:49And it's harder than it looks, OK?
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And one of the reasons it's not so tranquil is because that water's
0:07:52 > 0:07:55flowing faster, which means when it hits your kayak,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57it's changing its speed so much more.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Which means it's pushing on you with much more force.
0:08:00 > 0:08:06I see. So the more the water changes speed, the more push it has!
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- Exactly!- See you, Fran!
0:08:12 > 0:08:15There you are, Fran. That was harder, much harder,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17than just gliding around on the lake back there.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Exactly. That's why when engineers were building Van Veen's
0:08:20 > 0:08:22idea of that flood defence system...
0:08:22 > 0:08:23It was my idea.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26It was, and it still is, actually.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29But that's why when engineers were building the Eastern barrier,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32they had to build it out of steel that was five metres thick
0:08:32 > 0:08:35with each gate weighing up to 500 tonnes.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Got it. So they had to be strong so when the water pushed against them,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41- they didn't fall over.- Exactly, so they could protect the land
0:08:41 > 0:08:43from flooding.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44Back in the Netherlands,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48this massive storm surge barrier is still keeping the Dutch dry.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Isn't it mind-blowing to think that one man's sheer genius has held back
0:08:53 > 0:08:55the power of the sea?
0:08:55 > 0:08:58And prevented the Netherlands from flooding again.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Nice one, Van Veen, old bean.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02I want to make a sand castle!
0:09:02 > 0:09:05All right, buckets and spades. Come on!
0:09:06 > 0:09:08I want an ice cream!
0:09:08 > 0:09:10- Enough now.- With sprinkles!- Shut up!
0:09:12 > 0:09:15In nature, flooding isn't the only thing that tests genius engineering.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19No, there's also another type of weather that's a really big problem.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22You might be able to tell what it is right now. It's wind!
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And here's the man responsible for protecting tall buildings
0:09:25 > 0:09:26- against it. Mr Christopher...- Argh!
0:09:27 > 0:09:29..Scruton.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Storm force winds can have a devastating impact
0:09:32 > 0:09:34on towns and cities.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38But it doesn't always take a hurricane to bring a building down.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43This is the Emley Moor television mast in Yorkshire.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48In the 1960s, just a few years after it was opened, the tower collapsed.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53Partly due to the effects of something called vortex shedding.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58That's when air forms into a swirling pocket behind a structure,
0:09:58 > 0:09:59making it unstable.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Thanks to Christopher Scruton's genius,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05this massive tower is well and truly windproofed.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07And to find out more, let's go up it!
0:10:07 > 0:10:09- BOTH:- Argh!
0:10:09 > 0:10:12And to get us up to the top of the tower, it's Mark Steele.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- Hey, Mark.- Hey there. - How are you doing, all right?
0:10:14 > 0:10:17- I'm great, thank you. Welcome to Emley Moor.- Thank you.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- Let's go up.- Exciting. Right.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21And there's only one way up.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24It's very cramped and it takes seven minutes.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26I'm going to time it. From the word go. Look.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Started.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Six minutes 59. Spot on.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40Welcome to Emley Moor, guys.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41- Whoa.- Wow!
0:10:41 > 0:10:43I'm holding on to things.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44Come on.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Whoa! Hold on a minute, you can feel it moving!
0:10:46 > 0:10:48- You really can.- Like a ship.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Even on a calm day, this high up, the tower wobbles around.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55So, can you imagine what it's like during a storm?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- Is that normal? - It is perfectly normal.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59- You do get some movement on the tower.- Right.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00How high up are we now?
0:11:00 > 0:11:02We're just under 300 metres high.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04300 metres. That's taller than the Eiffel Tower.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Taller than the Eiffel, right absolutely.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07Yeah.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11In fact, at 330 metres,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15this tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the UK.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- You go first.- No, I'm not going first.- No, cos then I'll be here to save you if you fall.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19No, cos I'll...you go first.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21And right at the tip-top-tippity-top,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24you'll find Christopher Scruton's genius idea.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27Ooh, ay!
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Look at that! It's high.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31- Come on, pop out. - No.- Oh, come on, get out!
0:11:33 > 0:11:35I'll watch it back on the television.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Don't be such a wimp, Dick!
0:11:39 > 0:11:42So, what is that up there? They've got the big white bit above us.
0:11:42 > 0:11:43- What's that? - Well, that's our big antenna.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Oh, that's the actual antenna?
0:11:45 > 0:11:47- That's the antenna. - Wow, that's amazing.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49And that's helping the TV and radio go out from Emley Moor.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52That's incredible! And then on top of that, there's a kind of screw thing. What's that?
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Right, that's the helical strake, and that helps us deal with
0:11:55 > 0:11:56the wind at the top.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58OK. Can you tell us more about that?
0:11:58 > 0:11:59We need a structural engineer to do that.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02An engineer? Ah, I think there might be just the person downstairs.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Now, in case you haven't noticed, we're not scientists.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09- Aiiiie!- Oh, what?!
0:12:09 > 0:12:13So, it's a good job we have superstar engineer Yewande
0:12:13 > 0:12:17to call on when structures get us scratching our heads.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23- You all right? You OK? - Oh, it was high.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24- Rich?- What?
0:12:24 > 0:12:26- Rich?- What?
0:12:26 > 0:12:28What's a helical strake?
0:12:28 > 0:12:30What?
0:12:30 > 0:12:31A helical strake?
0:12:31 > 0:12:32Helical what?
0:12:34 > 0:12:35RINGING
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Yes. A helical strake.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Look, just get down here, Wande's going to explain it all. All right?
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Right, I'm coming down.
0:12:43 > 0:12:44See you in a bit.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46I'd hate to think what happens when this lift's out of order.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47DING A-ha.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Hi.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52- So, Wande.- Hi.- I've seen a helical strake.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54- Yes.- Right on top of the building.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Obviously, it's doing something.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57What would happen if it wasn't there?
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Imagine these steel poles are massive towers and the air
0:13:01 > 0:13:03from this fan is the wind.
0:13:03 > 0:13:08Air flowing around a curved surface forms what
0:13:08 > 0:13:12you call vortices, and they're pretty much like spirals.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14They just keep on going round and round and round and round -
0:13:14 > 0:13:16and could cause wobble.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20So that, in a building, for example, or in a structure,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23would cause fatigue, cracks and stresses.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25And, eventually, it could make a...
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Exactly, yup.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- It's going to crumble. - It could make it just collapse.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32And with the helical strake on it, that won't happen, no?
0:13:32 > 0:13:36With this sort of spiral coil,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40the air flowing towards the pole is broken up.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43So, it doesn't have the vortices forming at the back of it.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Which, in effect, means a lot less wobbling.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49It's almost like working like an invisible force field
0:13:49 > 0:13:50- all around the building.- Exactly.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53So, that was Christopher Scruton's genius.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56I couldn't have put it better myself!
0:13:56 > 0:13:57Thanks to Scruton's genius idea,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01the mast at Emley Moor to this day still stands strong.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02What mast?
0:14:03 > 0:14:04That one.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Still to come...
0:14:10 > 0:14:12We pit ourselves against the power of the wind...
0:14:14 > 0:14:17..in our very own genius monster build!
0:14:20 > 0:14:25But now, it's time for some random genius-nessss!
0:14:25 > 0:14:29This unusually-shaped house in Florida is designed to withstand
0:14:29 > 0:14:33winds of up to 150mph.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34There's no place like dome.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38No need to worry about flooding if you live in one of these
0:14:38 > 0:14:40floating Dutch homes.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Don't forget your wellies!
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Want to build one of the world's tallest buildings
0:14:46 > 0:14:48in an earthquake zone?
0:14:48 > 0:14:49Then you'll need one of these.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51A giant gold football?
0:14:51 > 0:14:56No! A 730-tonne counterweight that offsets any movement
0:14:56 > 0:14:57in the building.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02We've seen how wind and waves can smash buildings to bits.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Our final engineering challenge comes from down there in the earth.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12Welcome to San Francisco, on America's West Coast.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14It's an amazing place,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17but it's also one of the most earthquake-prone on the planet.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20It sits on the San Andreas fault,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23which is the meeting point between two parts of the Earth's crust.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30In 1906, roughly 80% of the city was destroyed by a big earthquake.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Another struck as recently as 1989.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37No-one can say for sure when another earthquake might happen,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41but the city and its buildings need to be prepared.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44This is City Hall,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47one of the most earthquake-proof buildings in San Francisco.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50And it's all thanks to the genius of Bill Robinson.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52That's me, fellas.
0:15:52 > 0:15:53- Inside.- Inside!
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Earthquake engineering expert Konrad Eriksen is here to tell us
0:15:59 > 0:16:01more about Bill Robinson's big idea.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07What a building the City Hall is.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09I mean, look at the architecture.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12But what happened to this building in '89?
0:16:12 > 0:16:14The '89 earthquake caused enough damage that the building couldn't
0:16:14 > 0:16:16be occupied any more.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19And in fact, the whole dome was separated in the earthquake
0:16:19 > 0:16:20and almost fell in.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22What, the top was all cracked off?
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Yes. I was actually up there in 1994,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26and you could see daylight all the way through
0:16:26 > 0:16:29round the circumference of the dome.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32The secret of why this building is now ready for the next
0:16:32 > 0:16:35big earthquake lies underground.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And that's exactly where Konrad is taking us.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Ey? In here?
0:16:40 > 0:16:41Yeah.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Under here, let me show you.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Look! A proper trap door!
0:16:45 > 0:16:46Going down again.
0:16:48 > 0:16:49Goodbye.
0:16:51 > 0:16:52- Ergh!- Agh!
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Yeah, I'm in. That's it, we're not coming back out again.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00We're now in the crawl space under the building,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04home to Robinson's genius idea, the lead rubber bearing.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08OK, stop mucking around.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10And up! That's it.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12- Oh, is that one of them?- Yeah.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14This is a lead rubber bearing.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Behind there is a rubber bearing with a lead core inside it.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Right, OK. And how many of them are there under this building?
0:17:20 > 0:17:21530.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23What? Of them!
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Explain exactly what's going on underneath the silver surface.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31In an earthquake, it works like suspension for the building.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33- Right.- So, the ground can move under the building without
0:17:33 > 0:17:36that motion being transmitted up into the structure.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Right, so you've put this massive suspension system in underneath.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40But why lead and rubber?
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Well, the rubber component gives it a springiness,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45so it's like your shock-absorbers on your car.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47- Right.- And the lead core dissipates the energy,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50so it's like the shock-absorber soaking up the energy
0:17:50 > 0:17:51from the bumps.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56Conrad has given us the lowdown on Bill Robinson's big idea.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58But there's no earthquake here today,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02so we need to head somewhere we can put Robinson's genius to the test.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03Come on, guys.
0:18:03 > 0:18:04Let's hit the road.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09The Nevada desert.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Right, we've got two buggies here.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20This one has got good suspension.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Brand-new, brilliant suspension.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25That one has not.
0:18:25 > 0:18:26- Heads or tails?- Tails.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- I'm driving. - You're driving, all right.
0:18:28 > 0:18:29- Helmet up.- Let's hat up.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36What we're going to do is drive this car whilst holding this,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40to see how much water there is left in it at the end of the journey.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41- Right.- Then we're going to drive that one,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44and see if there's any more or less water left.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45- Test one.- It's full.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Let's find out what it's like when we get back.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52The suspension on this buggy is designed to soak up all the bumps
0:18:52 > 0:18:53on this desert course.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- Nice, nice.- Good suspension!
0:18:55 > 0:18:56Nice.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Look at that.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02The shock-absorbers are doing their job. I've not spilt a drop!
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Well, maybe A drop.
0:19:11 > 0:19:12This is good!
0:19:21 > 0:19:22Look at that!
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Not bad at all!
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Considering we went over loads of bumps, we've lost about,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28I don't know, five centimetres of water.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30- Good suspension!- That's great.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32- Yes.- I need windscreen wipers on my goggles.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38So, the shock absorbers have worked, and stopped us getting all shook up.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42It's exactly how the building fitted with Bill Robinson's lead rubber
0:19:42 > 0:19:44bearings would behave in an earthquake.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Now it's time to put the buggy with the dodgy suspension
0:19:48 > 0:19:50through its paces.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Let's do it! Aggggh!
0:19:55 > 0:19:56Agh!
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Gah! I'm soaking!
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Mind the bumps!
0:20:09 > 0:20:10Aaaaaaaaagh!
0:20:11 > 0:20:13We're getting really soggy.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21MANIACAL LAUGHING
0:20:24 > 0:20:25I'm drenched!
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Well, I think it's pretty conclusive that suspension
0:20:28 > 0:20:30makes a massive difference.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Yeah, and when it comes to buildings surviving earthquakes,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Bill Robinson, you are an absolute genius.
0:20:36 > 0:20:37Yeah. Has anybody got a towel?
0:20:39 > 0:20:42We've seen how some truly genius engineering...
0:20:42 > 0:20:43Wow!
0:20:43 > 0:20:45..has produced structures...
0:20:45 > 0:20:47This is a lead rubber bearing.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49..capable of fighting back at nature.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Our three geniuses have all used their skills
0:20:58 > 0:20:59to tame the power of nature.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03Yeah, and now it's our turn to build something to battle the elements.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Hold on tight, because it is about to get windy.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Have you been in my veggie sausages again?
0:21:07 > 0:21:08- Not that windy.- Eh?
0:21:09 > 0:21:11FART
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Welcome to one of the world's top aerodynamic wind tunnels.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20These giant fans suck in air,
0:21:20 > 0:21:25and are capable of generating wind speeds of up to 80 miles an hour -
0:21:25 > 0:21:27the same as a category one hurricane.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Our old pal Grant Cooper is here.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Grant's helped us with loads of builds in the past,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36and he's about to do it again!
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Today, he's lined up an engineering challenge that will see us go
0:21:40 > 0:21:42head-to-head with the raw power of the wind.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44So, today, you're going to be building a structure to protect
0:21:44 > 0:21:47you guys from the wind. But, the longer it takes you guys
0:21:47 > 0:21:48to build it, the higher the wind speed will be.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50So, hang on a minute.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52We're not building it first, then the fan comes on,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55we're trying to build it as we're getting hit by all this air?
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Exactly. So you'll be taking individual pieces,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00kind of like a jigsaw, slotting them onto a metal frame to build up the wall.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03OK. And what's this structure going to look like?
0:22:03 > 0:22:04So, it's built like an arrowhead.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06So, a nice pointy profile at the front.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Architects and engineers use this when designing buildings
0:22:08 > 0:22:11so that they can control the air-flow around the buildings.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13So the wind's not going to be hitting a flat wall.
0:22:13 > 0:22:14- Pointed.- Definitely, yeah.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Grant, how are we going to put it together?
0:22:16 > 0:22:17I've got some plans for you there.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20And there's an anemometer there to measure the wind speed.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21- A what?- Anemometer.- Anemometer?
0:22:21 > 0:22:23So, don't forget, the longer you take to build it,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25the higher the wind speed will be.
0:22:25 > 0:22:26So, keep an eye on that, and get building.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28OK. So, what are you doing?
0:22:28 > 0:22:31- Cranking up the wind. - Ah! Challenge on.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Here's how it's going to work.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39We've been given a plan for a three-dimensional shape
0:22:39 > 0:22:43which is specially designed to deflect wind.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45The only problem is, it's in pieces.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Pieces which we're going to have to slot together perfectly
0:22:49 > 0:22:51for it to do its job.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53And it's going to be windy.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Very windy!
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Any slip-ups, and we'll be left with a structure that won't make
0:22:58 > 0:23:01any difference whatsoever to the power of the wind,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05sending both us and a table full of our favourite things flying.
0:23:08 > 0:23:09These are our treasured possessions,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12which we're hoping the wall will protect from the wind.
0:23:12 > 0:23:13One of his mum's vases.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14- Yes. Ming?- Probably.- Probably.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Look, we've also got some of our stuff from a TV show
0:23:16 > 0:23:18from about 28 years ago.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22Look, look. We've got board games, we've got annuals.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23- And this.- This is Arthur.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Arthur. Now, whatever we do, we cannot hurt Arthur, OK.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Oh, Arthur!
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Everything is ready.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35We just need some wind.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36Start them up!
0:23:38 > 0:23:40It's started.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Hopefully, the possessions will stay where they are. Right, let's start.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- Red.- What?
0:23:46 > 0:23:47- Find the red.- What?
0:23:47 > 0:23:48Red!
0:23:51 > 0:23:52The book's gone!
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Right, all the way to the bottom. Go!
0:23:58 > 0:23:59Next.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Up a bit, up a bit.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Where's the teddy? Where's Arthur?
0:24:05 > 0:24:08We've lost Arthur!
0:24:13 > 0:24:14Windy in here, innit?
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Trying to blow that off. Yes.
0:24:20 > 0:24:2114mph.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23That's just a normal, everyday breeze,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26enough to move small branches on a tree.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30Going well so far. Everything's safe.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Clearly not enough to satisfy Grant
0:24:32 > 0:24:35in the comfort of the control room.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36Can you crank it up a bit more?
0:24:42 > 0:24:43Do you know if that's right?
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Look!
0:24:49 > 0:24:53The wind's now at 26mph.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54Getting higher. The book!
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Things are starting to get really tricky.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03But Grant is just getting warmed up.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04Let's crank it up.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13Agh! All the cards!
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Yeah, they're struggling now.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18What's that?
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Will our wall stand up to the rapidly increasing
0:25:24 > 0:25:26force of the wind?
0:25:30 > 0:25:31OK!
0:25:35 > 0:25:38- Oof!- Agh!
0:25:39 > 0:25:41You can't even push
0:25:41 > 0:25:45the bits of wood towards the wall any more.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48We try to lift it high in the air.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51You just can't push it. The wind's pushing so hard on the wood.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55Push!
0:25:57 > 0:25:58That's it.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00We're nearly safe, we're nearly safe.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Look at that! Nearly 35mph!
0:26:04 > 0:26:07No wonder we can't move these bits about.
0:26:07 > 0:26:0935mph.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10That's gale force.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18Enough to set whole trees swaying, or to create very rough seas.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39That's it! The final piece.
0:26:40 > 0:26:41But has our wall worked?
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Ah, look, we're protected!
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Look at the anemometer.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Zero wind!
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Dick and Dom one, wind nil.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03With the help of our three geniuses, we've been able to keep homes,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05schools and offices safe -
0:27:05 > 0:27:07whatever the conditions.
0:27:08 > 0:27:09Johan van Veen,
0:27:09 > 0:27:10Christopher Scruton
0:27:10 > 0:27:13and Bill Robinson, you're all absolute genius.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16And I think it's safe to say that we're your biggest...
0:27:16 > 0:27:18- No, no, don't do that.- No, but we're your biggest f...
0:27:18 > 0:27:19- No, no, not that.- Your biggest...
0:27:19 > 0:27:20Admirers!
0:27:22 > 0:27:24You're not too bad yourselves, boys.
0:27:40 > 0:27:41He's loving it.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43I hate it!