Nestled within the picturesque Osaka Bay in Japan, the Kansai International Airport, once praised for its uniqueness, is now grappling with a pressing predicament – it’s sinking at an alarming pace.
Launched in 1994, this colossal £15 billion aviation marvel was envisioned as a beacon of modernity and convenience, facilitating air travel for the inhabitants of Osaka and serving as a crucial hub for prominent Asian airlines like All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and Nippon Cargo Airlines.
However, beneath its surface lie significant concerns. Initially predicted to settle evenly over five decades, stabilising at an elevation of 13 feet above sea level to avert flooding, the airport’s artificial islands reached this critical threshold in a mere six years. A staggering £117 million was then spent to bolster the seawall, a measure aimed at staving off the inevitable submergence.
Core issue with the airport
Constructed atop reclaimed land, akin to a waterlogged sponge, the site required substantial fortification before hosting the weight of an expansive airport. The process involved layering five feet of sand upon the cay seabed and installing approximately 2.2 million vertical pipes, each nearly 16 inches in diameter. These pipes, filled with sand, served to extract moisture from the surrounding soil, bolstering the foundation’s solidity.
Despite extensive efforts, including raising the terminal area with hydraulic jacks, the airport continues to sink. Engineers are now troubled not merely by the rate of descent but also the unevenness in its submergence, with different parts sinking at varying rates.
Hanging in balance
While the airport remains pivotal in connecting Osaka to the global sphere, accommodating over 26 million travelers in 2016 and ranking among Asia’s busiest airports, its future hangs in the balance. The pressing concern revolves around the sustainability of this sinking infrastructure and the potential hazards posed by its continued descent.
The airport’s significant role in linking Osaka, Japan’s third-largest city, to the world underscores the complexity of the situation. However, the looming question persists: how long can Kansai International Airport withstand the relentless pull of the sea before succumbing to its watery embrace? As engineers grapple with the challenge, uncertainties cloud the fate of this once-iconic aviation marvel.
