October 2023

As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming Osaka Expo 2025, there’s a unique logistical challenge that has caught my attention—the single bridge that connects us to the Yumeshima Expo site. 🌉

To add another layer of complexity, this bridge is retractable to allow for large ships to pass through. Essentially, it’s floating on the water, meaning it can only handle so much weight before it becomes unstable. 🚢

#Expo2025 #OsakaExpo #EngineeringMarvels #FloatingBridge #LogisticalChallenges #TrafficPlanning #CulturalExchange #InnovativeSolutions #GlobalGathering #Yumeshima

I decided to explore the ‘floating foundations’ in greater detail. The photo attached below provides an excerpt from the official Expo Pavilion Construction Guidelines, which state:

1. Excavate the part of the ground that will serve as the foundation for the building. Let’s call the weight of the excavated soil ‘W.’
2. Install the Pavilion in the excavated cavity. The weight of the Pavilion is denoted as ‘P.’
3. Make sure that ‘P’ weighs less than ‘W,’ implying that if you construct a building lighter than the soil you’ve removed, it won’t sink.

However, adhering to these guidelines may result in ground subsidence. The reason is straightforward: there is no ‘buoyancy’ at play. Reports indicate that the Yumeshima area features a 3-meter mound of soil atop a soft clay layer. For buoyancy to function effectively—much like how a ship stays afloat—the object must reach a depth where buoyancy comes into effect.

Interestingly, the Expo guidelines explicitly mention: ‘Do not dig deeper than 2.5 meters.’ This means the Pavilion won’t extend into the clay layer that would allow for buoyancy.

In conclusion, the Pavilion is destined to sink if built according to these guidelines. The assumption that ‘if P is less than W, the ground won’t sink’ is fundamentally flawed.

#Expo2025 #ConstructionChallenges #FloatingFoundations #PavilionConstruction #GroundSubsidence #EngineeringDilemmas

Expo 2025 is around the corner, and it promises to be a tremendous occasion for international cultural exchange, with people from over 150 countries descending on Osaka for a span of six months. 🌏

One of my company’s wonderful female staff members has a nostalgic connection to the 1970 Osaka Expo. As a young woman, she took a part-time job at the Canadian Pavilion. She was so well-regarded by the Pavilion Director that he invited her to visit Canada, a trip she fondly remembers to this day. 🇨🇦🇯🇵

She’s now over 70, a grandmother, and still speaks with excitement about her youth and the indelible memories formed during that 1970 Expo. The experience influenced her profoundly, encouraging her to learn English, meet her future husband, who worked for Singapore Airlines, and even live abroad. ✈️

Fast forward to 2023, and she’s bringing that international flair to her work as a housekeeper for diplomats at the Osaka Consulate in my company. At 70+, she still comes alive when providing services to international clients.

As we look forward to Expo 2025, I wish for nothing less than a similarly transformative and enriching experience for all those who will participate.

#Expo2025 #OsakaExpo #CulturalExchange #LifeChangingMoments #InspirationalStories #CanadaPavilion #JapanCanadaFriendship #InternationalCareerPaths #DiplomaticRelations #EnrichingExperiences #CommunityBuilding