How do you build an island out in the middle of the ocean?

Question

This isn't a joke...um...do you have to pay a lot of money to have one built? I'm just wondering...

Answer 1

Yeah its expensive. It takes a lot of rock and sand and concrete and planning and money. Take a look at what Dubai has done with its man made islands.

Answer 2

Yes, it would cost hundreds of millions if not billions, depending on how big it is and what its purpose.

This might set you on your course: during the second world war, there was a proposal for building a string of floating islands with landing strips on them so land-based bombers could escort convoys all the way across the ocean, to protect them from u-boats.

I think you could find information about this by doing an internet search on "floating islands" or "floating air bases" or something along those lines.

If that turns up dry, try finding a book from the 1950s titled "Engineers' Dreams." It was quite popular in high school and public libraries in the 1950s-1960s. You might find a copy through www.bookfinder.com.

Good luck.

Answer 3

allot of styrofoam, i made a boat out of that once.
goodnight.-it actually doesnt cost that much if you use styrofoam.
what? im serious, styrofoam is very cheap, and it flaots really great, you just need allot of it and some sort of support, then put dirt and trees or what ever you want on there, and you have a floating island,- there is no possible way that your going to touch the bottom of the ocean floor and stack up sand or dirt until it starts to make solid ground surfice, thats just going to get washed away when a storm cames, with styrofoam, it will just float alonge the waves, and it wont sink-"i dont think" because well its styrofoam, like i said, you also have to have something to keep it solid so the styrofoam doesnt break apart, but thats the only way that i see anyone getting something close to an island out there.

Answer 4

In the middle of the ocean? You couldn't haul enough materials to put a foundation down that deep in the ocean. Oceanic currents and erosional activity would just end up hauling most of the material away anyway. You need a volcanic event like a mantle plume (how Hawaii was formed) which takes thousands of years. You could do it just off the land, close to shore where water is not as deep as mentioned above.

Answer 5

The cost is huge. A well planned project is both a marvel and an engineering feat. Dubai completed a palm-shaped group of islands, the process and some problems encountered were shown in National Geographic Channel - this may quell your curiosity.

Answer 6

yes it costs alot of money and it cannot be done in the middle of the ocean where it is deep. in dubai they have made a group of islands in the shape of the continents on earth but it cost milions of dollars.