🌉 Engineer bans 'London Bridge' song, Audi's EV, SAF jet engine

Most bridges in London are built to last over 100 years at least. However, the London Bridge constantly requires maintenance effort to sustain its structural integrity — now engineers are working to solve yet another setback.

“I never let my daughter sing “London bridge is falling down” when she was a toddler. That song was banned,” said engineer Tom Creed recently. For more on what’s going on with London Bridge, check out today's Must Read.

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MUST READ

🌉 Preventing the London bridge from ‘falling down’

London Bridge can be traced back to a basic timbre version in 43 AD, with the latest version being completed again in 1973. Since then, maintenance efforts have taken place periodically, one of which included replacing the bearing with waterproof coverage in 2020.

What's more, London Bridge has suffered — and even championed — through a variety of situations, from terrorist attacks to boat crashes. Now, Tom Creed, a City Bridge Foundation group engineer who oversees the maintenance of London Bridge recently revealed that the icon is reaching a halfway point of its expected lifespan of 120 years.

He also highlighted how engineers are now looking into what the future has in store for bridges in London, given that more emphasis is being placed on greener methods of transport, such as walking and cycling.

🚘 Audi debuts Q6 e-tron on PPE — why its battery is a ‘major step’ for EVs

After several delays, Audi finally unveiled the Audi Q6 e-tron yesterday (March 18). The EV represents the first fully electric model developed with the long-awaited Premium Platform Electric (PPE). Better yet, its the first of its kind to be developed in-house (in a German Audi site).

The PPE’s battery technology consists of a completely redeveloped high voltage (HV) battery. Up to 1000 of these batteries are being developed every day with the aid of robots.

From predictive thermal management, conditioning, and the ability to recharge 255 kilometers (158 miles) in ten minutes, an interview with one of Audi’s engineers, an expert in lithium-ion cell integration, reveals why the new battery system is a big step forward in the realm of EVs.

🛫 Veteran V2500 jet engine runs on 100% sustainable fuel for first time

IAE International Aero Engines AG (IAE AG) has successfully tested its new V2500 jet engine with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Testing was conducted at MTU Maintenance Hannover in Germany, marking a massive milestone in more sustainable aviation.

With nearly 3,000 V2500-powered aircraft in service today, IAE’s president recognizes the firm’s important role in supporting the industry’s goal to meet net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050.

They anticipate the majority of their eight IAE company shops will be prepared to use SAF in their operations in the next few years.

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