International Workshop on Application and Validation of GFAS/IFAS
 Discussion with workshop participants |
 Field inspection in the Edogawa river office  Flood forecast using IFAS by local engineer |
Under the Global Flood Alert System (GFAS) managed by International Flood Network (IF-Net, founded to promote international cooperation in flood countermeasures), the Hydrologic Engineering Research Team of ICHARM has developed a concise flood-runoff analysis system called "Integrated Flood Analysis System (IFAS)" as a toolkit for more effective and efficient flood forecasting in developing countries. IFAS is equipped with interfaces to input both ground-based and satellite-based rainfall data, GIS functions to construct flood-runoff models, a default runoff analysis model, as well as interfaces to display output results. All these contribute to efficient installation of flood forecasting systems in poorly gauged basins. Moreover, to assist engineers in developing countries in independently forecasting floods, we are not only developing an analysis system but also distributing IFAS free of charge and holding trainings and workshops.
As a part of ICHARM activities to reduce flood hazards, we held the International
Workshop on Application and Validation of GFAS/IFAS jointly with the IF-Net
on Aug. 3rd-7th. We invited six participants currently involved in flood
prediction or disaster management from six nations such as India, Indonesia,
Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Laos. The workshop provided the participants
with a variety of learning opportunities to contribute to their efforts
in flood damage reduction at home. They reported current situations related
to flood management in their countries. They visited the Edogawa River
Office to learn flood prediction presently in practice in Japan. The Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) gave them a presentation on a satellite-based
rainfall observation project. ICHARM Hydrologic Engineering Research Team
also gave a presentation on IFAS, including the development background,
main functions and the operation method. The participants installed a new
version of IFAS, released in this opportunity, in their computers, learned
to operate run-off analysis using satellite-based rainfall, and produced
run-off models of target basins in their own country.
(Contact: Hydrologic Engineering Research Team, ICHARM)
2nd CAESAR Symposium Held
 Photo 1: Mr. Nagasaka of All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. giving a lecture on how to conduct a nondestructive inspection for aircraft maintenance |
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 Photo 2: State immediately before collapse, as screened at the lecture (This bridge is closed and off-limits) |
On Aug. 26th, 2009, the 2nd CAESAR Symposium was held at the Hatsumei Kaikan
Hall in Tokyo. This symposium was organized by CAESAR, the Center for Advanced
Engineering Structural Assessment and Research, established in Apr. last
year, and was held again this year.
At the symposium, maintenance in the aircraft field, the present situation and challenges in the maintenance of civil engineering structures and efforts made by CAESAR (Table 1) were introduced.
As a special lecture, Mr. Nagasaka of All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. gave a presentation about aircraft maintenance (Photo 1). With the highest priority given to ensuring safety, he introduced the present state of efficiently carrying out maintenance by specifying in manuals the parts to conduct nondestructive inspection and the frequencies of such inspection for each model. While structures that can be visually checked are adopted in principle, the frequency of nondestructive inspection is determined for hidden locations, in view of the length of their service lives. The kind of concept of improving efficiency while taking into account of risk management and costs must have been very helpful to those engaged in the maintenance of civil engineering structures.
Subsequently, Mr. Tamakoshi, Head of the Bridge and Structures Division, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, presented the efforts being made to maintain road bridges in Japan and Mr. Kadoyu, Leader of the Tunnel Research Team, PWRI, introduced the approaches taken to maintain tunnels. Topics of the presentations included importance of conducting close visual inspections on the conditions of structures and accumulating relevant data, and hope for using nondestructive inspection technology to conduct appropriate maintenance and improve its efficiency.
In the second half of the symposium, Mr. Yoshioka, Director of the Bridge
and Structural Technology Research Group, CAESAR explained the present
situation and outlook regarding research on the maintenance of structures.
This was followed by presentations on the activities of CAESAR given by
three speakers. Assistant Professor Shimozato in the University of the
Ryukyus, in particular, reported on monitoring of deteriorated steel bridge
conducted jointly with CAESAR. The audience showed particular interest
in some video footage of the moment a structure collapsed (Photo 2).
Lastly, Dr. Oishi, Director of CAESAR, presented the idea of establishing a forum to exchange information between engineers in various fields.
The symposium had about 280 attendees including participants from research institutes and device manufacturers in the field of inspection, as well as engineers engaged in bridge administration, with successful result.
The responses to the questionnaire filled in at the event contained many comments requesting information to be provided by holding the symposium continuously, and expressing high expectations for CAESAR's future activities. We intend to make good use of the comments for our future activities and welcome your continued support.
To obtain the materials and an outline of the symposium, please visit the CAESAR website, where they will be published as they become ready.
(Contact: CAESAR)
3rd Engineer Exchange Forum Held in Hakodate
 Associate Professor Furuya giving the keynote lecture |
 At the venue |
 Program |
CERI has branch offices in the Center, the South, the North and the East of Hokkaido that work for region-oriented technological development, dissemination of technology and technological improvement in each respective region. Individual branch offices work to acquire information about regional needs, disseminate research findings and technology and provide technical guidance, while also improve field investigations and tests for research and development.
As part of these activities, the Engineer Exchange Forum is held to allow information exchange concerning technological development being sought after by various regions, and to facilitate exchange and collaboration between engineers from academia, industry and government.
This forum was held under the theme of the "Development of Rich Fishery Resources and Beautiful Landscapes" on Jul. 30th, 2009 at Loisir Hotel Hakodate. About 170 people from academia, industry and government took part.
Associate Prof. Atsumi Furuya from the Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences,
Hokkaido University, made the keynote lecture entitled "Fisheries
and Ocean Industry of Hakodate and Expectations for Regional Development."
Associate Prof. A. Furuya, whose major subject of study is regional development
measures for fishing villages, stated that "as the fisheries industry
placed on the base, connecting forward-linkage industries such as food
manufacturing and wholesale fishery products with backward-linkage industries
including ship building and repair, net manufacturing and machinery manufacturing
will lead to industrial promotion," and she proposed a new scenario
for promoting the fisheries and ocean industry.
Mr. Yasushi Nakajima, Deputy Manager of the Hakodate Development and Construction Department of the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau, mentioned challenges in the decrease in fishery production in the Southern Hokkaido area. He also introduced examples of approaches taken in different parts of Japan as proposals for sustainable and effective use of limited fishery resources, with the focus on a system of production and supply that matches customer demand and the importance of quality and sanitation control.
Mr. Yoshihiro Fujisawa, Manager of the Regional Alliance Section of the Hokkaido Tourism Organization (President of Hakodate Junior Chamber Inc.), emphasized that "Hokkaido's potential for tourism is the highest in Japan." He also presented the idea of "blue tourism," which involves staying in fishing villages to gain fishing experience and come in contact with nature and the cultures of the regions, and enjoy exchanges with local people, as a future trend and concept of tourism in Southern Hokkaido.
Mr. Hitoshi Sato, Researcher of the Fisheries Engineering Research Team at CERI, presented a study of various measures against seaweed withering. As one of them, he explained the effect of using artificial shaking substrates (introduced in Web Magazine Vol. 6) to restore kelp beds, based on a verification test using artificial shaking substrates at Era Fishing Port in Matsumae Town.
Mr. Yasuaki Matsuda, Senior Researcher of the Scenic Landscape Research Unit at CERI, mentioned the scenic features of the harbor town of Hakodate. He went on to say that creating attractive living landscapes for residents of Hakodate, as well as landscapes created to serve as tourism resources, would make the town very appealing and increase the number of repeat visitors.
Mr. Isao Shimono, Chief of the Material Technology Section in the Research and Development Department of the Hakodate Regional Industry Promotion Organization, presented various examples of using marine secondary products and waste in Southern Hokkaido, as a way to have material development. He said, in particular, that he had embarked on the development of a new phosphor material (shell phosphor) by taking advantage of its characteristic of becoming luminescent when heat-treated. He also stressed that he intended to make this "a trend in Japan's material development" in addition to utilizing it for effective use of marine secondary products and waste.
Branches of CERI will continue to hold engineer exchange forums as opportunities for exchange between academia, industry and government in the respective regions.
(Contact: Southern Hokkaido Branch Office, CERI)
"Korea-Japan Joint Symposium for Landslide Disaster Mitigation 2009 and Site Tour"
 Presentation of studies and cases |
 Group discussion |
 Site tour |
For the two days of Aug. 19th and 20th, 2009, PWRI and the Rockfall and
Landslide Prevention Research Center (RLPRC; a joint research institute
consisting of national universities and private sectors for the mitigation
of road slope disasters) jointly held a symposium and site tour. About
60 people (of whom 20 were from Korea) participated in this symposium and
site tour. The aim was to improve research and technology in relation to
landslides, and have exchanges of engineers and information between Japan
and Korea.
(1) Symposium
The symposium was held at the Auditorium and Conference Room of PWRI/ICHARM
on Aug. 19th, where the results of studies and cases of failure were presented
and group discussion was held to allow the participants to freely discuss
different topics.
The presentations introduced the studies, research and equipment development conducted by the two research institutes, including equipment developed for landslide investigations and case examples of risk analysis of cut-slopes. Based on the idea that learning from cases of failure is important, the causes of failure in landslide investigations and countermeasures and points for reconsideration were presented by both sides.
In the group discussions, participants were divided into groups of about
ten people and mainly discussed measures for addressing landslides and
slope failures. Discussions proceeded and enhanced the participants' understanding
of differences in the topography, geology, and design standards of Japan
and Korea. The participants gave various opinions from many different perspectives
such as investigations, measurement, design and construction.
(2) Site tour
A site tour was held at the Shimekake landslide site in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. The Shimekake District was one of the locations for the movie "Departures" and may be recognizable to many people. A large landslide occurred in this district due to a succession of smaller landslide slips that had been happening since February. The large landslide involved the displacement of a large block that was 400m wide and 700m long by as much as over 6 m in some points. This caused damage to houses and farmland and meant the residents of five houses had to evacuate. Subsequently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Yamagata Prefectural Government have striven to implement groundwater drainage works and other measures. On the day, we visited this Shimekake District and conducted a tour jointly with researchers from Korea.
The two days brought home to us the importance of learning about landslides at actual sites rather than when sat at a desk.
(Contact: Landslide Research Team)
PWRI Disaster Management Drills for 2009
 Drill at a disaster management headquarters being conducted via video conference |
 Conceptual image of disaster-management drills |
Disaster-management drills were held on Sep. 1st. As a designated public
institution, PWRI must implement these drills based on the Disaster Measures
Basic Law and PWRI's disaster management administration plan.
The drills were conducted by assuming that a strong earthquake with the epicenter in southern Ibaraki Prefecture had occurred at 7 a.m. and registered "intensity 6 upper" on the Japanese scale in places including Tsukuba City and Tsuchiura City. The drills mainly consisted of 1) training in communication, 2) training in assembly, 3) training in setting up and operating a disaster management headquarters and 4) training in facilities inspection.
The communication training involved calling for personnel to gather by using a disaster communications network (telephone communications), giving instructions to the entire staff, and communicating information to all division heads and senior researchers and above by using e-mail.
The assembly training had drill participants confirm the safety of personnel and their families by recording, in a register of assembled persons, the time that the drill participants gathered at PWRI, the damage conditions, and other information.
The training in setting up and operating disaster management headquarters involved setting up disaster management headquarters on the premises in Tsukuba and Sapporo and then conducting a videoconference. With the Chief Executive serving as the chief of the headquarters, the general management personnel, technical team, information/facilities personnel, general affairs personnel, welfare personnel and procurement personnel gathered together, reported information about the disaster (disaster situation, facilities inspection situation, reserve supplies, etc.) and exchanged information with the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management. The trainees also practiced sharing information and collaborating in Tsukuba and Sapporo as well. In addition, existing issues such as the availability of toilets were discussed.
In the facilities inspection training, the assembled personnel practiced conducting an emergency inspection of the respective building and laboratory based on a facilities inspection training plan.
Sep. 1st is National Disaster Prevention Day in Japan, and various organizations including local public authorities carried out disaster drills in many parts of Japan, in addition to the comprehensive disaster-preparedness drill conducted by the government. These activities are intended to raise people's awareness of disaster prevention. PWRI is also striving to ensure that appropriate responses are taken in the event of a disaster by re-recognizing the roles of individuals through these drills.
Visit PWRI's website for details of PWRI's disaster management administration plan. (http://www.pwri.go.jp/jpn/jouhou/jouhou.html)
(Contact: Planning and Management Division)
Meeting of the Evaluation Committee for Incorporated Administrative Agencies in FY2009
 Organization of the Committee  Committee member register |
 Establishment of CAESAR has been rated highly |
On Aug. 4th, the PWRI subcommittee meeting of the 15th Evaluation Committee
for Incorporated Administrative Agencies at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism (MLIT) was held. The Committee evaluates the research
activities of PWRI with third-party experts such as scholars serving as
committee members. The aim is to improve the quality and efficiency of
the operations of incorporated administrative agencies.
Incorporated administrative agencies are required to set up an evaluation committee by a law called the Act on General Rules of Incorporated Administrative Agencies. The PWRI Subcommittee meeting is held to evaluate the research activities of PWRI in detail.
The PWRI Subcommittee gives a five-grade evaluation to individual items such as priority research project, disaster response and international cooperation. In addition, the Subcommittee comprehensively evaluates PWRI's entire activities in a given fiscal year based on the evaluation of the individual items.
At the Evaluation Committee in FY2009, the activities in FY2008 were evaluated and the results announced. As the overall evaluation for the fiscal year, PWRI received a "very favorable" rating, the same as the previous fiscal year. This was partly because the emergency dispatch activities in disaster-stricken areas and international cooperation activities outside Japan were rated highly, and all items were generally given a high rating as that of the previous fiscal year.
In addition, the establishment of CAESAR to promote the preventive maintenance of structures, the cooperation with TEC-FORCE that helped to promptly resolve various issues that arose from the Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku Earthquake, and ICHARM's serving as a topic coordinator at the 5th World Water Forum were rated highly.
The participating committee members mentioned comments on PWRI's future activities which include:
- PWRI should make best use of its special qualities to work on research with a long-term view;
- Efforts for implementing research projects that go beyond the existing borders of civil engineering research will be necessary; and
- PWRI should consider collaborating with other organizations to meet rapidly changing social needs.
Information about this year's committee meeting is published on MLIT's website.
(Contact: Evaluation and Coordinate Section)
Students on the JSCE Study Tour Grant Visited for Training
 Commemorative photo Students undergoing training (two in the middle of front row and two in the back row) |
 Observation of newly developed pavement Pavement test field |
 Students observing the fatigue condition of orthotropic steel deck Wheel running machine  Student making a presentation at Summer Symposium in TIT Tokyo Institute of Technology |
Four students from four countries (the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and
Vietnam) were invited by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) as
part of its Study Tour Grant Program and they visited PWRI on Sep. 7th,
2009 for training.
The Study Tour Grant is a program that invites civil engineers who belong to overseas academic societies with which the JSCE has concluded an agreement of cooperation. The purpose is to promote an understanding of the actual conditions and activities in the field of civil engineering of Japan. The participants are given support in terms of their travel and other necessary expenses to come to the training provided at facilities and institutions related to civil engineering. After completing this program, students are required to submit reports to the societies on both sides (Japan and the relevant overseas country). In this way, their achievements can be widely shared and help many other engineers by describing their experience and further insight into the culture of their respective countries.
Students were invited from the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, and they all specialized in civil engineering. They stayed in Japan for about a week. During their stay, they attended lectures, visited research institute, construction companies and construction sites, and finally presented the results of their training at the JSCE Summer Symposium held at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT).
At PWRI, all explanations and lectures were given in English. Mr. Fukami, Leader of the Hydrologic Engineering Research Team, made a presentation on a concise flood-runoff analysis system called "Integrated Flood Analysis System (IFAS)" as a toolkit for more effective and efficient flood forecasting in developing countries.
Subsequently, a tour of four test facilities was given. At the pavement test field, the students were introduced to heat-shield pavement and water-retention pavement as measures against heat island problems, and they felt the temperature difference by actually touching the pavement with their hands. In the dam hydraulics laboratory, they were given an explanation about a test using a dam model to obtain hydrological data. At the three-dimensional large-scale shaking table, they were shown how seismic reinforcement could be provided for bridge piers using steel plates as a result of research using the shaking table. And they also received an explanation about the measures against liquefaction phenomena. Finally, at the wheel running machine the students were given an explanation about a test for verifying the mechanism of how damage to floor plates is generated and the performance of the test facilities.
They enthusiastically asked questions about the latest information and research results in preparation for the JSCE Summer Symposium held in TIT at the end of the Study Tour Grant Program.
(Contact: General Affairs Division)