Contents■ Preparation of Guidelines for Construction of Landscape-friendly Safety Barriers■ Survey and Research Concerning Technical Standards for Small-sized Vehicle-only Roads■ Forum on Disaster Prevention in Town Planning■ Publication of a Wetland Restoration Guidelines from The International Navigation Association (PIANC)■ Out Line of The Yokosuka New Office■ TECHNICAL NOTE of National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management (Ocrober-November, 2003)■ "2004 Annual Report of NILIM" is now on our website (in Japanese only, for the time being)

No.9NI LJune 2004I MN e w sL e t t e r■ Preparation of Guidelines forConstruction of Landscape-friendly
Safety Barriers
Nozomu Mori, Head, Advanced Road Design andSafety Division, Road Research Department

As a result of an excessive desire to pursue massinfrastructure development in the past, insufficientconsideration was paid to aspects of quality such as
harmonization with the landscape and nature. In
reflection of this, and based on the ideal of developing thenational land as an asset belonging to every citizen, in
harmony with Japan’s beautiful nature and passing thison to the next generation, the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport last year compiled the Broad
Outline of Beautiful National Development Policy.
Following this, an study committee of academians andexperts was established and compiled a set of guidelines
for use by road managers when installing and renewing
guard fences in consideration of the landscape.
These guidelines prescribe the following five basic ideals

Conventional guard fence

ISSN 0389-4150

for guard fence development and maintenance: 1) to fully
examine the need for guard fences including alternativemeasures, 2) to adopt shapes based on structural
rationality, 3) to seek harmonization with surrounding
landscape, 4) to seek landscape harmonization with otherroad auxiliary structures nearby, and 5) to giveconsideration to human affinity. In particular, it isbasically prescribed that color should be selected to matchwith the characteristics of each area, and that drawing up
master plans to secure uniformity of color and shape, etc.
in certain areas is desirable. Furthermore, with a view torealizing harmonization with general nature, local
customs and architecture, etc. in Japan, the yellow-red
colors of dark brown and gray beige, etc. have been
proposed as the basic colors of guard fences in landscapefriendly safety barriers.
Together with compilation of these guidelines, items
related to guard fence standards, etc. was revised, andlandscape-friendly guard fences based on these standards
and guidelines will be constructed from fiscal 2004
onwards.

Landscape-friendly guard fence
High translucence is excellent for landscape viewing
Figure 1 Example of a Landscape-friendly Guard FenceNILIM

News Letter

N I L I M

■ Survey and Research Concerning Technical Standards for Small-sized Vehicle-only Roads
Road Research Department, Traffic Engineering Division
1. Introduction
For relieving traffic congestion in cities, it isdesirable to construct bypasses and improve
intersections, etc., however, there are cases wheresuch measures cannot be taken due to theinability to get land in built-up areas, etc.
Moreover, in addition to the need to promote road
construction according to local conditions, it isnecessary to reduce road construction costs.
Here, survey and research concerning geometricstructural standards was implemented with aview to introducing small-sized vehicle-only roadswhich are smaller than conventional roads.
2. Outline of Survey and Research Concerning
Technical Standards
Designvehicle①Upon surveying dimensions of common
ambulances and passenger vehicles sold inJapan, a design vehicle size of 6.0 m in length,
2.0 m in width and 2.8 m in height and design
vehicle load of 30 kN were set.
② Reduction of cross section composition
The road width was set with a view to securing

sufficient overall width to allow vehicles to passby in cases of emergency stopping, while at thesame time securing sufficient side allowance toenable safe passage at each speed. In making thesetting, driving tests using actual vehicles wereimplemented on the test track in NILIM, and as aresult it was verified that no problems exist
concerning safety and traveling quality under the
projected cross section layout.
③ Reduction of clearance limit
Based on the results of surveying vehicle
rebound at bridge joint sections, clearance limit
was set at 3.0 m, i.e. design vehicle height of 2.8
m plus some allowance for rebound.
④ Easing of longitudinal slope
As a result of surveying the hill climbing
performance of the design vehicle, it was foundthat the car could climb steeper hills than thoseprescribed in conventional longitudinal slopestandards; however, in consideration of safety
during descent, a special value of theconventional standard was adopted as thestandard value for small-sized vehicle-only roads.

Small-sized vehicle-only road introduced at underpass

Case of construction as a small-sized vehicle-only road
Case of construction as an ordinary road

Figure Image of Small-sized Vehicle-only Road Introduction(Underpass intersection)■ Forum on Disaster Prevention in Town Planning
Following the experience of the Kobe Earthquake
in 1995, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure andTransport carried out“Development ofAssessment and Countermeasure Technology for
Disaster Prevention in Town Planning”(hereinafter,“the project”) as a general technical development
project – between 1998 and 2002. In order todisseminate techniques to assess district’s
disaster preventive performance to local publicauthorities, and etc., the “Disaster Prevention
Town Planning Forum – How to Promote Future
Disaster Prevention Town Planning” was held inTokyo on February 24, and the “DisasterPrevention Town Planning Seminar – District’s
Disaster Preventive Performance Assessment” washeld in Osaka on March 11.
The forum in Tokyo was attended by 134
participants and consisted of commentary on theDensely Built-up Area Improvement Act revised in2003, an outline explanation of the achievementsof the project, and a speech entitled “DisasterPrevention Town Planning Utilizing Simulation” by
Research Associate Takaaki Kato of University ofTokyo. Also, a panel discussion was staged withProfessor Yoshiteru Murosaki of Kobe University
acting as coordinator, and Mr. Shinichi Suzuki ofArakawa Ward Office, Mr. Jin Yoshikawa of JPlan(Co.), and Dr.Takaaki Kato of University ofTokyo acting as panelists. They debated on
utilization of new tools like simulation in disasterprevention urban development in the seminar (seePhotograph 1).
At the seminar of Osaka, which was jointly
staged with the Kinki Regional Development
Bureau, there were 136 participants. On thisoccasion, Professor Yoshiteru Murosaki of Kobe

University gave a speech entitled “Disaster
Prevention Town Planning in the Past, Presentand Future,” and there was also a commentary on
the Densely Built-up Area Improvement Act, anoutline explanation of the achievements of theproject, and commentary on techniques forfinding out hazardous districts and assessing

district disaster prevention functions in detail(see Photograph 2).
In near future, we disclose the achievements ofthe project on our website, and we also intend toprovide technical guidance in response torequests by local public authorities.

Photograph 1 Panel Discussion (Disaster Prevention Town Planning Forum in

Photograph 2 Commentary on District Disaster Prevention Performance

Tokyo)

Assessment Techniques (Disaster Prevention Town Planning Seminar in Osaka)■ Publication of a Wetland Restoration Guidelines from The International Navigation
Association (PIANC)

Keita Furukawa Head, Marine Environment Research Division
In consideration of the importance ofdisappearing wetlands (sea grass meadows, tidalflats, salt marshes, etc.), The InternationalNavigation Association (PIANC) published theGuidelines for Wetland Restoration in November
2003. The aims of this guideline were to provide
written technical guidelines for wetlands
restoration and to promote greater understandingof the importance of this issue.
The working group charged with compiling theguidelines was chaired by Dr. Telliot of the U S
Army Corps of Engineers and consisted of 13

specialists in port development and environmental
research from 8 countries. Starting in February
2000, the working group held 7 meetings over thesubsequent two years and deepened discussions
via e-mail and Web site.
The completed guidelines cover new concepts
including the functions and importance ofwetlands, necessity of strategic planning,
importance of adaptive management, etc. It is
anticipated that it will contribute to therestoration of marine and estuarine environment
based on scientific argument.

Members of the working group for preparing the wetland restoration guidelines(3 members absent; Dr.Telliot (chairperson) on the front right end, and the author on the back right end)■ Out Line of The Yokosuka New OfficeConstruction of the Yokosuka offices of theNational Land Technical Policy Research Institutewas started in January 2003 and finished inMarch 2004. The building has the following majorfeatures:① The facilities layout is designed expansively andwith standardized coloring in consideration ofsecuring interval space with the Independent
Administrative Institution Port and AirportResearch Institute.
② The center of the building consists of avoid extending from the first floor to theroof, enabling natural light to flow into
the structure.
③ In an effort to reduce life cycle costs, selfwashing tiles have been adopted on
exterior walls, together with individual air
conditioning control on each floor block,and outdoor equipment is designed withsalt-resistant specifications.
④ The offices of each research department
are located on each floor to enable
researchers and personnel to gather in
one place.
In terms of the floor layout, the first floor
contains the coastal and marine research
Department and other joint departments;
the second floor contains the executiveoffices, management and coordination

department, library and tender room; and thethird floor contains the port and harbor research
department, airport research department andconference rooms.
Outline of facilities:●Building area ..........1,716 m2●Total area ...............4,834 m2●Scale of structure....Reinforced concrete, 3 floors
above ground

Full view of the new offices (Full view from the entrance side)■ TECHNICAL NOTE of National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management(October-November, 2003)

Title of PaperNo.

Names of Divisions

The 7th Management Panel on Collaboration Research Activities about Building Structural Standards and Accreditation System Division
104
Engineering between JRC-IPSC, NILIM & BRI
105

Technical documents developed for Building Standard Law, Housing Quality Assurance Act and Standards and Accreditation System Division
other building/housing policy measures (Vol.1)

107 Technical Methods for Evaluating Impact of Traffic on Road Environment(2) [Revision of 2003]

Road Environment Division

Investigation Report of the Damages by the Off-shore Miyagi Prefecture Earthquake on May Planning Division
115
26th, 2003

116 Report of New Five-yer Program for Road Technology in Japan (FY 1998 to FY 2002)
117 Annual Report of Road-related Research in FY 2002

Road Department

118 Report of the 1st Evaluation Committee of NILIM in FY 2003

Reserch Administration and Evaluation DivisionRoad Department

Report on joint research on development of the system for measuring on inclination and meander Wastewater System Division
119of small diameter sewer■"2004 Annual Report of NILIM" is now on our website (in Japanese only, for the time being)
We publish "2004 Annual Report of NILIM" to show our research activities and accomplishments, and you can see its
contents on our website, www.nilim.go.jp. English version will be available in the future.

National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Asahi 1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0804, Japan(Tachihara) Tachihara 1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0802, Japan(Yokosuka) Nagase 3-1-1, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 239-0826, Japan
TEL:+81-29-864-2675 FAX:+81-29-864-4322

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No.9June 2004w w w. n i l i m . g o . j p