国総研ニューズレター

No.63

NILIM News Letter

Winter 2018■■Revision of National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management “Research Policy”
Planning and Research Administration Department
In November 2017, the NILIM revised its “Research Policy”
outlining its basic direction.
Since being enacted in 2001, the NILIM “Research Policy” hasbeen revised 6 times, but in recent years there have been remarkablechanges in the socio-economic situation and technological progress,
and political measures/localities have become more closely linkedwith research. This revision further clarifies the NILIM’s role in linewith the times, and aims to share greater awareness of research productivity. For this reason, together with clarifying (1) the characteristics and roles of the NILIM emphasizing bottom-up management
and social implementation and (2) specific points to keep in mind
for promotion of high-quality research, emphasis has been given tomaking the contents brief and easy to understand.
The “Research Policy” consists of 5 items. (Fig.)
To begin with, the policy states the NILIM’s “Mission”, “Basicstance” and “Activities forming basis” as items for NILIM personnel to also be aware of in learning “What is the NILIM?”. Researchfor policy and on-site support have always been important activities,
but greater emphasis is now given to things connected to implementation of results and on-site technological strength including
capable personnel. This followed by descriptions of “Preparednessfor research”, specifying points to be kept in mind at each stageof research, and “Environment maintenance supporting research”,
which is to be tackled as an organization, with improvement of theNILIM’s research management in mind.
The NILIM uses the “Research Policy” as tool for consideration
by individual staff members when proceeding with research, andfrom the perspective of advice for management when confirming

Creating a beautiful national land

… with safety and vitality, withMission technology as the driving force

Participate in developing

Basic stance… MLIT policy

Activities forming basis

Return technologicalstrength to local areas
Directing future insightand technology
development, etc. tonew policy creation■Research supporting policies■Dealing with disasters/ accidents■Improvement of on-site technological strength■Data collection/management

Preparedness forresearch

SupportSpecification of points to be kept
in mind at each stage of researchfrom standpoint of researchers

Environment
maintenance

Structure of research management
Training capable personnel
Testing facilities

Fig. 1 Composition of NILIM Research Policy

the progress of research and making plans for the next fiscal year.
The NILIM is also proceeding with construction of various research
management structures. Going forwards, we will gradually proceedwith initiatives based on the “Research Policy” in order to improve
the research environment not only for our own activities, but for the
housing/infrastructure field as a whole.
Details ☛ NILIM website (National Institute for Land and InfrastructureManagement Research policy)
http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bcg/busyoukai/kenkyuhoushin/00index.htm■■Revision of Guideline for Disaster Prevention Parks
Research Center for Infrastructure Management Landscape & Ecology Division
The NILIM has compiled and published a revised and enlarged
edition of the Guideline for Disaster Prevention Parks particularlywith enriched contents for management and operation, based on theactual use of town parks, etc. in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake.
The NILIM has produced the Guideline for Planning and Design ofDisaster Prevention Parks (enacted in August 1999, revised September 2015), in cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,Transport and Tourism, in order to promote maintenance of townparks (disaster prevention parks) that form places of refuge and bases
for disaster prevention activities in times of earthquake disaster.
However, in order for disaster prevention parks, etc. to play anadequate role in times of disaster, it is important to carry out initiatives for management and operation including preparation in normal
times. In fact, even in the Kumamoto Earthquake that struck in April
2016, while the disaster prevention parks, etc. maintained thus far did
play their role as places of refuge and bases for disaster prevention
activities, certain issues in use were noticed. Thus, the Guideline forPlanning, Design and Management of Disaster Prevention Parks (2ndrevised edition) was published in September 2017 to further outline
basic thinking on the management and operation to be carried out bypark managers in normal times and in times of disaster.
We have also published a “How to use urban parks for disasterprevention” (see Figure) aimed at local residents as a reference material for the Guideline, outlining daily preparations and actions tobe taken in times of disaster.

Figure: Extracts from “How to use urban parks for disaster prevention”(English version)

Going forwards, we will work diligently on publicity to ensurethat many local public bodies use the new Guideline.
Details ☛ NILIM website (materials published on September 29th, 2017)(Outline of basic thinking on management and operation ispublished here.)
http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bcg/kisya/journal/kisya20170929.pdf
Details ☛ NILIM website “Guideline for Planning, Design andManagement of Disaster Prevention Parks (2nd revised edition)”
http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bcg/siryou/tnn/tnn0984.htmDetails ☛ NILIM website “How to use urban parks for disaster prevention”(English version)
http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/ddg/english/how_to_use_urban_parks_for_disaster_prevention.pdf

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■■FY2017 NILIM Lecture Meeting held
Planning and Research Administration Department Planning Division
The main theme of this year’s Lecture Meeting was “Productivity Revolution”. The meeting featured a special addressby SophiaBank think-tank representative Kumi Fujisawa and apanel discussion, which is the first such initiative to be held at aLecture Meeting.
The FY2017 NILIM Lecture Meeting was held on Wednesday 6thDecember, 2017 at the Japan Education Center (Hitotsubashi Hall)in Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
The NILIM Lecture Meeting is held every year with the aim of
introducing the NILIM’s initiatives broadly to the general public through comprehensive addresses and reports regarding theNILIM’s recent research results and research-related issues/trends.
This year’s meeting was a great success, with a total of 517 participants from private companies, local public bodies and related corporations, etc. centering on public works and construction.
The main theme of this event was “Productivity Revolution”,and SophiaBank think-tank representative Kumi Fujisawa was welcomed to give a special address entitled “Productivity Revolutions
will open up the future – but why productivity revolutions now?”
Attendees’ impressions included the following statements: “Speaking from experience as a manger made this easy to understand” …

“It gave me motivation for thought regarding how a company ought to act interms of vision and training personnel,etc.”
This year also saw a first at theNILIM Lecture Meeting in the form ofa panel discussion entitled “Infrastructure productivity revolutions throughICT application – what we are lookingfor now.” Attendees spoke highly of this
discussion, including the comment that
“The discussion followed 3 keywords –roads, harbors, and management – andit was easy to grasp examples of appliPhoto: Special address
cation in each of these fields.”
by representative Kumi
Aside from the above, there were adFujisawa
dresses on a total of 9 themes in generalsessions on “Preventing and mitigating
disasters, and crisis management” and “Continuous management ofinfrastructure.”
Details ☛ FY2017 “National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management
Lecture Meeting”
http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bbg/kouenkai/kouenkai2017/kouenkai2017.htm■■“Cardboard Bridge-building Contest” held
Planning and Research Administration Department Planning Division
A “Cardboard Bridge-building Contest” was held, and 676 productions were received from 791 students of 33 elementary schools
in Tsukuba City. The awards ceremony for excellent productions
was held at the venue for “DOBOKU-no-hi (Open to the Public)”.
The “Cardboard Bridge-building Contest” has been held since 1994
with the aim of helping Japan’s future-leading elementary schoolstudents to “learn about the importance of public works infrastructuresuch as bridges, etc. supporting our lives through manufacturing” –this year the 24th contest was held.
The contest is for 4th and 5th grade elementary school students
in Tsukuba City, with guidance given in June through Tsukuba City
Board of Education, and the participating children working on theirproductions during summer vacation. This year, 791 children (producing 676 works) from 33 elementary schools in Tsukuba City participated (equivalent to 20% of all 4th and 5th grade students in the city).
Since last year, the contest has been expanded to cover not only 5th
grade students but also 4th grade students. This change was made inorder to let more children participate and enable participation not only
in a single contest, but also in a second contest where the children canparticipate based on repeated bridge construction and learning fromother productions and their own experiences of planning and making
productions. The number of participants has roughly doubled since
expanding the participating school years, and approximately 70% ofstudents who took part in the 4th grade last year also participated thisyear, so the results are more or less in line with our aims.

Photo 1 Commemorative photograph with winners at awards ceremony

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Photo 2 The best productions

There are strict production requirements for pieces in this contest –namely the use of up to 2 pieces of handicraft cardboard as the mainmaterial of the bridge, suspending a bridge over a 30cm-wide river,and supporting a load of 1kg – yet most submissions satisfied theserequirements. Inspections are made in 3 areas – “sense of stability asa bridge”, “beauty of design and finish”, and “creativity (individuality)” – with excellent works in each of these areas respectively given
awards for “structural design”, “artistic design” and “effort” (5 pieces
are awarded in each of these categories), and together with awardinga “Best prize” to works excellent in all of these items (3 works asshown in Photo 2), “School encouragement awards” were given to 6
schools with the highest rates of participating students. Also, a “Specialchief examiner’s prize” was awarded to one work that particularly
stood out to the chief examiner.
An awards ceremony for these prizes (see Photo 1) was held at thevenue for “DOBOKU-no-hi (Open to the Public)” on Saturday 18thNovember along with a display of all submitted works. The best productions are on display in the lobby at the NILIM building, so pleasetake a look.
Next year will mark the 25th year since the start of the contest. We
are hoping to implement additional plans to make the “Cardboard
Bridge-building Contest” more exciting.
Details ☛ Cardboard Bridge-building Contest website
http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bbg/event/buridgecontest/2017/2017bridge2.html

■■Support for revision of seismic design criteria for highway bridges in Chile
Road Structures Department Earthquake Disaster Management Division
Chile’s Ministry of Public Works has enacted new seismic
design criteria for bridges based on technical support from theNILIM and the PWRI. Seismic technologies developed in Japan,
which are keys for enhancing seismic performance of bridges,
are incorporated into the design criteria.
The Chilean Ministry of Public Works had been working on
revision of the seismic design criteria for highway bridges sincethe 2010 Chile earthquake (M8.8) had caused extensive damage tobridges. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had initiated a technical cooperation “Seismic Design Criteria for HighwayBridges” for supporting the revision work. National Institute forLand and Infrastructure Management (NILIM) and Public Works
Research Institute (PWRI) have provided technical support in coop-Discussion between experts from Japan and Chile (February 2017)

eration with industrial and academic experts of earthquake engineering based on the request from Chilean government through JICA.
Japan has experienced many earthquake disasters and developed
technical criteria based on cumulative lessons learnt from the experience and various research results on seismic technologies. We havediscussed how to apply the made-in-Japan seismic technologies toChilean design criteria and reached a conclusion that it is effective
for improving seismic safety of bridges in Chile to incorporate
Japanese seismic technologies such as the design methods againstliquefaction and the unseating prevention system; the seismic design
criteria for highway bridges in Chile was revised taking account ofthese technologies on June 2017.
Commending contribution by the technical cooperation, theChilean Ministry of Public Works complemented the specialists of
NILIM and PWRI with diplomas.
During this technical cooperation, technical support on wide
range of seismic technologies was provided including revision protocol of earthquake ground motion, bridge monitoring guideline,
standard testing method of anti-seismic bearings, and so on. In
order to reach these goals, further investigation is necessary taking
account of differences in available data and instruments in Chileand Japan. We will continue our support for formulating related
guidelines and manuals based on the results from this technical cooperation through discussion and providing information on Japanese
cutting-edge seismic technologies.
Details ☛ NILIM website (Press Release, December 1st, 2017)
http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bcg/kisya/journal/ kisya20171201_2.pdf■■The 6th Japan-Korea Joint Workshop on Urban Policies
Urban Planning Department
On January 18th of this year, in Sejong City, Korea, the 6th
NILIM-KRIHS joint workshop was held, resulting in an agreement to cooperate from now on in joint researches of smart cities, etc.
The NILIM entered into a memorandum of cooperation with theKorea Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS) in November 2012, and since then there have been continuous researchexchanges on the field of urban policies together with periodic
reciprocal visits. This time, the 6th joint workshop was held with afirst visit to the new KRIHS government office building, which wasmoved into and where work started in January of last year, in the
Administrative City, Sejong, constructed for the transfer of central
government offices approximately 160km south of Seoul.
The meeting focused on urban regeneration, which is of greatinterest to both parties, with lively discussions featuring publicationof the latest researches and evaluation of both countries’ politicalmeasures, etc. on themes of “urban development making best useof stock of town areas” and “urban transport development”. Also,
since this year marks the 5th year since entering into the agreement,

an activity plan for the next 5 years was discussed in the second
half of the meeting, and it was agreed that there should be new joint
researches looking at smart cities, etc. and that the next meeting
would be held in Japan in 2020 followed by a subsequent meetingin Korea in 2022, with both parties confirming their intentions tofurther deepen their exchanges going forwards.

Photo Scene of researchpresentation

Photo Opening greeting■■Revision of “Technical Standards for Port and Harbor Facilities”
Administrative Coordination Department Planning and Coordination Division
Port and Harbor Department Port Facilities Division
For the first time in 11 years, the “Technical Standards forPort and Harbour Facilities” are being drastically revised, withthe aim of promoting improved productivity, dealing with rapid
deterioration of social infrastructure, and strengthning disasterprevention/reduction countermeasures based on lessons learned
from the Great East Japan Earthquake, etc.
The “Technical Standards for Port and Harbour Facilities” (Technical Standards) are provided in Article 56-2(2) of the Port andHarbour Act, demanding conformance in terms of construction, improvement and maintenance of port and harbour facilities.
The Techincal Standards are generally revised every 10 decade,and the NILIM plays a central role at each stage of the PDCA cyclein extracting, understanding and regulating issues related to application of the Technical Standards, deciding on revision policy, andsupporting the enforced Standards.
The main contents of the present revision are the following 5points.
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(1) Promotion of improved productivity: In order to deal withlabor shortages, etc. at construction sites going forwards, together
with regulating items to be considered for optimization of construction production processes of surveying, designing, execution,and maintenance by sharing 3D data, etc., NILIM seeks to improve
productivity by optimizing design through introduction of a “loadvibration coefficient approach”.
(2) Promotion of effective use of existing stock: Based on rapid
deterioration of social infrastructure, together with regulating ideas
and procedures, etc., regarding appropriate maintenance of facilities,
and design of improvements for existing facilities, there is regulation of items requiring consideration when constructing, etc., withthe aim of promoting effective use of existing stock.
(3) Strengthening disaster prevention/reduction countermeasures:
While the imminence of large-scale earthquakes such as the Nankai
Trough Earthquake and the Earthquake Directly Below Tokyo, etc.
are being pointed out, NILIM seeks to promote disaster prevention/
reduction countermeasures such as improving tsunami-resistantdesign, etc. based on new expertise from lessons learned from theGreat East Japan Earthquake and Kumamoto Earthquake, etc.
(4) Strengthening international competitiveness: NILIM seeks tostrengthen international competitiveness by expanding items related
to dealing with increased size of vessels and safe port and harbour
cargo handling. NILIM also expands contents of overseas development of Standards in mind, and support infrastructure business ofJapanese companies.
(5) Conserving, regenerating and creating ocean environments:
In order to conserve, regenerate and create natural environments ofports and harbours, NILIM seeks to establish new regulations relating to structures contributing to environmental conservation andexpansion of descriptions of nature regeneration technologies fortidal flats, shoals and seaweed beds, etc., and environmental use ofrecycled materials, etc., with the aim of creating rich ocean environments.
Details ☛ NILIM Yokosuka Government Office website (material publishedFebruary 2nd, 2018)
http://www.ysk.nilim.go.jp/oshirase/press-release20180202.pdf.

●● Publications (research achievements) (November 2017 to January 2018)
Download here ☛ http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bcg/siryou/index.htm

TECHNICAL NOTE of NILIMNo.
Title of Paper
Names of Divisions
983 Assessing method for sediment disaster damagesdue to deep-seated catastrophic (rapid) landslide
Sabo Planning Division
Statistical data on the deterioration of road bridges based on the segmental damage extent recordings in bridge
985
Bridge and Structures Divisioninspections
987 Landscape and Ecology Division, Annual Research Report (32nd)Landscape and Ecology Division
988 Study on constantly monitoring system of road bridge using image processing technology
Bridge and Structures Division
989 Examinations of Seascape in the Keihin Canal of Tokyo Bay – Case Study of Mollusks and Crustaceans –Marine Environment Division
990 Numerical Simulations on Inundation due to Storm Surge for Port Areas in Osaka Bay
Coastal Disaster Prevention Division
991 Study on Ship Dimensions by Statistical Analysis
Port Planning Division
992 An Analysis of the Scale of Container Terminal Areas
Port Planning Division
Development of a Transshipment Port Choice Model of Container Cargo Flow between East Asia and America in order993
Port Systems Division
to Assess the Impact of Japanese Port Policy
994 Analytical Study of the Bearing Capacity Design Method of Breakwaters Considering Seepage Flow Caused by Tsunami Port Facilities Division
A Study of the Level 1 Reliability Design Method for a Gravity-type Breakwater with a Slope
995
Port Facilities Division– Performance Verifications of Sliding Failure and Overturning Failure –996 The Basic Concept of Reformation Construction Method Selection and Reformation Design of Existing Mooring Facilities Port Facilities Division●● We provide you with research information.
• 2017 Annual Report of NILIM
This web site introduces NILIM activities throughout the year, including research activities andachievements, future initiatives, etc.
Go to this web site ☛ http://www.nilim.go.jp/english/annual/annual2017/ar2017e.html

National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
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
Winter 2018
TEL:+81-29-864-2754 FAX:+81-29-864-4322
http://www.nilim.go.jp/english/eindex.htm
Edited and Published by National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management

No.63

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国 総 研 ニ ューズ レ ター

NILIM News Letter