JSCE Newsletter No. 36, February 2012

Japan Society of Civil Engineers
International Activities Committee

NewsletterNo. 36, February 2012
June 2011 – May 2012

Contents

President
YAMAMOTO Takuro

Flash Report of the Great East Japan Earthquake-- p.2
Report of PII-JSCE Joint Seminar ----------------- p.4

Vice-Presidents
IEDA Hitoshi
IFUKU Makoto
SATOH Naoyoshi
TASHIRO Tamiharu
HAYASHI Yoshitsugu

Photo Report ---------------------------- p.5
Student Network ----------------------- p.7

Outdated “Internationalization” for JSCEin Next 100 Years

Executive Director
OHNISHI Hirofumi
International Activities
Committee
Chair
UEDA Tamon
Vice-Chair
HIROTANI Akihiko
Secretary General
HORI Kenji

Tamon UEDA
Chair of JSCE International Activities Committee

JSCE will celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2014. For the next 100 years, JSCEis taking the major step for its internationalization under the initiative of the present
President, Mr Takuro YAMAMOTO.
JSCE Strategic Council for
Members / Secretary
Internationalization
of
Civil
Engineering,
chairedby Prof Shigeru MORICHI, Past
KOBAYAKAWA Satoru
JSCE
President,
will
come
out
with
the
conclusions
in the early 2012. The
SASAKI Kuniaki
TAKAHASHI Shu
followings are the expected changes in the near future:
NODA Masaru
 Strengthen JSCE Headquarter by setting up a new office, International
YAMAGUCHI Eiki
Center (tentative), headed by a newly recruited personnel with fullInternational Chapter
experience in international environment
Taiwan Section
Der-Her Lee
 Prepare the database related to international activities by JSCE and/or civilengineering in Japan, which can serve to JSCE members and related people
Korea Section
Dong-Uk, Lee Tighten the bilateral relationship between JSCE and sister organizations byintroducing permanent committees and regular meetings
U.K. Section
SOGA Kenichi Improve information dissemination in English such as homepage andnewsletter by enhancing information volume/variety and mailing-list
Mongolia Section
Enkhtur Shoovdor
The budget for international activities in JSCE is only 4% of the total budget,which is significantly less than in the similar organization, such as ASCE andTurkey Section
Zeki Hasgür
KSCE. The international members, which are 750 as of December 2011, is only
2% of the total members of JSCE. Activities by the technical committees in JSCE
Indonesia Section
Sutanto Soehodho
are mostly domestic matters. Those facts indicate that JSCE may not be friendly
enough to the international members.
Thailand Section
Samart Ratchapolsitte
Great East Japan Earthquake hit Japan in 2011 leaving the historical damages,
while several rain storms caused damages like in the past years. The country ofPhilippines Section
Ricardo G. Sigua
Japan provides so unique environment to civil engineering. Harsh natural disasters
by earthquakes, rain storms and others require civil engineers to develop highVietnam Section
Doan Minh Khoi
quality of infrastructure for assurance of safety. On the other hand Japan is full ofbeautiful natural environment, such as mountains and sea coasts. This fact teaches
Yotsuya 1-chome,
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
civil engineers to be fully aware of natural environment protection. This
160-0004 JAPANuniqueness is a good reason for civil engineering in Japan to be a model to the rest
Tel: +81-3-3355-3452
of the world. In this sense JSCE should take the leading role.
Fax: +81-3-5379-2769“Internationalization” should not be a target for the next 100 years since JSCE
http://www.jsce-int.org
iad@jsce.or.jp
is supposed to have been transformed to an international organization to serve
globally.
Also available on web: http://www.jsce-int.org/
1
Deputy-Secretary
GeneralNAGAI Kohei

JSCE Newsletter No. 36, February 2012

The Earthquake Damage and the
Restoration Status of the Railway
Facilities of JR East Japan
Railway companies control the train service
by placing seismographs along the railway lines
and the coast, and observing the earthquake
vibrations. JR East Japan uses the SI value (Note1), which is said to have a high correlation withthe damage to structures for the observationindex of earthquakes. In the case of the 2011
Earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku,
which occurred on March 11, big tremors wererecorded across a wide stretch from the Tohoku
area to the Kanto area, for example, 107.7 kine at
Shin-fujita substation on the Shinkansen(suspension standard value 18 kine), and 92.2
kine at Tatekoshi on the local line (the standard
value for suspension in a general section: 12kine) were recorded and a lot of railway facilities
were affected. In addition, along the Pacificcoast, enormous damages were caused such as
washouts of station buildings, bridges andrailways by the massive tsunami. Furthermore,
aftershocks frequently occurred in the course ofrestoration and a lot of new damages were causedby the aftershock on April 7. Here in this article,
the damages caused by the earthquakes and therestoration status are reported.
Detection of earthquakes and the train control.
By seismographs’ detecting earthquake
motions, warnings were sounded to stop power
for the train operation for all the way from Tokyo
to Shin-Aomori on the Tohoku Shinkansen.
Especially, in the vicinity of Sendai, which is
close to the seismic center, the seismograph set
up in Mt. Kinka on the Pacific coast immediately
detected the earthquake motion, and its warning
was able to work the emergency brakes of the
trains just 12-15 seconds before the very strong
quake which reached the standard to stop thetrain operation.
On the local lines, in the Metropolitan area
and in the Sendai area, by the data of some of theseismographs that detected a very strong quake,wireless train protection system automaticallystarted to work and all the trains in the area weresuccessfully stopped.
After the earthquake occurrence, while
passengers were evacuating from the trains andstations, all of them on board the trains on thelines hit by the tsunami were able to get out of
the trains and evacuated without big injuries after
the trains stopped.
As described above, stating with safety
confirmation of the passengers on board thetrains and in the stations, we started checking thedamage status of the rail facilities by our
employees and subcontractors in parallel with2

safety confirmation of the employees and theirfamilies.
Damage on the rail facilities and restoration(1) Shinkansen facilities
No derailment accidents of Shinkansen in
operation occurred by the earthquake this time.
Table 1 shows the major damage contents and thenumbers of damaged spots, and Figure 1 showswhere the damaged spots are. At the time of the
March 11 earthquake occurrence, a lot of various
structures were damaged in a widespread areafrom Ohmiya to Iwate-numakunai. The damaged
area by the April 7 aftershock was narrower
compared with the March 11 main shock,however, the damage status between Sendai and
Ichinoseki was even more serious.
Train operation was resumed area by area,
where damages were restored as shown on
figure-2. Finally, it was resumed in all theaffected area on 29 April 2011.
Table 1: Main damages on the Tohoku shinkansen and thenumbers of the damaged spots
March 11 Main
Aftershocks after
Major damages
shock
April 7
Power pole breakings,
Approx. 540
Approx.270 spots
inclining, cracking
spots
Approx. 470
Wire disconnection
Approx.200 spots
spots
Damages on viaduct
Approx. 100
Approx. 20 spots
pillars, etc.
spots
Track displacement,
Approx. 20 spots
Approx. 20 spots
damages
Power substation facility
Approx. 10 spots
Approx. 10 spots
failures
Falling, inclining,detachment of soundApprox. 10 spots
2 spots
insulating walls
Breaking and falling of
5 stations
2 stations
ceilings
Bridge girder
2 spots
7 spots
displacement
Damage on the bridge
Approx. 30 spots
Approx. 10 spots
girder supports
Damages on the track in
2 spots
tunnels
Approx. 1,200
TOTAL
Approx. 550 spots
spots

Shin-Aomori

Shin-Aomori
Hachinohe

Hachinohe

Iwate-Numakunai

Iwate-Numakunai

MoriokaMorioka

Kitakami

Kitakami
Ichinoseki
Shinkansen General
Rolling Stock Center

Ichinoseki
Shinkansen General
Rolling Stock Center
Sendai
Fukushima
Koriyama

Sendai
Fukushima
Koriyama
Nasushiobara
Utsunomiya

Nasushiobara
Utsunomiya

Oyama

Oyama
Omiya
Tokyo

Omiya
Tokyo

Damaged spots

Damages by the 3.11
main shock

Figure 1: Major damaged
spots on the Tohoku
Shinkansen by the March
11 Main Earthquake andApril 7 Aftershock.

Damages by the 4.7
aftershock

Also available on web: http://www.jsce-int.org/

JSCE Newsletter No. 36, February 2012

(2) Local line facilities
Before restoration

displacement

To Aomori

After restoration
To UenoPhoto 2: Damage on a bridge
pier (Ichinoseki – Mizusawaesashi)

Photo 1: Damage on viaductpillars (Mizusawa-esashi –Kitakamima)Tohoku Main Line (2006)
Tohoku Shinkansen (1983)
Photo 3: Damage on viaduct pillars (Shiraishi-zaou – Sendai)
Before restoration

After restoration

Photo 4: Bridge girder displacement・damage on a bearing

Photo 5: Damages on the power poles (Mizusawa-esashi –Kitagami)
ShinAomori

Morioka

29/Apr.
resumedIchinoseki

25/Apr.
resumedSendai

12/Apr.
resumedFukushima

NasuTokyo
shiobara

Tokyo
12/Apr.
resumed

07/Apr. resumed
22/Mar. resumed
07/Apr. aftershock 07/Apr. aftershock
13/Apr. resumed
23/Apr. resumed

Figure 2: Operation restart days at each section of Tohoku
Shinkansen

Also available on web: http://www.jsce-int.org/

Photo 6: Bridge girder
displacement (Kashima-Jingu
Station, Kashima Line)

Photo 7: Collapse of an
excavated slope (Tohoku Main
Line, Toyohara – Shirasaka)

Table 2 shows the main damage contents andthe numbers of damaged spots.
On the local lines, a lot of places wereaffected in a widespread area from Tohoku to
Kanto.
Table 2: Main damages on the local lines and the numbers ofthe damaged spots
March 11Aftershocks
Main damages
main shock
after April 7
Approx.
Approx. 620
Track displacement
2,200 spots
spots
Power pole breakings,
Approx.
Approx. 90
inclining, cracking
1,150 spots
spots
Roadbed crushed stone
Approx.
1 spotwashout
220 spots
Approx.
Approx. 50
Platform deformation
220 spots
spots
Deformation of civil
Approx.
Approx. 10
engineering work such as
170 spots
spots
embankment and excavation
Failures of signals andApprox.
Approx. 10
communication facilitis
130 spots
spots
Damages on bridges andApprox.
Approx. 30
viaducts
120 spots
spots
Approx. 80
Approx. 20
Damages on station buildings
stations
stations
Approx.
Damages on tunnels
2 spots
30 spots
Approx.
Approx. 10
Failures of power substations
30 spotsspots
Approx.
Approx. 10
Debris fall
20 spots
spots
Damages on railroad depot
Approx.
Approx. 4
facilities such as transfer over20 spots
spots
bridges
Approx.
Approx. 10
Wire disconnection
10 spotsspots
Approx.
Approx. 850
TOTAL
4,400 spots
spots

With regard to the breaking and inclining
damages of power poles on the bridges andviaducts which occurred in many places by thistime’s earthquake, we will conduct an analysis of
the cause and the mechanism, work on thereinforcing methods and address improvement ofearthquake resistance. On the other hand, theeffects of antiseismic reinforcement that had
been carried out until then were verified. From
now on as well, we will successively work on theearthquake countermeasures and pursue efforts
for securement of the railway safety and thestable transportation.

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JSCE Newsletter No. 36, February 2012

Before restoration

After restoration

Photo 8: Failure of an embankment slope (Tohoku Main Line,
Umegasawa – Nitta)

Japan side attended the first day seminar. On
the second day seminar, 12 people attended
and discuss labor management on aninternational JV (joint venture) and possibilityof joint research.
These seminars were very fruitful. First,
the participants in the both countries could
recognize and share effectiveness andchallenges of public procurement scheme eachother. Second, the consensus was built among
the participants on the necessity ofdevelopment of quality assurance systems inpublic works in Indonesia. Third, as a way torealize the assurance systems, a possibility wasdemonstrated that two systems in Japan can bereferred as a model for Indonesia: “Circulation
system” to reflect past performance of eachcontractor for bidding and construction
information systems. Fourth, agreement onfurther research collaboration was made in theboth countries (Pictures 1 and 2).

Photo 9: A bridge girder washout by the tsunami (Yamada Line,
Kirikiri – Otsuchi)

Mitsuyasu Mizuno: East Japan Railway Co.
Shinichiro Nozawa: East Japan Railway Co.
Note 1: The index, called “spectrum intensity”, that is able toindicate the size of damage on a structure, refers to the average
response velocity of frequency band that affects fracture of astructure (unit: cm/sec=kine).

Report of PII-JSCE Joint Seminar“Framework Development of Public
Works Procurement System inIndonesia”
The joint seminar on “framework of
public procurement systems in Indonesia” washeld by the construction management
committee of the Japan Society of Civil
Engineers (JSCE), the Institution of Engineers
Indonesia (PII), Construction Development
Agency (BP Konstruksi), Institut Teknologi
Bandung (ITB) in Jakarta, Indonesia on
November 23 and 24 in 2011. The first day andthe second day seminar were held at Hotel
Nikko Jakarta and the Ministry of Public
Works, respectively.
The objectives of this joint seminar are topresent and share development history, current
conditions, issues, and reform direction of
public procurement schemes in Japan andIndonesia and to discuss how Indonesian
scheme can be further improved. The programon the first day consists of three keynote
lectures and two panel discussions. 74 people
from the Indonesian side and 9 people from the4

Picture 1 One Scene of Active Discussion

Picture 2 Wishing for the 2nd Seminar

The seminar was supported by theInternational Scientific Exchange Fund, JSCE.
We would also like to thank Prof. Rizal Z.
Tamin and staff at the ITB for their sincere
cooperation and assistance.
Main Topic 1“Reform of public works procurement
systems”<Keynote speech 1>
Title: “Roadmap of Indonesian Public
Procurement Development”
Also available on web: http://www.jsce-int.org/

JSCE Newsletter No. 36, February 2012

Djamaludin Abubakar(Deputy Chairman, Law Affair and Complaint
Handling of National Public Procurement
Agency (LKPP))<Panel discussion 1>
Topic: “Direction and framework of public
works procurement reform”
Chair: Prof. Tsunemi Watanabe(Kochi University of Technology: KUT)
Dr. Takashi Goso (KUT)
Mr. Yuji Ikeda (JICA)
Dr. Dewi Larasati (KUT)
Main Topic 2
Challenges in improving construction work
performance<Keynote speech 2>
Title: “Experience and Challenge of Public
Works Procurement System Reform in Japan”
Prof. Kazumasa Ozawa (University of Tokyo)<Keynote speech 3>
Title: “Constraint and consideration indeveloping road map of government act andcommitmentin
construction
works
performance improvement”
Ir. Bambang Goeritno M.Sc. (Director Generalof Construction Development Agency, Ministryof Public Works)<Panel discussion 2>
Topic: “Role of legal framework, organization,and information system in performance
improvement of Indonesian infrastructure
implementation”
Chair: Prof. Rizal Z. Tamin (ITB)
Dr. Krishna S. Pribadi (LPJK)
Prof. Dradjat Hoedajanto (HAKI)
Dr. Sudarto (AKI)
Dr. Akhmad Suraji (KAKI)
Prof. Tsunemi Watanabe (KUT)of the tower body and the center column byvibration control damper.
The construction of this tower was achallenge to the unprecedented height, which
required three cutting-edge technologies in orderto ensure the successful construction.
Firstly, as a pile to hold the ground, the“Knuckle-wall method” of piles with knuckles
that exerts resisting power against the large
pulling power by earthquakes and winds as wellas the indentation power.
Secondly, in order to efficiently implement
the work at the unknown height and also secure
the safety and good quality, the “Lift-up method”
by which a gain tower of approx.165 meters longis assembled on the ground and lifted up to theheight of 634 meters.
And thirdly, the “Slip-form method” bywhich the reinforced concrete center column isconstructed efficiently in parallel with theconstruction of gain towers.
Adopting the above three high-leveltechnologies in combination made an
unprecedented height a reality.
Tokyo Sky Tree, which rises up to the heightof 634 meters in the air from the foundation at
the depth of 50 meters underground, is giving
dreams as a landmark tower in downtown Tokyo
to the people who are waiting for its opening day
on May 22, 2012.
Photo 1:
Construction of
the gain tower

Photo Report from JSCE Magazine

The Construction of Tokyo Sky Tree,
A Challenge to the height by human– New landmark tower in Tokyo –Photo credit: Obayashi Corporation
Author: Masahiro Satoh, Director,
Obayashi Corporation
Tokyo Sky Tree (Project implementing body:
Tobu Railway, Tobu Tower Sky Tree) is a very
slender tower with a width-height proportion
ratio of 3.9: the foot width 68 meters to theheight, 634 meters. Its structure style is a hybrid
structure consisting of the center column made ofreinforced concrete and the tower body made ofsteel truss, employing the center column
vibration control, which controls joint vibration
Also available on web: http://www.jsce-int.org/

Photo 2:Inside of the central
pillar
under
construction

Photo 3:
Truss structure

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JSCE Newsletter No. 36, February 2012

Photo 4: At around 50
meters above the groundPhoto 5: Conceptual diagram of diaphragm wall piles

Photo 7: Air photo of the tower foot construction(June 7, 2009）

Photo 8: The design where the "sori" (concave curves)and "mukuri" (convex curves)
were consciously
intended.

6

Photo 6: It reached theutmost height of 634
metersPhoto 9: Air photo of the upper part (January, 18, 2011)

Also available on web: http://www.jsce-int.org/

JSCE Newsletter No. 36, February 2012

Excellent Speakers from Summer
Symposium
The Trip that Changed my Life!
It was a long flight which lasted almost a daythat I arrived, Japan, the country that iscommonly referred as one of the “Far East”
countries. I arrived with high curiosity, not only
because I was new to the country, but also
because this was my first trans-continental trip.
It is only when I compare my current outlookwith that of 2004, when I arrived Japan, I canunderstand the change that I have gone through.
Back then, almost everything I see, I hear was
new to me and life without a helping tutor waschallenging. Today, after 8 years, all that seems
to be of the past history!
Perhaps, this may be attributed to the 6 yearsof my post graduate studies, which was theprimary purpose that I came for. However, I
personally think that it is beyond conventional
schooling and much more related with exposure
and interaction with surrounding environment. It
is shortly after my arrival that I made strategic
decision that I should widen my understanding
beyond the campus. I fully acknowledged that
this is an opportunity that I shouldn’t miss.
Today, thanks to the extremely encouraging
environment, language and cloture and no barrier
and no matter where I am or who I meet it is an
opportunity to learn!!
During my stay not only did I got my M. Sc
and Ph.D. but got married and become a father oftwo! Currently I am a research fellow at theInstitute for Transport Policy Studies (ITPS), a
leading Japan think-thank institute. I have been
enjoying participating in the International JSCE
Summer Symposium, and I am honored toreceive an award at the 13th Symposium held in2011.
I came from an African country with little
exposure opportunity about Japan and Japaneseculture, making Japan to appear a remote country
to many people there. The news-world may still
keep referring Japan as `Far-East` country. But
my experience proved to me that it isn’t the
distance which matters, and Japan is closer thanmany can imagine.

Information
14th International Summer Symposiumin conjunction with JSCE 67th Annual
Conference
Date: Sept 5-6, 2012
Venue: Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
Website: http://www.jsce-int.org/
Paper submission deadline: PM 5:00, 6thApril 2012
This
year,
International
SummerSymposium will be held as a part of JSCE 67th
Annual Conference. Please register and submit
your paper through the JSCE 67th Annual
Conference website.
http://committees.jsce.or.jp/zenkoku/gaiyo/top(in Japanese)
Select the ‘International Session’ in‘Common Session (CS)’ to submit your paper.
After your submission, JSCE international
office will provide the detail information. If
you are not going to submit a paper, please
make contact with JSCE international office
below.
Registration fee is required only for theparticipation in the JSCE Annual Conference
except the Symposium Dinner. In addition,
participants who will make a presentation must
be a member of JSCE. If you are not themember, please register the membership by
26th March to get your membership ID.
Inquiry: International Affairs Section, Japan
Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE)
Tel: 03-3355-3452/Fax: 03-5379-2769 /E-mail: iad@jsce.or.jp

Event Calendar
Send your comments and suggestions to: iad@jsce.or.jp
JSCE Website: http://www.jsce-int.org
Editorial Board:
Information Subcommittee,
International Activities Committee, JSCE
Chief Editor: Dr. Satoru KOBAYAKAWA
Editor in Charge: Mr. Shoji OKAMOTO

Esmael Mohamed,PhD
Research Fellow, ITPS
Also available on web: http://www.jsce-int.org/

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