iVol. 3 No. 1

SUMMER 2005

National dressof Vietnam…

12 months inThailand…

A postcard
from Zurich… and a lot more !

E-VISIONEDITORIAL BOARD

Editorial

Editor-in-Chief
Philip de Guzman

E-Vision bulletin is now in its third year of bringing you the

Publication Officer
Michael Angelo Promentillalatest happenings in and around EGPSEE and providing
among many other features, educational articles as well as
enjoyable ones to keep you refreshed.

Contributing Editors
Arshad Baharudin
Yadab Dhakal
Vasantha Wickramasinghe
Editorial Assistants
Dhannyanto Anggawidjaja
Yogarajah Elakneswaran
Mintesnot Gebeyehu
Hiroe Hara
Aileen Huelgas
Jacqueline Satur
Nirajan Shiwakoti
LayoutKatia Andrade
May Thithiwat

Just like any dynamic undertaking, our bulletin continues to
evolve. In this issue, we have added a new section called“Research Spotlight” where you can find a synopsis of theresearch study of one of our EGPSEE colleagues. We are also
expanding our horizons to let you know how our alumni
friends are doing in our “Alumni News”. Lastly, we have also
added the “New Students” section to introduce the newmembers of the EGPSEE family. Before, we only had a similar
section for the graduates.
All these have been made possible through the concerted
efforts not just of the Editorial Board, but also of those whohave contributed articles, photos, ideas and so on - from the
EGPSEE students to the members of the faculty and staff andour program officer, Mrs. Werawan. Our heartfelt thanks toeach one of you.
As we look forward to our next issue, we once again ask foryour continued support and invaluable contribution.

Cover Design
Sofren Leo Suhaendi
Publication andCirculation
Muraleetharan Thambiah

For now… enjoy reading!
- The Editorial Board

Ryota Kondo

E-Vision is a biannually released bulletin of the
English Graduate Program in Socio-Environmental Engineering – Student Union(EGPSEE-SU)
The web edition in full colors is available at: www.eng.hokudai.ac.jp/EGPSEE/notices.htm
For comments and suggestions, please write to: egpseesu@eng.hokudai.ac.jp© EGPSEE-SU PUBLICATIONEGPSEE-SU and E-vision logos are properties of EGPSEE-SU
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Table of Contents
Editorial

Page 1

International Page

Enjoy 12 Months in Thailand- Surakha Wanphen

Messages

Ao Dai

From the EGPSEE Head
From the EGPSEE-SU President

Page 12Page 3
Page 4

Projects and Activities of EGPSEESU- Vasantha Wickramasinghe

Page 5- Linh Vu Nguyen

Page 14

Puzzle- Michael Angelo Promentilla

Page 15The More You Know…

A Structure We Can Learn From
- Abdoullaev Akhmad

Research Spotlight

Effect of long-term consolidation on shear
modulus of crushable volcanic soils- Sahaphol Timpong

Page 6

Page 16

Travel Diary

Aichi Banpaku- Arshad Baharudin

Page 18

Interview“Great pleasure to be part of EGPSEE
family”
An interview with Ms. Nami Mabuchi

Page 7

ArticlesPage 9Page 10

Page 20

Profiles of April 2005 New Students

Page 21

Announcement

Japanese Communication Style

EGPSEE Student Union

Page 19

The New Students

International Page
- Manabu Ohya

- Kouhei Nagai

Profiles of March 2005 Graduates- Yadab Prasad Dhakal- Werawan Manakul

Postcard from Zurich

The Graduates

Earthquake Risk in Nepal
Does Culture Matter?

Alumni News

Page 11

EGPSEE Field Trip 2005

Page 222

E-VISION

I took over as the EGPSEE head in April from Prof. Hasegawa. I will do my best to make thisprogram more fruitful and enjoyable one in cooperation with the EGPSEE staff and students. It has
been five years since this program started. The problems in the early stages were solved by the great
efforts of the EGPSEE staff and students. Now several tens of students have graduated from thisprogram and are working or studying all over the world.
I am sure that this program is one of the best English graduate programs in Japan and greatly
contributes to make your career better. However, it has been realized that we have to solve several
problems to further improve this program. One is the English atmosphere in the laboratories.
Regardless of the repeated requests from EGPSEE, some foreign students are still facing difficulties
participating in seminars conducted mostly in Japanese. Second problem is related to thereorganization of the Graduate School of Engineering. Some instructors are facing difficulty due tostudents' lack of background since the divisions are now smaller and courses in each division are notso many. The third problem is related to the increasing number of Japanese students. Normally,
Japanese students are enrolled in April and foreign students are mainly enrolled in October. Japanese
students then have to study courses II then I so as not to waste the first summer semester. The fourth
problem is mainly related to the enrolment of Japanese students. We have to set clearly the English
requirement for Japanese students. Anyway, continuous efforts would be the best means
to improve the program.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Yoshiaki FUJIIEGPSEE Head (2005-2007)

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Hello everyone,It’s been awhile now since the long and cold winter. Summer has come and I hope you enjoyed thecherry blossoms last spring. EGPSEE-SU made the most of winter by taking part in the Sapporo Snow
Festival. It was enjoyable and gave us an opportunity not only to cheer up together but also to freeze
together as Mrs. Werawan, EGPSEE program officer said.
There have been many happenings and activities since the last issue of E-Vision. We had eleven
graduates in September 2004 and two in March 2004. Best wishes to all of them! We are also proudof the October intake students as they have proven themselves to be one of the active members of
EGPSEE.
EGPSEE is widening its reach and now the number of Japanese students is increasing. It is anindication that EGPSEE is becoming a point of attraction in the Graduate School of Engineering andthe goal of mutual understanding between Japanese and foreign students is getting close at hand.
The EGPSEE-SU had recently undergone changes in the executive committee. We warmly
welcome and congratulate the new leaders. We are confident that they will give their utmost effort for
deepening togetherness in the EGPSEE community, working for the student welfare and bringing in
new activities.
As we start the summer, many tasks are waiting for us in our studies and EGPSEE activities. I
wish all success!
Mintesnot Gebeyehu
Former President, EGPSEE-SU

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E-VISION

Projects and Activities of EGPSEE-SU
By Vasantha Wickramasinghe*

Despite the busy academic life, students and professors found time to participate in the events organized by
EGPSEE-SU for the winter semester. The Graduation Party, Welcome Party for new EGPSEE students, Yearend Party (Bonenkai), and participation in the Sapporo Snow Festival were the activities held since the lastissue of E-Vision. Why don’t we refresh our minds of some of the wonderful moments from these events.

Graduation Party (17 Sep, 2004)
EGPSEE had produced again another five excellent Doctors (Sanjay, Antoni, Prakash, Preda, and Benno)
and six Masters (Minte, Jackie, Withit, Leo, Anh, and Joshi). Students, staff, professors, and family membersof the graduates had a very joyful evening. Graduates shared the experiences and memorable moments during
their stay in Hokkaido. Sara’s violin play gave a fantastic ending to the graduation party.
.

Welcome Party (08 Oct, 2004)
Again it was time to welcome the new members of EGPSEE family. This time 11 newcomers, including four
eye-catching ladies, Aileen, Katia, Surakha, and Suthatip, were added to the EGPSEE family. Games!!! Can
still remember the Butt-spelling, Human Nut, etc… Newcomer May, from Thailand showed his talent in butt spelling. The party was a great success thanks to the efforts of the ever-active Filipino group who mainlyorganized the event.

Bonenkai Party (22 Dec, 2004)

This was the last party for the year 2004 and was organized by the new EGPSEE students. It was an
unforgettable event for many Japanese students who participated in this party. Can you all remember how
IZUMI San (Japanese friend) acted as a gorilla? Everyone also had the chance to experience the spicy Thailand
foods in this party.

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Sapporo Snow Festival (01 Feb -05 Feb 2005)
One of the highlights of the EGPSEE-SU calendar was the participation in the 56th Sapporo Snow Festival(Yuki Matsuri). This year, the theme was “Love and Peace”. This was the second time EGPSEE family took
part in this festival. Surprisingly, we got the same spot as last year to make the sculpture. Students, staff,
friends, and family members worked for five whole days to shape up a dove embracing a big heart. Can you still
remember how Mrs. Werawan gave her contribution to this year’s Yuki Matsuri? Also thanks to our everactive Withit and Dhanny for their spearheading efforts.

*Laboratory of Traffic Facility Engineering

Research Spotlight
Effect of long-term consolidation on shear modulus of crushable volcanic soils
Our Commitment to Sustainable Development

By Sahaphol Timpong *Volcanic soils, distributed widely in all regions of Japan, especially in Hokkaido, have been used as a useful
construction material in civil engineering, for example, road construction and reclamation. The use of natural
volcanic soils as construction materials contributes to sustainable development by lowering trucking and othertransportation requirements for transporting materials to the construction site. Environmental benefits include
reduced energy and air-pollution during transportation of construction materials while economic benefits
include reduced operating and maintenance costs for transportation. However, natural volcanic soils withparticle breakage are one of the problematic soils in geotechnical engineering. In order to use them as aconstruction material, it is necessary to understand their mechanical properties such as pseudo-elastic shear
modulus and liquefaction strength. Deformation-strength properties of volcanic soils have been reported in ourprevious researches (Miura et al., 2003; Timpong and Miura, 2005).
Time-dependent behavior of deformation-strength reported in the literature has been focused on sand andclays. However, for volcanic soil with particle breakage, it has not been fully investigated. This study was
conducted on natural volcanic soils in Hokkaido in order to investigate the time-dependent behavior of its shear
modulus. From laboratory test results, the shear modulus of volcanic soil gradually increases with time, the rateof increase in the shear modulus depends strongly on particle crushability. The proposed equations forevaluating the long-term value of shear modulus obtained from the present study may be useful in geotechnicalengineering routine design.

* Laboratory of Analytical Geomechanics
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E-VISIONInterview“Great pleasure to be part of EGPSEE family”
An interview with Ms. Nami Mabuchi by Michael Angelo Promentilla* and Philip de Guzman#

Ms. Nami Mabuchi works as an officer at the Academic Affairs
Division of the Graduate School of Engineering and is the person
who handles international graduate students. Before moving to the
Graduate School of Engineering in April 2001, she had also worked
in the General Affairs Section of Graduate School of Economics(1993 - 1996), Accountant Section of School of Dentistry (1996 1999) and International Student Center (1999 - 2001).
Ms. Mabuchi likes sewing, knitting and making sweets.
She is now sewing her ‘yukata’ for a fireworks display in July.
Our dynamic officer also tries to go swimming on holidays since
she has very few chances to exercise on weekdays.

1. You speak English very well. How did you learn English?
I majored in English Literature in college and had to study English. However I did not learn tospeak English, since all courses were instructed in Japanese. Now I need to answer many questions
from EGPSEE students and the program officer, Mrs. Werawan everyday, so I think I am learning
English from day to day.
2. Does it help to have English ability at work as well as in other situations?
When I travel abroad with my friends or family, it is so helpful for me to have English ability.
When I traveled in Italy with my mother last year, I was really happy to help her with my English.
3. What do you think is the significance of an English program like EGPSEE andforeign students?
I think it is a very good chance for Japanese students to communicate with foreign students in
English. And English program makes it easier for foreign students to study in Japan. English program
has mutual good effect to both Japanese and foreign students. I hope we could have English program
not only in the field of civil engineering but in other fields as well, and that all students would share inthis mutual effect.
4. You have been to several EGPSEE gatherings.
What can you say about the EGPSEE's brand ofactivities, parties, entertainment and foods? Do you
enjoy being part of EGPSEE family?

Ms. Mabuchi enjoying
international dishes
7

I am always looking forward to the parties of EGPSEE.
Especially, the foods are so tasty! However, I am astonishedby hot food sometimes. My colleague, Ms. Ito is also looking
forward to joining the parties. It is our great pleasure to bepart of EGPSEE family.

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5. Do you have any unforgettable EGPSEE moment?
There are so many unforgettable moments. Among them, the graduation ceremony and theorientation for new students are the most impressive moments every year.
6. Among EGPSEE people, besides Mrs. Werawan, who bothers you most, who is therunner-up?
It is a top secret ☺. And I would like to say, Mrs. Werawan never bothers me. Everybody in the
EGPSEE family knows well that we cannot do anything without her. To tell the truth, it is sometimes
difficult for me to catch up with her power ☺.
7. What do you think of the present status of EGPSEE?
There are many English programs among Japanese universities, and I think EGPSEE is offering
the highest quality courses. However, I feel sorry that many professors in other fields, even professors
at the Graduate School of Engineering, do not know EGPSEE. Only a small number of professors andstaff in Hokkaido University recognize its existence.
8. If given the chance, is there something you would like to change in the English
program or Japanese system?
If possible, I would like to offer English course not only in the socio-environmental engineering
field but in all the other fields of Graduate School of Engineering as well.
9. Any message to the EGPSEE students?
It will be five years this September since EGPSEE started and the first students who enrolled in
the master’s program in October 2000 will graduate from the doctoral course. EGPSEE has been
faced with many problems and has tried to improve the English program. And now I think EGPSEE
students are the most fortunate ones among foreign students in Hokkaido University. I am so proudof working for EGPSEE and I would be really happy if I could be of help during your study.
Ms. Mabuchi having fun with the EGPSEE
students in one of her favorite EGPSEE events Welcome Party - October 2004

* Laboratory of Solid Waste Resources Management Engineering# Laboratory of Structural Analysis
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E-VISION

ArticleEarthquake Risk in Nepal
By Yadab Prasad Dhakal*

Nepal is a mountainous country known as theKingdom of the Himalayas. It covers about one thirdof the highest and the youngest mountain chain in theworld. It is geographically bounded by 26º12’-30º27’
north latitudes and 80º4’-88º12’ east longitudes. The
total area of Nepal is 147,181 sq. km. It is a landlocked
country and lies between two giant countries, i.e.,
China in the north and India in the south. The total
population of Nepal according to the 2001 census is
22,736,934 with a growth rate being 2.4%. It
comprises of ninety two mother tongues and morethan one hundred ethnic societies with more than adozen of religious beliefs. Hence, Nepal can be attributed as one of the countries where people live in harmonyin spite of its lingual and cultural diversities. However, the people of Nepal are vulnerable to a number ofnatural disasters like floods, landslides, earthquakes, fires, epidemics, among others. About 750 people lose
their lives annually due to these disasters. Considering the potential large earthquake and the consequentmassive devastation in Kathmandu Valley, the capital city of Nepal, earthquake disaster risk reduction is thecurrent matter of interest among the researchers in the field of disaster risk management in Nepal.
Nepal has experienced numerous large earthquakes resulting from the collision between the Indian and theEurasian plate over the past several centuries that have resulted in property damage and loss, injury and deathof people. Over the years, a great amount of data, though not complete, has been collected about theearthquake records in the Nepal Himalayas. The instrumental record for recent earthquakes shows that the
total number of earthquake events of magnitudes between 2 and less than 7 in Richter scale in the Nepal
Himalayas during the years 1994 to 1999 were approximately 700, 900, 1500, 1700, 2200, and 1600
respectively. Earthquake data (DMG, Nepal) from the last ten years (1994-2003) show that earthquakes withmagnitudes 4-5, 5-5.5 and 5.5-6 have occurred 65, 21 and 7 times, respectively, with the epicenters inside
Nepal. Many researchers believe that Nepal Himalayas is likely to be hit by a large earthquake with amagnitude greater than 8 in Richter scale as their findings reveal a seismic gap in the region for over two
hundred years. However, there is no national system or capability for a proper seismic hazard assessment, site
effect estimation, earthquake preparedness, disaster mitigation and emergency response in Nepal.
The seismic catalog of Nepal reveals that catastrophic earthquakes reoccur in every 80 to 90 years so
people have a tendency to gradually forget about the impacts in the next generation. But the documentation
has always played a crucial role in revealing the history of the past events. Eastern Nepal and basically
Kathmandu suffered a huge damage due to a great earthquake of magnitude 8.3 in the Richter scale in 1934. At
that time 8,519 people were killed and more than 200,000 houses were destroyed. If an earthquake of similarintensity would occur again in Kathmandu Valley, it is expected that 40,000 people would die, 60 percent
would become homeless and 90,000 buildings would collapse (Kathmandu Valley Earthquake
Scenario/NSET/1998).
The situation is worse now because of the rapid organic growth of urban and haphazard construction ofbuildings without incorporation of earthquake resistant features. Out of 58 urban centers in Nepal, only one
municipality, Lalitpur Submetropolitan City, has started implementing building codes in the construction ofbuildings since 2003. A strong enforcement of the building code throughout the country, massive training oftechnicians and masons, earthquake awareness and preparedness programs in large scale, and improvement of
coordination among the existing institutions, I/NGOs and agencies for emergency response and recovery
system seem to be urgently needed to reduce inevitable earthquake havoc in the near future.
* Laboratory of Urban Disaster Protection Engineering
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ArticleDoes Culture Matter?
By Werawan Manakul *The other day I came across a joke told by a famous interpreter, Mr Masumi Muramatsu.
“A plush passenger boat is in danger of sinking due to a bad weather. The captain gives orders that all
women and children be gathered on lifeboats and all men passengers jump into the rough sea wearing
life jacket. What would he say most effectually to the men of different countries?
To an English man, the captain says, "You are a gentleman....,” "Yes, of course...." and the man jumps.
To a German, "This is captain's order.... " “Ja!” the man jumps.
To an Italian, "It's against the rule to jump...." The Italian laughs, "Who cares about the rules?" andflops into the water.
To a Dutchman, "This is the last life jacket left...." and the Dutch grabs it and jumps.
The captain says to an American, "Don't worry, sir, you have a high amount of life insurance policy...."
Relieved, the American jumps.
And to a Canadian, just telling him, "The American, over there, tells me he won't jump...." is enough.
Now, what would the captain of the sinking ship have said to a Japanese who might have been one ofthe passengers? He would have whispered this way: "Sir, all other Japanese passengers have jumped
already, you know...." "Oh, is that true? Then, I will, too...." The Japanese would jump then, though
deliberately.”
I could not help thinking what should the captain say to a Thai to make him jump. Thai people are
well known for being generous and forgiving as can be summed up by a famous phrase “mai ben rai”
or “it’s alright” or “dai jou bu”. Whether you are an hour late for an appointment, crossing the street
where you are not supposed to, or have lost the book you borrowed from your friend, what you willhear from your friend is “mai ben rai”. This somehow reflects the Thai peoples’ attitude of nothing isever important enough to worry or get all steamed up about.
After having analyzed my country fellows’ character, I think what the captain should say to a Thai tomake him jump is, “Sir, I think the sea is too rough ….”

What about you? What do you think the captain should say to your countryman to make him jump?
* EGPSEE Program Officer
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E-VISIONInternational Page

Japanese Communication Style
By Manabu Ohya *Do you know “OHANAMI”? It means a party to enjoy looking at the blossoms in spring. People
usually drink and have a barbecue under the trees. In Sapporo, the famous place for OHANAMI is the
Maruyama Kouen. There are so many Japanese cherry blossoms and people looking at them during
the OHANAMI season.
In my opinion, OHANAMI consists ofthree elements as follows: (1) blossoms(Japanese cherry blossom), (2) parties; and(3) crowd. In other countries, at most two ofthese conditions are met. It must be apeculiar custom in Japan, but people
sometimes have a party even before theblooming of blossoms. It goes like theJapanese proverb, “HANA YORI DANGO,”
which means people prefer “DANGO”(eating and drinking) over “HANA”(blossoms). Of course, I prefer party overblossoms, too!
Besides OHANAMI, we often have drinking parties which are called “NOMIKAI” in Japanese.
Why do we have NOMIKAI? Perhaps, there are many reasons, for instance, to enjoy drinking, toenhance friendship, to mark the start or end of terms, to celebrate something, and so on. But I think
the main reason is to enhance friendship. Drinking
makes us more open. Therefore, we can talk even
about troubles and complaints candidly. This isreflected well in the word “NOMMUNICATION”,
which comes from “COMMUNICATION” and theJapanese word “NOMU”, which means to drink in
English. Moreover, in my experience, communication
is important to accomplish an objective with others,
because lack of communication may lead to a divisionand failure. In other words, drinking with people or
having NOMIKAI, so called NOMMUNICATION,
develops a trust between each other. That’s why I
think NOMIKAI is an important Japanesecommunication style.
Anyway, I like both OHANAMI and NOMIKAI. If there are delicious liquor and food, they will be
more enjoyable. I recommend that you have these events to enhance your friendship. Would you
drink with me?

* Laboratory of Resources and Materials Engineering
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International Page

Enjoy 12 Months in Thailand
Have you ever heard of “Thailand, a land of smiles”?
By Surakha Wanphen*

In this land of smiles, folks are getting ready to enjoy 12 months in a year. Ranked as one of themost popular tourist destinations in the world, Thailand is rich in attractive destinations and culture,and can be explored throughout the year. Each festival has its own meaningful history behind it thatreflects the evolution of the Thai Kingdom. For Thai people, they are wonderful sites, sounds andmemories to be treasured throughout their lifetime.
January - Since several decades ago, the western New Year's Day has
also become an official holiday in Thailand. However, the New Year's Day
popular to Thai people happens in April; it is called "Songkran”. Besides
New Year’s celebration, Thai children also look forward to the “National
Children Day” which is held in the second Saturday of January. Parents
take their children out to special events held by local authorities. Children
are allowed to enter the Thai Parliament only on this day. In Thailand,children are encouraged to be educated and to respect their adults.
February - Every year, Chinese ancestors who live in Thailand celebrate the Chinese New Year withelaborate ceremonies like the Lion Dance, Dragon Procession and other traditional Chinese colorful
festive processions and parades.
March – We don’t have public holiday in this month. However we can enjoy the first summer breeze
in Pattaya where the entertainment beach in Chonburi province with Pattaya Music Festival is located.
Every year, a lot of bands and singers from Thailand, Japan and Korea join hands to give everyone a
wonderful moment in March.
April – The “Songkran” Festival, held from April 12 to
15, is the traditional Thai New Year. This is the time forThais to pay homage to Buddha images, clean theirhouses, and sprinkle water on their elders in a show ofrespect. Anyone who ventures out on the streets islikely to get a thorough dousing of water, all in good
fun, but also quite welcome at the peak of the hot
season. It is also the best month to enjoy the beaches
especially in the southern part of Thailand.

Left :“Rod nam dum hua” Traditional activity,
bathing ritual to the elders
Right : Songkran at Khoa sarn roadMay – Around the middle of May, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony
is an ancient Brahminical rite dating back to the Sukhothai period(1257 - 1350 A.D.). The ceremony, which heralds the start of the
new rice-growing season, is undertaken to assure a successful
planting season and an abundance of the nation's crops. The
Royal Ploughing Ceremony which is held at Sanam Luang -- The
Royal Ground -- begins with the Lord of the Harvest performing arite to predict the amount of rainfall in the coming season. This isdone by selecting one of three pieces of cloth of varying lengths.
Also, being a tropical country, there are many fruit festivals in thismonth.
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June – Fruit festivals continue from May till this month. You canenjoy exotic tropical Thai fruits like durian, mango, pomelo,
mangosteen, etc.
July – In the northeastern
Thailand or “Isan” in Thai, Phi
Ta Khon Festival reflects the
local Isan belief in ghosts andspirits. Held once a year in Dan
Sai district in Loei Province, it
is part of a grand merit-making
festival known as the "Boon Luang" Festival. Part of the activities
includes young men dressed up as "spirits" wearing long trailing
costumes made from colorful strips of cloth sewn together.
August – August 12 is the National Mother’s Day. The Queen isregarded as a mother to all Thai people so her birthday is alsocelebrated as Mother's Day. The official flower of Mother’s day is
Jasmine, which Thais give to mothers on this day.
September – This is the month of rainy season. In some areas, there is a “Long Boat Race,” where
people enjoy cheering for their local team.
October – At Nakhon Phanom, northeastern part of Thailand,majestic “fire boats”, elaborately adorned with flowers, incense sticks,
candles and lanterns and each bearing an assortment of ritual
offerings, are set alight and floated down the Mekong River.
Illuminated boats vary in shape and form and reflect cultural identity,
artistic and cultural splendor, indigenous culture and beliefs, folk
knowledge and skills.
November - The Loi Krathong
Festival is celebrated nationwide in
Thailand, especially where there are rivers, canals or sources ofwater, with different characteristics. Walking along the river andflowing a "krathong" (a banana leaf cup), is intended to float away
ill fortunes as well as to express apologies to Khongkha or Ganga,
the River Goddess.

December – December is the month of holidays and celebration. The greatest celebration is to wish
the king a long life on the king's birthday on December 5. It is also celebrated as Father's Day as theKing is regarded as a Father to all Thai people. The buildings in Thailand are covered up with symbolsof the monarchy and the King. On December 31, the countdown to the New Year in the City of Angels
is a popular event for both Thais and foreigners.
Every month of the year, we, the Thai people, celebrate together the festivals with our smiles andrespect. We hope all of those festivals retain their meanings for our future generations.

* Laboratory of Environmental Ergonomics
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International Page

Ao DaiNational dress of Vietnam
By Linh Vu Nguyen *Visitors to Vietnam are impressed by the traditional dress ofVietnamese women. It is called “Ao dai,” and its literal meaning
is “Long Dress.” When they leave Vietnam they cannot forget the
beauty of women dressed in Ao dai. The Vietnamese Long Dress,
what is it? How beautiful actually is it? Why is it
charming? And why do visitors always remember it after
leaving? You will find out the reasons after reading thefollowing text.
Original Ao Dai

Ao dai, the women’s national dress of Vietnam, is a two-piece garment
made of cloth. It is full-length and worn over loose silk trousers that brush thefloor. It flatters the figure of those who wear it. The Long Dress splits into two
flaps, a front and back panel from the waist down, making it comfortable andeasy to move in. The Ao dai’s body hugging top reaching to the ground makes
it is very sensual. Long Dress is elegant and demure which makes it suitable forpeople of all ages. Anthony Grey described the Ao Dai in his novel, Saigon,
as “demure and provocative….women seem not to walk, but to float gently
beneath the tamarinds on the evening breezes.” The Ao Dai covers everything
but its thin fabric hides almost nothing. That’s true! Ao Dai is so charming andso sexy that it makes visitors who come to Vietnam not to forget it.
Early version of Ao Dai dates back to 1744. Ao Dai at that time was wider and simpler than that oftoday. Originally, the Ao Dai was loosely tailored with four panels, two of which were tied in back. In
1930, the Ao Dai as we know now appeared. Today, the Ao dai length is perhaps shorter than those in
the past; it is only below the knee. Different women wear Ao dai in different colors without the same
patterns and designs. The colors of Ao Dai let us know the age and the status of thewearer. Schoolgirls usually wear white long dress. Its white color
symbolizes their purity. When they grow a little older, they turn to thepastel shades. Married women wear strong and dark colors with morepatterns.
There is also a similar costume for men and is also called “Ao Dai,”but the man’s dress is shorter, just at knee length, and more loosefitting. Men wear it less than women; they usually wear it on
ceremonial occasions such as weddings or funerals. The king always
wears the Ao Dai sewed of the brocade with embroidered dragons on
it. The high mandarins usually wear the color purple, contrary to theblue worn by the mandarin of lower rank.
The Ao Dai today has been becoming more and more popular. It isdiversified. There are many designs, materials, and colors. Velvet, silk,
satin, tapta Ao Dai, embroidered, painted or printed with flowers
pattern have made Ao Dai become more and more exquisite andelegant. Thus, it has become a standard outfit for many office workers and hotel staff. Moreover, it
has now been the favored dress for most formal occasions.
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Ao Dai was the national symbol of Vietnam. To the whole
Vietnamese people, it has been always synonymous with their grace andbeauty. Over many years of Vietnam’s history, it has kept its symbolism
and image in the hearts of all Vietnamese. Today, in term of its
timelessness, Ao Dai remains the national dress for both men andwomen. The Ao Dai has been perfected step by step to overcome allages and time to reach to all people not only in our country but also in
the rest of the world. To all Vietnamese people, rich and poor, young
and old alike, the Ao Dai has always been their favorite choice in most
special occasions.

* Laboratory of Urban Water System Engineering

PuzzleThirteen
An “Anag-Rhyme” by Michael Angelo Promentilla
If I tell you now about ‘the earthquakes’,
it’s really an anagram of ‘that queer shake’.
Then, would you believe me if I tell you,‘bout the an’gram of ‘eleven plus two’ ?
It’s such a mathemat’cal beauty,
Words and numbers are in such harmony.
What’s this an’gram and tell me if you’re done,
For it will be my last line – ＿ ＿ ＿ ?

Answers to last issue’s puzzles
1. Given D = 5, then: T = 0, E = 9, A = 4, R = 7, G = 1, L = 8, N = 6, B = 3, O =2
2. melons, lemons
3. 5 x 5 magic square (horizontal, vertical and diagonal sums are all 65)

15

17

24

1

8

15

23

5

7

14

16

4

6

13 20 22

10

12

19

21

3

11

18 25

2

9
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The More You Know

A Structure We Can Learn From
By Abdoullaev Akhmad *When people design, they take their inspiration either from the designs completed before them, or from thewonderful design examples seen in nature. Here I would like to introduce one of the most marvelous buildingsin the world. But before that, let me begin by citing some of its characteristics, and you try to guess whatbuilding it could be.
Location: Australia and Africa
Height: Proportionate to 600-m tower.
Number of inhabitants: About three million
Construction material: Soil mixed with saliva
Remarkable characteristic: Ingenious passive design for heating, ventilating, and air
conditioning (HVAC)
Built by: Thousands of blind workers
Tools used
: NoneYou feel perplexed? Okay, let’s name it - it is termitary (termite nest), or I would prefer to say termite tower.
The termite is the acknowledged master architect of the creature world. No other insect or animal approaches
the termite in the size and solidity of its building structure. The world's tallest non-human structures are built
by Australian or African termites. They reach five to six meters in height. If a human being were the size of an
average termite, the relative size of a single termite nest is the equivalent of a 180-story building - almost 600
meters high. It would easily be the tallest building in the world. The process of construction, the materials andcorrect combination of materials to yield an elegant, structurally efficient and durable structure is simply aweinspiring.
The building material is usually local soil mixed with saliva.
Sometimes dung is mixed in. It becomes so hard and imperviousthat the native people of the area use it for building their mud
and stick shelters. The termite mound, or termitary, consists ofhard, thick walls that seal in moisture and keep the heat out. The
Australian and African varieties of termite towers are designed
for cooling. A system of channels and ducts circulates air
throughout the mound. These passageways run through areas ofthe mound that have walls that are porous or have tiny
ventilation holes. The pores act as fresh air ventilation and stale
air exhaust. This supply and return system performs solely onheat and gravity with no moving parts.
At the lower core of the termitary are the living and working quarters. This area is the coolest and mostinsulated zone of the nest. The royal chamber, which is the largest chamber in the nest, houses the queen andking. Below the royal chamber is where the workers store food and care for the young termites, called nymphs.
In some colonies the workers tend gardens where tiny mushrooms and varieties of fungus are grown. The
termites grow this fungus inside a comb which is located in several pockets in the central zone of the inner nest.
The comb, made of termite droppings, provides nourishment for the growing fungus and the termites feed on
both the fungus and the comb. Termites live on cellulose, the substance which makes the framework ofvegetation, and fungi.
The only connection of a termite nest to the world outside is through tunnels that are the size of a single
termite. Passing through any one of these tunnels requires "permission". The "guard" soldier termites at thedoor easily detect if the intruders are in fact residents of the colony from their smells. The head of a single
termite can also work as a cap for any one of these tunnels, which are exactly the same size. In case of attack,termites actually use their heads to close off these holes by entering backwards and becoming stuck in thesedoorways. The insects make their trips to the outside at night, when it is cooler, and collect twigs, leaves, seeds
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and other food. In very hot, dry climates some species in the desert dig straight down exceeding 40 m toconnect with underground water. Underground wells supply the termitary with water and a source for coolingthe interior.
The peaks and towers of the termite's nest act as lungs that expel rising hot air, which is generated by thebreaking down of the fecal comb by the fungus. The air then rises via a large central air duct, and moves up
through the long porous chimneys. The carbon dioxide in the air then diffuses to the outside, while oxygen
diffuses into the chimneys. The oxygenated air eventually loses its heat to the cooler outside air and cools
sinking down into the cellar. In the construction of the termite nest, there are supplementary systems such as
air-conditioners, humidifiers and ventilators. Furthermore, for the different parts of the nest, different
temperatures are set and maintained. The temperature and carbon dioxide content of circulating air varydepending on location within the termite nest: temperature from 24 to 30°C and carbon dioxide from 0.8 to
2.7 percent, just in accordance with the needs of that location. Such an ingenious HVAC system is necessary forthe survival of some three million termites to a single colony.
The exterior form of the termite nest depends upon the climate.
For instance some termite nests have adapted to their rainy
surroundings by creating umbrella-like roof structures that direct
water from heavy rains away from the nest. Compass termites
appear like giant wedges with the broad side facing due east andwest. This solar orientation serves to keep the high, intense sun
from hitting any appreciable portion of the mounds surface andallows the weaker morning and setting sun to warm the greater
surface area of the structure; thus, the structure attempts to create
an even heating situation whereby the mound does not overheat.

Termite nest surface image generated
in Australia National University

Prominent architects in past and recent times such as Antonio Gaudi, Frank Lloyd Wright, Santiago
Calatrava and others have often referred to nature but it was mainly limited to a visual and metaphoric sense.
Recently there are strong ecological or green movements in architecture. Looking at the nature as a basis fordesign gives wider opportunities for extraordinary and striking designs, simplified construction methods, useof innovative materials and ecological technology, and economy of cost and labor.
One of leading architects, using the knowledge of the nature to create a new architecture is Eugene Tsui.
One of his impressive projects “Ultima Tower”, two-mile high sky city is based on the concept of termitary nest.

*Laboratory of Urban Planning and Design
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Travel Diary

Aichi Banpaku
The world’s biggest expo park
By Arshad Baharudin*This semester’s travel diary takes place not too far from home. In fact, it’s justover in Honshu! The Aichi Banpaku – or Aichi World Expo – lies just outside thecity of Nagoya. How do you get there? Well I tried two ways, since I went twice!
Daily ANA and JAL flights depart from Sapporo to Nagoya. A cheaper option –unless you take a planned package tour – would be to fly to Tokyo Haneda using
AirDo waribiki and then take a train or shinkansen from there. From Nagoya itself,
getting to the expo is fairly straightforward.
The Aichi World Expo 2005 is basically the same event that has been held every decade or so since the very
first event in London some 150 years ago. It is an occasion for countries and other assorted organizations toshow off to the rest of the world. And show off they certainly do! The expo is huge – some 180 hectares in size
and walking from one end of the main site to the other takes a leisurely half an hour or so without stopping.
Within the site are individual pavilions of varying sizes and sophistication that represents a particular country
or organization. Going through all these pavilions, as well as attending special expo events takes several fulldays – two at the minimum.
The pavilions are THE reason for going to the expo. Though there is anunderlying expo theme of environmental sustainability, this is vague enough forthe pavilions to be extremely varied – each is a unique experience in itself, andmany people have their own favorites, from the flashy and techy corporate
pavilions to more natural and charming mini-museums favored by smaller
nations. There really is something for everybody, and for those who can’t afford
to travel around the world, it is perfect. You should certainly not miss the Japan
pavilion’s 360° immersive theatre, or Tunisia’s delicious couscous, or thepreserved mammoth, or the New Zealand Maori warriors in full battle gear… thelist is endless. I also unbiasedly recommend Brunei’s jungle walk pavilion – see if
you can spot the crocodile!
Success does bring its own disadvantages however. Crowds pack the place,especially the more famous pavilions – even on normal weekdays! To beat thequeues which can be up to an hour long, you can reserve a place online. Also, the site
is open air, even though the individual pavilions aren’t. This means a rainy day canmean a very wet day unless you come adequately prepared. There is a lot of walking,especially for those who do not wish to pay for the privilege of being cycled frompavilion to pavilion. Alternative options on getting from A to B do exist however,such as by cable car or maglev linimo that traverses the site’s four main entrances.
Maps are provided and you should really plan your day in advance to make the most of the trip. Also, outside
food is technically not allowed inside the site – you can buy your meals inside the pavilions at the various
restaurants, combini or even pavilions. Malaysia pavilion’s roti canai curry was expensive – but very tasty!
The entry fee may seem to be a bit pricy, about 4,000 yen or
so for a normal day-ticket, but I think this is reasonable for theexperience on offer. It certainly beats Disneyland! If you go all theway there – you may as well spend a few days. All in all I feel that
it is a very worthwhile trip, individually or as a group. For more
information, and for anyone wanting to have a look at acomprehensive guidebook in English please contact your friendly
local travel diarist at egpseesu@yahoo.com!
* Laboratory of Transportation and Traffic Systems Planning
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Alumni News

Postcard from Zurich
A new experience in Switzerland
By Kouhei Nagai *Hello friends. Two months had passed since I left EGPSEE
and now I live in Zurich, Switzerland. I now belong to the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) as a JSPS
postdoctoral fellow which will support me for two years.
Switzerland is surrounded by Germany, France, Italy andAustria, therefore several languages are spoken in thiscountry. Here in Zurich, German is spoken because it islocated near Germany. Do you know that Zurich is one of themost comfortable cities in the world to live in? I am staying ina place with a beautiful lake, traditional buildings and welldeveloped transportation system consisting of trams and buses. Zurich is not so big a city, with apopulation of about 360,000, and a one hour trip by train takes us to a place with beautiful scenerythat lets us feel the Alps.
However the cost of living is
expensive which surprised mevery much. For lunch in a usual
restaurant, we need 2,000 yen.
Japanese food here is much more
expensive. Cooking your own
meal is indispensable.
The campus of the Institute of Structural Engineering is located on a hill which overlooks the citytransport
and Zurich Lake. The laboratory that I belong to consists of my professor, two Zurich
secretaries,
five
research assistants who are Ph.D. candidates, one Japanese from a construction company and me.
For the experimental laboratory and computer system, other staff members are employed. Since thecomputer administrator manages everything, no one needs to worry about another’s computer
problem or ask someone else in the laboratory. Also the experimental laboratory is always kept clean
and organized – well, I guess that these staff members improve the efficiency of the research.
Research is carried out mainly by the employed research assistants in which they support the
professor’s work while proceeding with their own research for Ph.D. This is the usual style for Ph.D.
candidates here and they spend usually four or five years for the Ph.D. I eat lunch with them everyday.
They usually speak in German because they are either Swiss or German. Sometimes they talk to me in
English. Isn’t it similar to your current situation (except for Japanese)? The difference is that they canspeak English well (I think Nagai is trying to tell something here!). Hence I have no trouble due tolanguage in the campus.
In terms of campus life, I find some differences from the Japanese style. First, they come to theuniversity early and go back home early. Many people including most young research assistants comebefore 9 o’clock and go back home by 6 o’clock. They enjoy their own time after work. Now sundownis around 9 o’clock because of the introduction of daylight-saving time. Second one is that we haveteatime or coffee break time. After lunch and around 3 o’clock, we go to a cafe in the university
together and have coffee. Some laboratories have morning teatime at 10 o’clock as well because someof them start work before 8 o’clock. Other than these times, everyone concentrates on the work in theoffice. In Hokudai, I take a rest by myself at my desk using the internet or chatting with someone. I
hadn’t gone to the shokudo for coffee. Now I do not know which one - going to cafe together or taking
rest by myself - is better for research activity. But I should learn their lifestyle, and enjoy the leisure19

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time, something that especially Japanese are not good at. One of the other differences is that we do
not have seminar in the laboratory. We do not have any official occasion in the laboratory to know
and learn the research of other assistants. Maybe it is because the assistants are not ‘students’ but‘employed staff’. They work under the professor. Information on research does not comeautomatically, therefore I have to get it personally.
Finally I show you two pictures relating to my daily life. First is a special bag for garbage called‘Zuri-sack’, which we must buy at the supermarket. Only this bag is collected by the Zurich city. The
notable thing is that the cost of the disposal is charged on the price of ‘Zuri-sack’. One bag (35 litters)
is about 180 yen. Then, you have to pay more if you produce much garbage. Naturally, people try to
reduce their garbage.
The
secondpictureshows the recycle boxes
for bin and can. People
take the bins and canshere. For pet bottles, thesupermarket has the box.
I think this system isbetter than that in Japanto reduce the amount ofgarbage and cost of
disposal.
My life in Zurich continues for two years. I am glad to have a chance to see a different culture
while conducting my research. I know that the important thing is what I learn through the life here. I
will do my best just like what you are doing now at Hokudai.
* Dr. Kouhei Nagai is an alumnus from the Laboratory of Hybrid Structure Engineering. He received his Ph.D.
degree in March, 2005.

The Graduates

Sixth GRADUATING CLASS (MARCH 2005)
Ahmed Sabry FARGHALY
Country: Egypt
Division: Structural and Geotechnical Engineering
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Thesis title: Prediction of Punching Shear Strength and Failure
Mechanism Based on 3D FEM Analysis for Steel –Concrete Open Sandwich Slabs
Nagai KOUHEICountry: Japan
Division: Structural and Geotechnical Engineering
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Thesis title: Mesoscopic Simulation of Failure of Mortar and Concreteby RBSM

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The New Students

APRIL 2005 INTAKE
Yadab Prasad DHAKALCountry: Nepal
Division: Architectural and Structural Design
Program:Supervisor:

MasterProf. KAGAMI

Hiroe HARACountry:Japan

Division:

Built Environment

Program:

MasterSupervisor:

Prof. WATANABE

Takahito HASHINOCountry: Japan
Division:

Solid Waste Resources and Geoenvironmental Engineering

Program:

MasterSupervisor:

Prof. FUJII

Ryota KONDOCountry:Japan

Division:

Human Environmental System

Program:

MasterSupervisor:

Prof. KUBOTA

Koji MATSUMOTOCountry: Japan
Division: Built Environment
Program:Supervisor:

DoctorProf. UEDA

Masashi MATSUMURACountry: Japan
Division:

Engineering and Policy for Cold Regional Environment

Program:

MasterSupervisor:

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Prof. KANIEEGPSEE Student Union

SUMMER 2005

Manabu OHYACountry:Japan

Division:

Solid Waste Resources and Geoenvironmental Engineering

Program:

MasterSupervisor:

Prof. NAWA

Yoko SHIMAZUCountry:
Division:
Program:Supervisor:Japan
Built Environment
MasterProf. OKABE

Takuma SHIOZAWACountry: Japan
Division: Human Environmental System
Program: MasterSupervisor: Prof. KUBOTA

Yuta SUZUKICountry:
Division:
Program:Supervisor:

Japan
Engineering and Policy for Cold Regional Environment
MasterProf. KANIE

Masaki YAMAGUCHICountry: Japan
Division: Solid Waste Resources and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Program: MasterSupervisor: Prof. FUJII

Announcement
EGPSEE Field Trip 2005
It is our great pleasure to announce the EGPSEE field trip for this year. The field trip consists of exploring Chubetsu
Dam and Tunnel (under construction) on August 18 and 19. As a multipurpose dam under the jurisdiction of the Ministryof Construction, Chubetsu dam is constructed as part of the Ishikari river comprehensive development project. Also you
would get an opportunity to visit the caves around there and Sounkyo (famous for Sounkyo Onsen). If you (of course yourfriends too!!) want to be a part of this delightful trip, please register by sending email at dhannyanto@yahoo.com.
Field Trip Schedule:

EGPSEE Student Union- August 18th (Thursday) 0900 - Depart Hokudai
1200 - Arrive at Chubetsu Dam/lunch
1500 - Depart Dam
1600 - Arrive at the cave
1700 - Depart the cave

- August 19th (Friday) 0800 - Trip to the tunnel
0900 - Arrive at the tunnel
1130 - Lunch
1230 - Depart Kamikawa
1330 - Arrive at Sounkyo (Free time)
1600 - Return to Sapporo
1900 - Arrive at Sapporo
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STUDENT UNIONⒸ©
2005
EGPSEE-Student
Union
EGPSEE-Student
Union 2003