川崎グループだより　Kawasaki Group Blog

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Dam visitation to the Asuwagawa dam and the Managawa dam.

Hi Everyone! this is Kosame and Qisty writing (Yes, I am a new student in Kawasaki Lab :D). This time we took a longer trip to the Fukui prefecture visiting two dams. The difference was that this time, Kosame was attending as a member of the committee, and one of the dams we visited was a dam that was under construction.

(Sep 18th) Day 1: The Asuwagawa Dam

The dam is located in the Kuzuryu bashin of Fukui Prefecture because, in recent years, there is often an embankment break caused by floods in Fukui City, which has caused no small impact on the city's production and life, safety, and other aspects. The Asuwagawa Dam is primarily designed for flood control. In particular, the Asuwagawa Dam is a flowing concrete gravity dam, meaning that it will completely close the gates during flood season to store the flood peak, and open the gate outside flood season to allow the river to pass freely. It features two gates, the primary measuring 5 m x 5 m and a smaller adjacent gate. To release storage after flood event, they will first open the smaller gate before the main gate to prevent a rapid rise in the downstream water level.

Asuwagawa dam is still under construction, with concrete placement about 40% complete and the diversion tunnel and water distribution facilities under construction. The current production is achieving a height of 1 meter of the dam body every week, with completion scheduled for 2028 before to the flooding test in the subsequent year. Work will cease if rainfall above 2 mm per hour during construction. Furthermore, as this is a gravity dam, a concrete strength of 10 N/mm² is theoretically adequate, whereas an arch dam requires more than 24 N/mm². Nonetheless, it is evidently challenging to produce lesser grade concrete, since it tends to be excessively slumpy in practice; therefore, they are constructing the dam with concrete of 20 N/mm² strength.

In construction, Asuwagawa dam uses new technologies to increase the efficiency of construction, such as automatic concrete placement system and concrete consolidation management system. Initially, they only utilize a cabled concrete bucket for transportation. Due to the scarcity of cable crane operators, particularly those with expertise, as the efficiency of the concrete pouring cycle is significantly influenced by the operator's proficiency, alternative methods of concrete transportation are being sought to enhance productivity and minimize overtime. They implemented the utilization of premium belcon (the green sleeve), an effective method for transporting concrete on gradients exceeding 45 degrees. The length possesses a mechanism for shortening as the dam structure ascends. Notably, incorporating an additional choice can reduce the cycle time by 10 seconds. Although this figure may appear little, when aggregated over a whole 42-month concrete pouring schedule, it can expedite the project by 1.7 months and yield substantial cost savings in millions of yen (interesting!).

(Sep 19 th) Day 2: The Managawa Dam

The Managawa Dam is a concrete gravity arch dam that was completed in 1979 in the Kuzuryu Basin. It is primarily utilized for flood management and electricity production, with an annual output of 68,800 MWH in the Fukui region. The dam's discharge mechanisms are highly comprehensive. The system features a valve with a maximum flow rate of 30 m³/s for standard discharge, with two gates with a maximum flow rate of 500 m³/s serving as the primary discharge mechanisms. In emergencies, it can be discharged at a rate of 3500 m³/s through the gate at the dam's apex, a situation that has fortunately never occurred. The complete mechanism is as follows:

a. Regardless of rainfall, if the inflow to the dam is below 500 m³/s, the inflow is discharged into the downstream river without being retained in the dam.
b. In the event of heavy rainfall, if the inflow to the dam exceeds 500 m3/s, the downstream water release is consistently maintained at 150 m3/s to facilitate further water storage in the dam and mitigate downstream flooding.
c. If there is an unusually high rainfall and the dam's flood control capacity is maximized, an equivalent volume of input will be gradually released into the downstream river to prevent a fast increase in water levels.
d. Upon cessation of heavy rainfall, the inflow to the dam is reduced to below 500 m3/s. Upon confirmation of the downstream river's safety, the discharge flow rate will be incrementally elevated to 500 m3/s to expel the floodwater retained in the dam.

Clear sky! This dam also features an aerator fountain to regulate the downstream surface water temperature, so preventing excessive rise that could jeopardize fish life and inhibit rampant phytoplankton proliferation. They stated that if the sunlight is positioned at the appropriate angle, a rainbow may be visible by the fountain!

(Sep 19 th) Day 2: Group work

We also conducted group work on how to further develop and utilize the Asuwagawa Dam, particularly in tourism aspect to attract people and who the target will be. Many interesting proposals have been proposed from different perspectives, such as the cultural history of the Fukui area, the food culture, and the characteristics of the dam. At the same time, due to the presence of many practitioners, our program has also received comments from practitioners in the industry.

After that, Kawasaki-Sensei gave a speech and asked us to hold a stance position (for 5 minutes I think?) to resemble a dam body, which should be strong during hard times to withstand rain and floods on its own. Then we gently rose, stood up, and exclaimed, "Banzai!"

On this trip we went to new locations and visited the Asuwagawa Dam under construction and the already completed Managawa Dam. As young researchers, we gained the latest methods of dam construction and learned about the problems that might be encountered during dam construction. At the same time, we have used our imagination to come up with many interesting ideas on how to use the dam to benefit the region, and based on these ideas, industry practitioners have discussed. Overall very pleasant and interesting! See you on the next blog!

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

World's International Forum in Tropical Paradise

Hi everyone, it’s Leon again. This time I’d like to share about our story where Kawasaki Sensei and I visited and presented our works in one of the biggest water forum – The World Water Forum!

For those who are not familiar, please allow me to explain.

The World Water Forum, held every three years by the World Water Council, is a key international event that tackles global water challenges through dialogue and collaboration among government, academia, industry, and civil society. This time, the 10th Forum took place in Bali, Indonesia from May 18-25, 2024, gathering the heads of state, the heads of international organizations, high level government officials, experts, academia, entrepreneurs and economists to share insights and practices on a wide range of water-related topics.

Upon arriving in Bali, I am awestruck by the island. Often called the "Island of the Gods," Bali truly lives up to its reputation as a paradise on earth. I believe the picture below clearly illustrates why.

During the event, representing experts and academia, Kawasaki Sensei was invited to speak at the 23rd Meeting of the High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP). He also served as the coordinator in the CC13 Thematic Sessions with topic: Mobilizing ‘wise’ investments to address water crises, water disasters and to improve climate resilience. The 23rd HELP Meeting featured experts from prestigious organizations such as Japan’s MLIT, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, JICA, UNESCO, the Global Water Partnership (GWP), ICHARM, etc. During this meeting, Kawasaki Sensei delivered a 5-minute presentation that highlighted how flood control investment is a potent strategy for reducing poverty and inequality caused by floods. As investment is essential to address issues related to water crises, water disasters, and climate resilience, it should be undertaken carefully, especially by countries with limited budgets. This need for ‘wise’ investment was further discussed during the CC13 Sessions held on May 24, 2024.

Oh also! I am ALSO PRESENTING! Yes, ME! ;)

It was an incredible honor and an unforgettable experience to present in front of so many distinguished individuals on this prestigious platform. I am deeply grateful to Koike Sensei and Kawasaki Sensei for giving me this opportunity. In my presentation, much like Kawasaki Sensei, I was discussing the pressing issue of “flood and poverty,” drawing from my master's research on the Chao Phraya River in Thailand.

Throughout the forum, many issues were highlighted, but poverty and socio-economic inequality were not extensively addressed. The talk presented by us on these matters served as an important reminder that the water issues discussed during the event are often most acutely felt by vulnerable communities. Ironically, these groups usually cannot help themselves, making it the moral duty of policymakers, from government officials to educational institutions, to extend their assistance.

As always, thank you all for reading till the end.

See you all soon!

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

♦国立台湾大学-東京大学学術交流セミナーを開催しました♦

～社会のレジリエンス向上のためのグリーン・インフラと食のサプライチェーン～　　

先日、４月25日に東京大学本郷キャンパスにて、国立台湾大学-東京大学学術交流セミナーを開催しました。国立台湾大学国際カレッジ修士課程の防災害リスク軽減・レジリエンス学の准教授、そして台北Green Resilience LabのディレクターであるWan-Yu Shih先生に　”Green infrastructure strategies for cooling in dense cities: Opportunities, limitations, and inequality”についてプレゼンテーションしていただき、そのあと、IFI（東京大学未来ビジョン研究センター）からは佐野有紀特任助教と江欣樺（チャン　シンホア）)特任研究員をスピーカーとしてお話いただきました。参加した学生は、アメリカ、イタリア、ミャンマー、モンゴル、中国、インドネシア、台湾、日本と、とてもインターナショナルな集まりとなり、討論はもちろん、そのあとのフリーディスカッションの交流会はとても賑やかな会となりました。

４月25日　国立台湾大学-東京大学学術交流セミナー

議論の風景

交流会風景　

Monday, April 8, 2024

Bangkok ‘s Pink Campus – Filling in a Class!

This time I would like to share my story filling in a lecture in the Bangkok’s well renowned pink campus: The Chulalongkorn University. First of all, Let me introduce you to the campus. As shown in uploaded photos below, the campus identity used the color of pink! I personally think it is really pleasant to the eyes. Strolling through the campus was filled with awe! The campus is massive and was filled with ample greeneries.

Long story short, we were given a chance to fill in a lecture in the department of architecture about research methodology. I decide to share my work result using the most two well-known methodologies for knowledge acquisition: the quantitative and qualitative methodology. It was an exciting experience for me to be given an opportunity to share and discuss with the attentive Chula’s student who came from diverse background and perspective.

Located in the center of the city, Chula is just right beside the well renowned department store: The Siam Paragon. It is not difficult at all to find a good café or sweets for self-reward after studying :D. I made some time to hunt for the viral dessert in social media – The “After You Cafe” Milk Bun. I supposed the taste was self-explanatory on why it could be famous because it was so Good :)! For lunch, I had a Pad KraPao in the Siam Paragon. The plating and presentation are exquisite, but considering the price, I personally think that the taste was surprisingly so-so.

Therefore, a little of tips for Bangkok Travelers! Good food is mostly found not in the department store but next to a small street! Here is some picture we ate in a small shop located not inside luxurious mall, but next to a pedestrian. The plating might be usual, but the taste???….. was DIVINE!

All in all, I really love Thailand! The food, the place, and everything it offers!

By the way, it is now the beginning of the new semester in University of Tokyo! Let’s put our best foot forward these upcoming months too! See you all soon in the next chance.

Have a blessful day!

Leon, 8 Apr 2024

Monday, April 1, 2024

The University of Tokyo

Hydrosphere Science Seminar

東京大学の社会基盤学専攻の水圏環境グループ開催の毎月の公開セミナーHydrosphere Science Seminarに登壇します。

参加をご希望される方は以下のGoogleフォームにて登録して下さい。

（Please register on Google Form）

https://forms.gle/9PxACPFpSYY8sGeL8

#13: Akiyuki Kawasaki

(Professor, Institute for Future Initiative, U-Tokyo)

Poverty reduction through climate adaptation in Monsoon Asia

Date　2024.4.8 (Mon) 15:00-16:40

セミナーの詳細はこちらです

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i1c_rKPxPnfOzocAsiNBfwuI51nPrf1ebKca3s1gAQ0/edit?pli=1

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Third Time Visit- Further Side of Ayutthaya

Hi everyone, It’s Leon. Thank you always for reading my story. I am excited to update you guys so soon since my previous story dated back in January. This time, we revisited my study area in Ayutthaya for the third time!

From my previous first and second visit, we were able to generate some interesting findings! Yet, there is still plenty of room for exploration. Similar to my first visit, we would like to collect a quantitative data of households, but in the further side of Ayutthaya City Central now. We would like to explore if the newly taken samples who worked mainly as fisherman or farmer would generate different results when compared to the samples taken in the first round who heavily influenced by industrial areas (worked in industry, office, or around factory).

Uniquely, this time, we conducted the interview without the help of a third-party surveyors. Hopefully, the voluntery help from Chulalongkorn Student and JICA Staff came very handy in this study! We commuted about 1hour-ish from our hotel to reach the study location each day. Closer to the areas, stores and city’s view started to fade from the car’s window, as it changed into paddy field and suburb. Below I attached some picture taken around the areas.

Each day, we collected the samples as many as possible from 10 a.m. to about 4 p.m. Then, we would return to the hotel for short rest before having dinner.

As you can guess next, another happy time of the trip, the opportunity to enjoy Thai’s divine delicacy! The whole day’s tiredness under the heat of Thailand, was recovered, with a single big gulp of BEER! (My favorite is Singha :D). Although this is my third trip, the food has never stop to amazed me! Please take a look of the food’s picture I took during this trip.

You might have seen some in my previous blog, but trust me, the taste was hmmmmhhhh!! The fish, the duck, even to the freshly served vegetable was all on point and well balanced. I was so glad we came here. Also, the freshly blend fruit juice near our stay which I bought almost every day, was so refreshing. Gotta stays healthy, don’t we? HAHA! ;)

Here is two of my most favourite's flavour: mango and coconut.

Anyway, please take a look at my next story too! [Spoiler alert] … it’s about my trip to Bangkok where I visit the well-renown University of Chulalongkorn for the first time. Not as a student, but to fill in a class by sharing my work!!

So, see you guys in my next story.

Cheers,
Leon