Port and Coast Research Team

Sea ice is widely distributed in the Sea of Okhotsk, but the recent change in ice force has greatly affected fishing activities at coastal areas. For this reason, the team has been conducting research on the development of structures to control ice movements at entrances to the lake in coastal area and the research results have been applied to the design for the ice booms. As of 2011, in order to cope with deterioration of coastal structures induced by the action of the ice force, we have started in 2011 to study on life extension of coastal structures in the cold regions by elucidating the deterioration mechanisms of coastal structures exposed to sea ice action and low-temperature environments, and proposing measures against deterioration based on the phenomena.

As in the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, damage by tsunamis caused significant loss of life and property. Especially, damage by tsunamis with sea ice is anticipated to be greater than normal tsunamis. For this reason, the team will clarify potential damage due to tsunamis in the presence of sea ice in coastal regions, and develop, as disaster prevention, design methods for tsunami evacuation facilities (structural measures) and creation support of tsunami hazard map considering sea ice impact(non-structural measures).