Machinery Technology Research Team

Securing smooth winter road traffic in cold, snowy regions is indispensable for communities, and local needs for snow removal from the roadways is very high. However, while road maintenance budgets are not expected to increase under the strict budgetary constraints, it is necessary to consider more efficiency in snow removal so that smooth winter road traffic can be ensured. Therefore, the team shares, accumulates and analyzes detailed information on the operation of snow removal machinery, weather information, etc. utilizing ICT technology, and aims to develop snow removal management technology to allow more efficient and effective snow removal work. The team also aims to develop technologies for treating frozen road surfaces coupled with improvements to spraying of deicing agents and spraying machines, and to develop technologies for treating winter road surfaces of sidewalks.

Harbor and port facilities are rapidly aging. 15 years later, approximately 42% of quays will be 50 years old. Repair and renovation en bloc will be necessary . Inspection of underwater infrastructure is conducted by divers, but the involved work is inefficient and high-cost, and is greatly affected by the low temperatures. There is no underwater probing technology to examine the inside of the structures, while probing is strongly desired by harbor and port manager. Supposing that the inside of underwater structures can be probed, the team is working to measure the cavities inside of a structure using pumped filler sand, along with the defective state on the underwater structure surfaces. Their aim is to develop measurement technology that permits visual expression using acoustics, as well as technology for measuring sea ice as it approaches coastal infrastructure in order to identify the influence on structures.