Research and development centered on disaster prevention and mitigation and measures to address aging social infrastructure

「In the nonwoven materials field, the company newly installed equipment for manufacturing three-layer nonwoven fabrics to develop a range of high-quality products. Compared with conventional single-layer products, the equipment can produce more uniform sheets and helps reduce basis weight. The company will use its technology for incorporating functions into fibers to develop products with a range of added functions.」

「We will further advance research and development from the perspectives of disaster prevention and mitigation and measures to address the aging of social infrastructure.」

「In the nonwoven materials field, the company newly installed equipment for manufacturing three-layer nonwoven fabrics to develop a range of high-quality products. Compared with conventional single-layer products, the equipment can produce more uniform sheets and helps reduce basis weight. The company will use its technology for incorporating functions into fibers to develop products with a range of added functions. In agricultural materials, the company is focusing on developing products to address the recent social issue of wildlife damage and has developed electric fence wire with excellent strength, visibility and conductivity.」

「The “Net Buffer Construction Method (Caisson-Joint Wave-Transmission Reduction Method),” jointly developed and patented by the company and the National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology, received the 22nd National Land Technology Development Award, sponsored by the Japan Institute of Country-Technology and the Coastal Development Institute of Technology. The method involves placing a knitted cushioning material in the gaps between box-shaped concrete structures, such as caissons, installed as foundations for breakwaters. It can reduce the incursion of transmitted waves by approximately 80%, extend the service life of structures and reduce the risk of sinkholes caused by the washout of crushed stone and soil.」

「In riverbank protection materials, the company launched “FIT-CUBE,” a square gabion developed for use in gabions employed to stabilize the foundations of revetments and bridge piers. Its net material has sufficient rigidity to retain a self-supporting shape and includes fold lines for bending. The gabion can be lifted, improving the finished condition during installation, and can be filled with crushed stone using heavy machinery, shortening fabrication time. Because it is made of synthetic fibers rather than steel, it does not rust. The company will continue developing technologies for revetments, groynes and disaster recovery and actively providing high-value-added products and construction methods.」

「The “Surface-Erosion Prevention Technology Using Vegetation with Mass-Produced Fulvic Acid Made from Forest Resources,” a greening and revegetation method developed through joint research with 国土防災技術株式会社 to prevent sediment disasters and flooding in mountain forests, received the Excellence Award for Resilience at the 6th Japan Resilience Award. In addition to pursuing slope and embankment stabilization using these greening materials, the company will continue developing technologies for environmental and landscape conservation and actively providing high-value-added products and construction methods.」

「The “Net Buffer Construction Method (Caisson-Joint Wave-Transmission Reduction Method),” jointly developed and patented by the company and the National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology, received a Special Award at the 3rd Infrastructure Maintenance Awards, sponsored by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and other ministries. The method involves placing a knitted cushioning material in the gaps between box-shaped concrete structures, such as caissons, installed as foundations for breakwaters. It can reduce the incursion of transmitted waves by approximately 80%, extend the service life of structures and reduce the risk of sinkholes caused by the washout of crushed stone and soil. The company will continue providing construction methods and products needed at worksites to contribute to the maintenance of social infrastructure.」

「The company’s weather-resistant large sandbag “Two-Tone Bag,” used mainly for emergency temporary construction in disaster recovery projects involving rivers and roads, received the Grand Prize for Resilience at the 5th Japan Resilience Award. Because it uses synthetic fibers that block ultraviolet rays, the product can remain outdoors for long periods and be reused repeatedly. Encouraged by the award, the company will continue to rapidly develop and provide products needed at worksites to contribute to disaster prevention and mitigation.」

「In structural repair and reinforcement materials, the company launched “Hard Mesh,” a net material used to prevent spalling from deteriorated tunnel lining concrete. Because carbon fiber is used for the lattice reinforcement, the mesh is lightweight and highly rigid. Openings in the washers used to secure the mesh also make it possible to inspect conditions around the anchors, which were previously difficult to assess. The company will continue developing technologies for preventive maintenance of aging social infrastructure and actively providing high-value-added products and construction methods.」

「In landscape materials, the company launched a heat-shielding type of “Kankyo－woodⅡ,” a recycled exterior material used for decking and louvers. By adding heat-shielding functionality to the surface of the decking material, the product can keep its surface temperature approximately 6 degrees lower than conventional products, limiting temperature increases even under strong summer sunlight. The company will continue developing high-value-added products with strong environmental-conservation benefits.」

「In slope disaster-prevention products, the company newly developed and launched a bearing plate for anchoring methods used to prevent ground slippage and slope collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum alloy and designed as a frame, the product reduces labor in construction, including by facilitating manual transport, while also offering high strength and durability for maintenance.」

「In impermeable sheets used to repair the embankments of irrigation ponds and rivers, the company launched “Tectoseal,” made by integrating natural bentonite, a material that absorbs and swells with water to form clay and becomes impermeable to water and chemicals, between woven and nonwoven fabrics. The sheet contains no hazardous substances and offers excellent durability and workability. It can also be used to prevent contaminated water at final disposal sites for waste. The company will continue developing technologies for environmental conservation and actively providing high-value-added products and construction methods.」

「In riverbank protection materials, the company developed a new product, “Civic Mat: Weed-Control and Disaster-Prevention Type,” in response to recent drowning accidents caused by people falling into rivers and irrigation ponds. The product combines a disaster-prevention function, in which uneven surfaces on the block mat laid on slopes help people who have slipped to crawl back up unaided, with a weed-control function created by eliminating gaps in the filter sheet.」

「In forest conservation products, the company jointly developed with 国土防災技術株式会社 a technology for blending fulvic acid, which improves plants’ fertilizer absorption efficiency, into conventional vegetative substrates such as vegetation mats and sheets as a new greening and revegetation method. The company will sell a new product line of greening materials using this technology under the “Fulvo Series” name. In addition to pursuing slope and embankment stabilization using these materials, the company will continue developing technologies for environmental and landscape conservation and actively provide high-value-added products and construction methods.」

「In the Social Infrastructure business, our group will further advance R&D focused on disaster prevention and risk reduction and measures to address the aging of social infrastructure, in line with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's recent priority policy of ensuring safety and security.」