Currently, the creation of disaster-resistant infrastructure is being pursued at a rapid pace throughout Japan. For example, as a countermeasure against earthquakes, further earthquake-proofing of water supply and sewage systems and the reinforcement/replacement of aging pipes is underway. Underground rivers and storage facilities are also being constructed to prevent flooding and river overflow due to heavy rains. All these measures are expected to prove effective in mitigating damage caused by natural disasters.

As specialists in tunnel design, we have been instrumental in many of these projects, helping to plan the infrastructure needed to make cities more resilient in the face of natural disasters. Our mission is to provide the world with robust infrastructure that enables people to continue to lead normal lives, even in times of disaster.

Our highly specialized design technologies contribute to the construction of water mains connecting rivers to water treatment plants and the wider community, and large-scale tunnels for sewage systems that carry domestic waste water and rainwater to sewerage treatment plants. We help in the creation of robust infrastructure through the planning of tunnels to prevent the interruption of water supply and drainage even after a major earthquake.

In recent years, disasters caused by heavy rainfall, such as guerrilla rainstorms, have become more serious and problematic each year in Japan. Underground reservoirs provide a solution to such rain events. Shield construction is the most promising method for building facilities over long distances underground in urban areas. We are expected to play a much anticipated role in the field of shield construction methods.

Water supply and sewage systems constructed during the period of rapid economic growth are now deteriorating, requiring urgent countermeasures. Repairing deteriorated water supply and sewer systems is more efficient than installing new systems, resulting in an increased demand in repair work. We are instrumental in developing repair plans and designs.

Energy pipelines have also been laid throughout Japan to transport gas and oil. Because Japan is an earthquake-prone country, most of these pipelines are laid underground. These pipelines are often several tens of meters underground and several tens of kilometers long. Shield construction methods are used during construction, and we play an integral role from the planning stage in our role as specialists in tunnel design.

There are multiple phases in the design of a tunnel, and it is common to identify the different processes as the project progresses, from preliminary design, to basic design, to detailed design. From the initial, preliminary design stage, we have carefully thought through every detail based on a vision of the completed tunnel. We take pride in the fact that this is something we can do as a result of our extensive experience.