This study suggests creating ‘ Extinct Structure History’ as a field of bridge history. For the purpose of establishing its methodology, in this paper, a case study on the bridge construction of the Hennebique Company is carried out. For the reason a structure becomes no longer useful, there are a variety of changes of conditions, that is, designing processes, construction processes, etc. However, in the process of realization, we can see some creativity based on a resolution to complete the extinct structures. The Extinct Structure History aims to clarify the originality of the structure and the creativity of eneineer.

View full abstract

This paper describes the development of the railway avalanche prevention forest along the Soya Line between Kenbuchi and Shibetsu, a forest that in 2005 was designated a “ civil engineering heritage” by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers, and outlines the technical aspects of that forest. The history of “ railway forests”(forests owned by railway companies) in Hokkaido is discussed as it relates to the abovementioned avalanche prevention forest. The paper examines the historical significance of the designated avalanche prevention forest, covering the history of railway forests in Hokkaido from plantation planning at the end of Meiji Era and the history of the Japan Railway companies.

View full abstract

During the first half of the Meiji Era, the traffic by newly introduced wheeled vehicles such as horse carriages increased gradually, in addition to the traditional foot and horseback traffic. To accommodate such wheeled vehicle traffic, the construction and improvement plans of the national highway system and local main road system were started.
In Nagano prefecture, the construction plan of the seven new main highway lines were proposed by Governor Oono Makoto of the prefecture, and the plan was approved by the prefectural assembly in 1882. The construction of the seven highways, total length of 297km and costed about 870, 000 yen, was the most important large scale undertaking in the road administration of Nagano prefecture in Meiji Era.
From analyses of the various documents at that time including route survey maps, specifications for construction works, drawings of bridges, accounts survey and others, the state of road administrations and road engineering at that time are proved as the steady first step of modern way of working. In addition to this, the report of De Reijke on highways and roads are quoted. He made a tour of inspection around the prefecture in 1890 and pointed out several problems of the 2nd Highway Section between Ueda and Matsumoto.

View full abstract

The local bus-service on the trunk line connected two cities (omnibuses between adjacent or middlefar cities with the frequent-service) which were gained an important source of income for local bus companies were reduced more than in rural-area since 1970's. Through this era and such process, the writer analyses the case study of some Bus-routes from Takasaki or Maebashi city in Gunma prefecture about the vicissitude of relation between the bus-operation and the railway (comparison with the fare and the convenience), the influence involves the rationalization of the operation and the problem of management and policy in the local bus-business, on bus-routes around Takasaki and Maebashi cities in Gunma-prefecture.

View full abstract

The main objective of this study announces characteristics on the oblique weir from the viewpoint of the configurations and the construction history of existent oblique weirs in Japan. The oblique weir is the structure which build diagonally on the plane plan of the channels for the intake of the surface water on the river. The results are summarized into 3 points as follows. 1) The plane figure of the oblique weirs are classified to the types of 12. 2) The most distribution area of the oblique weirs is situated at the Asahi River basin. 3) The construction origin of numerous weirs trace to the Edo era, whereas several weirs build at the present age, for instance the Higashitenryu Weir on the Tenryu River basin, the Nangan Weir on the Naka River basin, etc. Consequently the oblique weir is hard to affirm the old structure.

View full abstract

There are many historical brick sluice gates constructed in Saitama Prefecture during the Meiji-Taisho era. This study aims at creating criteria to clarify the characteristics of the sluice gate in Saitama Pref. According to the field and literature survey, they are classified into authenticity, aesthetics, and accessibility to the site and they include surrounding spatial features and situations. These criteria were rated by counting or judging physical and spatial features of the sites. In addition, in order to know the value of the site, the impression of people was observed in a questionnaire survey. It is important to know what criteria contribute the historical impressions of the site for the future conservation and improvement of the site. The impression is quantified into the score of attractiveness, oldness, and historical feeling. The relationship between these scores of impression and scores of physical and spatial features was analyzed. In addition, techniques of conservation and site improvement were classified into nine principles and the method to select appropriate techniques based on the scores of physical and spatial features of each sluice gate.

View full abstract

There are many types of discontinuous levee on alluvial plain rivers. However, a lot of discontinuous levees are scheduled to be closed by flood control plans.
In recent years, there is a change in flood control plan by the land price falling and the change in social sense of values for nature. The possibility that discontinuous levees remain has come out by the change in flood control plans. In the meantime, the definition of discontinuous levee is vague. For instance, tow types of discontinuous levee that the functions are different have the same name. The difference of recognition to the function of discontinuous levee has a possibility of disturbing right evaluation for discontinuous levees.
In this paper, discontinuous levees are classified by comparing geographical features, levee-shape transition, the functions and historical background of the levees.

View full abstract

The Japanese Meizi Government employed a party of Dutch civil engineers. I. A. Lindo, one of them, made the levelling tour for the period during from 21st of July to 31st of November in 1872 from Horie to Tyôsi along the Tone River and the Edo River for the river improvement works. According to the results of this levelling Undo installed the Horie Bench-mark Stone of Y. P.(Yedogawa Peil) in the Seiryû Shrine in Horie in the end of 1872 for the river improvement works of the Tone and Edogawa River, which was the first bench-mark in the modem Japan. We describe the details of the levelling made by Lindo, based on the Lindo's Diary.

View full abstract

The centuries long studies have not defined the palace location of the lady ruler Himiko. The author wishes to propose a physical solution here, thmugh a series of civil engineering considemtions following as close as possible to the original Gishi Wajinden wrote in the third century China.
This study concludes that a) Yamataikoku consists of 27 allied coimtries, b) the capital is Ito- no-Kuni where the male king dominates and c) the lady ruler Himiko is in the Fumi no-Kuni sanctuary.
Attached map shows the geography ofthe whole country in the third century, inhabited by 70, 000 Wa-Jin families.

View full abstract

The Hattori artificial stone method was mainly used for river and port structures, such as a dike of reclamation by drainage, a breakwater and a sluice, for Taisho Era from Meiji Era. The purpose of this study is showing clearly how the method was accepted and spread all over Japan, from the viewpoint of the relation of Yajiro Shinagawa which was the patron of Choshichi Hattori who invented it, and him. In this paper, clarifying it from a human and political viewpoint based on letters and documents, introducing the method used in the Chugoku region, and introduces about existing heritages.

View full abstract