Electric appliance makers are applying their technological expertise to improving inspections of infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
As there have been a series of natural disasters, including Typhoon No. 15 that caused large-scale power blackouts and recent Typhoon No. 19, identifying and reinforcing structural deficiencies has become an urgent task.
The companies thus aim to use their advanced technologies for more efficient infrastructure maintenance and repairs.
AI, sensors replace instinct
Hitachi Ltd. has developed a system for managing underground water and gas pipes more efficiently. Sensors detect fine vibrations caused by leakages and the system automatically identifies parts that need to be repaired.
In conventional inspections, many parts of the work rely on human experience and instinct. For example, officials may listen for distinct noises, such as those caused by a water leakage, to identify problems. These methods, however, take time and require excess manpower.
The company aims to put its advanced system into practical use by fiscal 2020.
Fujifilm Corp. last year developed a diagnostic imaging system that incorporates artificial intelligence to analyze surface images of aging bridges and tunnels. The system can detect cracks as small as 0.1 millimeter.
More than 500 companies, including major general contractors, have introduced Fujifilm's system.
In April, Nihon Unisys Ltd. introduced a system that monitors air conditioning and piping in office buildings and condominiums with sensors. By predicting the timing of potential breakdowns, the company expects that its system can reduce the effort expended in conventional inspections by half.
Across the nation, a large portion of infrastructure built in the 1960s and 1970s, during the postwar high economic growth period, is still in use. According to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, the percentages of various infrastructure still in use 50 or more years since construction are expected to rise. For bridges, the percentage will rise from about 25 percent in 2018 to about 39 percent in 2023; regarding tunnels, from 20 percent to 27 percent during the same period. And the situation is likely to get worse.
In recent years, there have been numerous examples of road damage caused by torrential rain and fatigued water pipes bursting even though there was no contributing disaster.
Meanwhile, the fiscal resources for coping with such problems have been limited.
Tsuyoshi Ise, senior researcher at the Ricoh Institute of Sustainability and Business, said, "More efficient ways of maintenance by using new technologies such as IoT [internet of things] are required."
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