The technology cultivated by “backlash” will be released on September 10 at 17:32

A tidal flat in the Ariake Sea known as a habitat for precious creatures such as mutsugorou. However, the soft ground has been a major obstacle to the construction of roads. Local small and medium-sized enterprises that have been working on improving this soft ground are now expanding their fields of activity overseas, including Indonesia. (Saga Broadcasting Station reporter Akiyoshi Ono)

National project with a total length of 2,700 km

Indonesia continues high economic growth of about 5% every year. Aiming for further development, the government is focusing on infrastructure development such as roads and airports.

Sumatra Island in the west facing the Malacca Strait, a strategic point for maritime traffic. This huge island has abundant natural resources such as palm oil and oil. Now, a magnificent expressway of about 2700 kilometers (equivalent to Hokkaido to Kagoshima) is being built.

Sumatra is suffering from chronic traffic congestion due to poor road conditions and holes on every main road. When the expressway is completed, these road conditions are expected to improve significantly, and the local people are looking forward to the completion.

However, the construction is behind schedule. It is the unique ground called “Pete layer” that prevents progress. Trees are very soft because they pile up and contain a lot of moisture.

“10% of Indonesia's land is made up of soft ground. However, there are few technologies for the peat layer in the country, and it is impossible to take measures without new technologies.”

The technology cultivated by “back”…

A construction machine manufacturer in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, has raised its hand to solve this challenge with over 300 employees. The technology we are good at is ground improvement, and in the background there were circumstances unique to Saga.

The Ariake Sea is known for being one of the most famous tidal flats in Japan. It is known as soft ground where clayey soil spreads. Improvement of the ground is indispensable for the construction of roads that run along the coast.

Originally started from the development of drilling equipment for coal mines, this company, which had been diversifying its management following the closure of successive coal mines, will also participate. The biggest challenge was to significantly reduce the weight so that the ground would not sink due to the weight of the machine.

We succeeded in reducing the weight to one-fourth by using a drill that drills holes in the ground and a lighter support. It is said that it also showed great power at construction sites along the Ariake Sea coast.

We have accumulated technological improvements, and now we are proud of the top share in Japan for small ground improvement equipment, and we are supplying machines nationwide, such as those affected by the Kumamoto earthquake and the construction of new national stadiums. We are also focusing on expanding overseas such as Southeast Asia and Africa.

“If it ’s a big machine, it ca n’t be balanced on soft ground, so you ca n’t work on it. In this point, it ’s easy to turn, and it ’s lightweight, so it ’s easy to put it in soft ground. This machine was born because it was Saga. ''

Demonstration project started

I would like to use this technology as a weapon for further overseas expansion. Adopted by JICA's SME overseas expansion support project, in July, a demonstration project started in Dumai, a city in central Sumatra.

Bring a machine from Saga and use the local materials to actually perform the work. This time, we will introduce a technology called “Middle-layer mixed processing method”.

While digging a hole about 20 meters deep, pour water and cement into it and mix it with soil to create concrete piles in the ground. By striking several piles at equal intervals, the ground will be strengthened and large buildings and roads can be built.

While it was widely introduced in Japan, it was not known locally and had no construction experience. Due to the difference in the quality of the cement used, some problems were encountered on the way, such as concrete not solidifying as expected, but each time we repeatedly discussed with local researchers, Succeeded in making the soil in the soil.

In addition, there were some voices expecting that the construction method would be able to recover the delay in construction work, because the construction period was significantly shortened compared to what was done locally.

“I felt a high ground improvement effect. The labor cost can be reduced by shortening the construction period, so the construction cost can be reduced.”

For earthquake countermeasures

In Indonesia, infrastructure development has progressed by attracting foreign investment without setting up original construction standards. For that reason, if the construction method introduced this time becomes more widespread and it is possible to create local construction standards, it may lead to expansion of sales channels.

Furthermore, this technology is also effective in measures against liquefaction caused by earthquakes, and as with Japan, it is expected to protect the lives and livelihoods of local people who are earthquake powers.

“I think it was worth the fact that I was able to use what I had to do in Kyushu. I would like to leave a track record of using it in Indonesia.”

Technology to solve local problems ...

Based on this demonstration project, coordination with the state-run general contractor is underway for introduction at another construction site.

In China, it was decided to introduce machines to solve soft ground.

Japan's industrial competitiveness is supported by the technological capabilities of SMEs.

The technology nurtured to solve local problems will be utilized overseas, which has the same problems, and will lead to further business. I hope that this virtuous cycle will continue.

Saga Broadcasting Station reporter Akira Ono

Newlyweds in charge of Saga Prefectural Government, etc.