INTERPRAEVENT International Symposium 2018: Large scale sediment disasters in orogenic zones and countermeasures

Purpose

Disasters associated with seismic and volcanic activities which are peculiar to orogenic zones occur frequently in the whole Pacific Rim. In addition, catastrophic sediment disasters caused by heavy rains and big typhoons are occurring increasingly in recent years as a result of climate change. People in the orogenic zones had to live with disasters exerting desperate efforts to mitigate the impacts of such disasters. Technologies for disaster mitigation developed under such circumstances over a long time in the past should be regarded as the world heritage of mankind to be inherited for long in the future.

Toyama Prefecture is particularly abundant in historical facilities which are the crystallization of technologies to deal with such disasters. Their historical value should be recognized highly among engineers, researchers, administrators, educators, and many others who are concerned with sediment disasters. Further, messages should be sent to the world emphasizing the importance of (1) verification, development and handing over to the future of the technologies, and (2) soft approaches such as public awareness, disaster risk management and so on.

In Toyama Prefecture, a huge amount of sediment discharge of several hundred million cubic meters due to collapse of a mountain triggered by the great earthquake in 1858 blocked up the river to form a natural dam, which later collapsed and caused an extensive damage in the downstream areas in the Toyama plain. SABO works were undertaken continuously for over 110 years thereafter to stabilize the sediment accumulated in the rivers and mountain flanks. The current successful development of the Toyama plain as an area safe from natural disasters and rich in a variety of products is thanks to this long strenuous SABO works. With these historical developments in the background, INTERPRAEVENT 2018 will be held in October 2018 in Toyama. 

Topics

The topics of the symposium “Large scale sediment disasters in orogenic zones and countermeasures” are divided into the following six categories:

Field observation, Analysis and Modeling

• Geological, Geomorphological or Hydrological Settings
• Characteristics of processes and behaviors
• Remote sensing, GPS and GIS techniques for mapping and modelling etc.

Catastrophic disaster

• Triggering mechanism
• Catastrophic disasters caused by volcanic eruption
• Preparation and urgent measures for catastrophic disasters, and so on

Structural measures and effects

• Efficient design method and site selection of facilities
• Methods of construction considering influence on environment and ecosystem
• Maintenance of facilities
• Secondary use of facilities

Evaluation of historical SABO facilities and historical land use regulations, and their effective use in the future

• Examples of historical SABO facilities
• Examples of historical land-use regulations in disaster prone areas
• Evaluation of the facilities from the present view point in terms of effectiveness and influence on environment
• Examples of historical local disaster management plan which made use of wisdoms of old generations
• Effective use of facilities considering social and economic change in the future

Risk/Crisis management and non-structural measures

• Advanced monitoring technologies and warning systems
• Methods and procedures for risk management
• Hazard zoning and mapping
• Education and local action aiming at disaster mitigation etc.

Sustainable land-use management

• Actual state of land-use in hillside areas and issues to address
• Advanced planning methods for sustainable land-use
• Administration for sustainable land-use
• Law aiming at disaster reduction