2016年度活動レポート（一般公募コース）第147号
カンボジア工科大学若手研究者との交流・共同研究プログラム
日本工営(株)技術本部中央研究所総合技術開発部からの報告
今般、さくらサイエンスプログラムのご支援を受けて、2016 年10月11日から10月31日の21 日間、カンボジア工科大学(ICT: Institute of Cambodia of Technology)から2名の若手研究者を招へいすることができました。
カンボジア工科大学は、当研究所が技術情報の共有や共同研究の実施を目指してMOUを締結した海外研究機関の一つであり、これまで様々な技術交流を続けて参りました。
さくらサイエンスプログラムを通じての共同活動も今年で3年目を迎え、更なる関係構築および共同研究の議論を深めることができました。
KRY NALLISさんは、ICTのGeo-resources and Geotechnical Engineering Departmentの教員で、地盤工学・材料系を研究テーマにされている若手研究者です。
当研究所での滞在期間中は、当研究所の社員とともに様々な活動をなさいましたが、特に、土の物理試験や三軸圧縮試験などを含む土質試験の実習(日本の基準試験)、また数値解析では斜面安定解析ソフトCostanaを用いて、メコン川堤防の安定性評価を実施しました。
POR SOPHEAPさんも、ICTのGeo-resources and Geotechnical Engineering Departmentの教員で、カンボジアの軟弱地盤問題を取り組んでいる若手研究者です。
彼は軟弱地盤解析に必要なパラメータを求めるための土の圧密試験の実施や、当社が取組んでいる地下水位低下・回復に伴う地盤沈下・隆起の解析プログラムを用いて、プノンペン市を対象に、地盤沈下の解析とその後の地下水位回復に伴う地盤隆起減少の解析を実施しました。
お二人の研修期間は短いものでしたが、土質試験・遠心力模型実験および研究テーマについて大変興味を持って頂いたので、今後の地盤工学分野の共同研究や技術連携に期待しているところです。
また、研究活動の他に日、本の組織の風通しの良さを感じられている様子でした。管理職者と研究者が同じフロアーで机を並べていて気軽に相談できることや、若手とシニアが気さくに話していること、また、他部門の研究者との日常的な情報共有など、文化の違いにも触れられたようです。
また、当研究所の若手にとっては、彼らの真摯な取り組み姿勢など、見習う点も多かったに違いありません。こういった点も、今回のプログラムの大きな成果であったものと思います。
末筆ではありますが、このような貴重なプログラムにご支援を下さいました科学技術振興機構にお礼を申し上げます。
KRY NALLISさんの感想文
Sakura Exchange Program in Science at Nippon Koei Research & Development Center was a priceless opportunity for me to explore new things in Japan. I met many nice people in Japan and I was also given a chance by Nippon Koei to conduct soil properties experiment at Geo-materials labs.
A warm welcome from all members of Nippon Koei R&D Center on my first day made a comfortable working environment for me. After greeting, I was guided to see all labs and research activities at Nippon Koei R&D Center before starting the experiment. On the next days, I conducted a series of soil properties tests including both physical and mechanical properties tests under the guidance from many friendly lab technicians. Physical properties tests of soil collected from Hiroshima such as density test, moisture content test, liquid limit and plastic limit test, sedimentation test, and particle size distribution test were completed in the first two weeks. Besides conducting the physical properties tests, I was taught to use a slope stability design software which is called “COSTANA”. For the last week of this exchange program, I conducted mechanical properties test of soil which is consolidation test and compiled all soil testing data for presentation. I would say that all knowledge that I gain from this exchange program is very useful for my career as a lecturer in Geo-resources and Geotechnical Engineering.
Although three weeks is very short time but I have learnt so many things from this short period of time not only in science but also in culture, working ethic of people and management system in company. This exchange program is also a good way to strengthen the network between the Institute of Technology (ITC) and Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. I really appreciate this exchange opportunity given by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. Without the support from them, I would not have such a great chance to learn and explore so many good things in Japan.
POR SOPHEAP さんの感想文
Firstly let me to introduce myself, my name is POR Sopheap, a lecturer & researcher at Institute of Technology of Cambodia in the field of geotechnical engineering. I had a mission to do a short-term exchange program for three weeks at Nippon Koei R&D Center (NK). Having a chance to join this exchange program at NK, I would express my thankful to the program organizer as well as all the staff at NK for their very warm welcome, polite, honest, and helpful during my staying in Japan. During these three weeks of my training it really fruitful for me. I gain a lot of new experiences in performing soil testing and ground settlement model tool created by Nippon Koei. I found that NK is a very high technology center which has a lot of research fields and lab facility. There are many thing that make me interest and would like to learn more, especially the ground settlement model tool as well as the centrifuge testing model. However, my staying in Japan is very time limited that I could only learn as much as I could during these three weeks. With this good working environment, lab facility, and high-technology as well as has a lot of human resources in this center, it led me very interesting and hopefully in the future I could work or do any collaborative research project with NK.