Date: |
26 Nov 2026, 5.30PM – 7.30PM |
duration: |
2 hrs |
Venue: |
Beca - Auckland |
Address: |
124 Halsey Street Auckland |
Cost: |
Free event |
This presentation explores Japan’s approach to improving safety in geotechnical construction, drawing on accident investigations, experimental research, and established safety guidelines. Ensuring worker safety in geotechnical construction remains a critical challenge, particularly where ground instability, construction machinery failures, and complex underground conditions can lead to serious accidents.
It begins with an overview of occupational accident trends in Japan, highlighting common accidents in geotechnical construction and experimental investigations into their underlying failure mechanisms.
The presentation then examines a major collapse and flooding incident during subsea shield tunnel construction. Drawing on investigations of seabed conditions, mechanical testing of tunnel segments, analysis of tunnel boring machine (TBM) operational data, and Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations, it explores the probable accident mechanism and the factors that contributed to the incident.
Finally, the presentation introduces Japanese safety guidelines for shield tunnel construction, developed from accident investigations and research findings. It highlights the importance of identifying and reducing risks from the earliest stages of design and planning, alongside effective collaboration between clients, designers, and contractors.
Presenter Bio - Naotaka Kikkawa, Dr. Eng.
Naotaka Kikkawa received his Doctor of Engineering degree from Yamaguchi University, Japan, in 2007. From April 2007 to December 2009, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
During his time at the University of Auckland, he conducted research on New Zealand pumice and Auckland residual soils in collaboration with Professor Michael J. Pender and Professor Rolando Orense. His research involved investigating the internal structure of soil particles using computed tomography (CT) scanning, conducting laboratory tests to examine stress relaxation behaviour, and performing field investigations.
In 2008, he received the Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference Award from the Earthquake Commission Research Foundation and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society.(https://www.nzgs.org/awards/ygp-conference-award/)
Since 2010, he has been working at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan (JNIOSH), conducting research on the prevention of occupational accidents in geotechnical engineering and tunnel construction.
Join the New Zealand Tunnelling Society (NZTS) to explore how lessons from past incidents, scientific investigation, and proactive risk management can help strengthen safety practices and prevent occupational accidents in geotechnical construction.
This presentation explores Japan’s approach to improving safety in geotechnical construction, drawing on accident investigations, experimental research, and established safety guidelines. Ensuring worker safety in geotechnical construction remains a critical challenge, particularly where ground instability, construction machinery failures, and complex underground conditions can lead to serious accidents.
It begins with an overview of occupational accident trends in Japan, highlighting common accidents in geotechnical construction and experimental investigations into their underlying failure mechanisms.
The presentation then examines a major collapse and flooding incident during subsea shield tunnel construction. Drawing on investigations of seabed conditions, mechanical testing of tunnel segments, analysis of tunnel boring machine (TBM) operational data, and Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations, it explores the probable accident mechanism and the factors that contributed to the incident.
Finally, the presentation introduces Japanese safety guidelines for shield tunnel construction, developed from accident investigations and research findings. It highlights the importance of identifying and reducing risks from the earliest stages of design and planning, alongside effective collaboration between clients, designers, and contractors.
Presenter Bio - Naotaka Kikkawa, Dr. Eng.
Naotaka Kikkawa received his Doctor of Engineering degree from Yamaguchi University, Japan, in 2007. From April 2007 to December 2009, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
During his time at the University of Auckland, he conducted research on New Zealand pumice and Auckland residual soils in collaboration with Professor Michael J. Pender and Professor Rolando Orense. His research involved investigating the internal structure of soil particles using computed tomography (CT) scanning, conducting laboratory tests to examine stress relaxation behaviour, and performing field investigations.
In 2008, he received the Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference Award from the Earthquake Commission Research Foundation and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society.(https://www.nzgs.org/awards/ygp-conference-award/)
Since 2010, he has been working at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan (JNIOSH), conducting research on the prevention of occupational accidents in geotechnical engineering and tunnel construction.
