From August 29th to September 1st, due to the heavy rains caused by Typhoon No. 10, a total of 1,300 Tokaido Shinkansen trains were suspended. JR Central continues to research rain countermeasures for the Shinkansen at a large facility in Aichi Prefecture. This is the first time a TV camera has been in the area to cover the area. Record-breaking heavy rains continued as Typhoon No. 10 approached. The Tokaido Shinkansen was suspended for four days. A total of 1,300 trains were suspended. The last weekend of summer vacation was in chaos due to the stoppage of Japan's main artery. In response to this situation, JR Central... A research facility that can make rain "exceed Japan's record" (JR Central President Shunsuke Niwa, September 4th) "We have obtained data on heavy rain that we have never been able to obtain before. I think we need to make effective use of this data." Many sections of the Tokaido Shinkansen are affected by "rain" because the trains run on embankments. For JR Central, safe operation in heavy rain is a challenge. So... We visited a research facility in Aichi Prefecture that can make rainfall that exceeds the Japanese record. (Meteorologist Sakurazawa Shinji) "How much rain can the Tokaido Shinkansen withstand? Here is a unique experimental facility built by JR Central. What kind of facility is it?" First TV interview JR Central's research facility The heart of JR Central's technological development, commonly known as the "Komaki Research Facility." (JR Central Technology Development Department, Niimi Toshinori) "This is a facility that reproduces the actual embankment of the Tokaido Shinkansen. It is about 6.1 meters high." The embankment of the Shinkansen reproduced in a corner of the site. It is solidified with concrete, and drainage pipes can be seen on the surface. This time, JR Central will conduct an experiment simulating heavy rain to verify the amount of moisture in the embankment. This is the first time that a TV camera has been introduced. The Tokaido Shinkansen opened in 1964. 44% of the entire line is embankment. Compared to concrete viaducts, embankments are more vulnerable to rain, and have collapsed in Aichi Prefecture in the past. "We measure how the moisture in the embankments changes" (Niimi Toshinori, JR Central Technology Development Department) "The rain has been falling more heavily recently. We are trying to understand how much the current embankments can withstand." Global warming has made it necessary to respond to unprecedented rain, and here at the Komaki Research Facility, sensors will be installed in the "embankments" from 2022. JR Central says they have been collecting moisture data to see if the measures they have taken so far are effective. (Niimi Toshinori, Technology Development Division, JR Central) "We are measuring how the moisture content in the embankment changes in conditions where rain is made heavier than would actually fall." (Sakurazawa Shinji, weather forecaster) "How many millimeters of rain can we make it fall?" (Niimi Toshinori, Technology Development Division, JR Central) "With the sprinkler system, we can artificially make it rain up to 200 mm per hour." (Sakurazawa Shinji, weather forecaster) "200 mm per hour! The Japanese record is 153 mm." (Niimi Toshinori, Technology Development Division, JR Central) "As this is an endeavor that looks not only to the present but also to the future, we are deliberately conducting the test in a test environment with a higher rainfall of 200 mm per hour." Experiment where 200 mm of rain falls for two hours More than 20 times over a two-year period This experiment, in which 200 mm of rain fell for two hours, was carried out more than 20 times over a two-year period. As a result... (Niimi Toshinori, Technology Development Department, JR Central) "Even after a detailed look, we were glad to be able to confirm that the measures we have taken so far are effective." JR Central has been installing sensors at 18 actual embankments in Shizuoka Prefecture since June this year and is monitoring them. The rain caused by Typhoon No. 10 caused a series of suspensions, but they are further investigating and are considering raising the regulatory value in the future. (Niimi Toshinori, Technology Development Department, JR Central) "We had to stop trains for a long time due to Typhoon No. 10. Based on past experience, we would like to further improve safety. We would like to explore optimal operating restrictions to minimize the impact on customers. We hope you will look forward to it." Natural disasters strike every year in various places. The Tokaido Shinkansen, a major artery, was forced to suspend 1,300 trains due to rain. Safe operation that "doesn't give in to the rain" is an eternal theme. For more details, see NEWS DIG! ↓ https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/cb...