Debris-flow dewatering brakes
-a promising tool for disaster management in developing countries-

Venue: Tsukuba, Japan

Date: 27 January 2009

Participant(s) from ICHARM:

The 16th ICHARM Research and Development Seminar was held on 27 January 2009 at the ICHARM Auditorium. Masayuki Watanabe, coordinator of disaster mitigation research at ICHARM, spoke about the recently-completed "debris-flow dewatering brake" pilot project. The project was conducted at a debris flow-prone site on Kennon Road connecting Manila and Baguio City in the Philippines. Watanabe led the project in collaboration with ADB and the Philippines' Flood Control and Sabo Engineering Center of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

In the seminar, he emphasized the importance of dewatering brakes to secure road communications in the mountainous region, stating that brakes would be efficient and effective to prevent sediment-related disasters. He also listed advantages of debris-flow brakes, such as low cost, simple design, easy repair and maintenance, and use of local materials for construction. Elaborating on their mechanism and functions, he also told the audience how the structure first came into being and stated that it had been tested in three pilot projects in Japan and proven effective.

The pilot project was completed in November 2008, which was actually earlier than planned thanks to great local cooperation. A ceremony to hand over the facility to the Filipino Government and a seminar on the importance and effectiveness of the project and debris-flow brakes are scheduled to be held in March 2009.