First On-Site Implementation of the “Sheet-Type Vibration-Damping Tank,” Jointly Developed with Toa Construction Industries

Taiyo Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo;Osaka Headquarters: Yodogawa Ward, Osaka City; President and CEO: Yuki Nomura; hereinafter “Taiyo Kogyo”) has been conducting joint research and development with Toa Construction Industry Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tsuyoshi Hayakawa;hereinafter “Toa Construction”) for the first time in October 2025 at the Fushiki Toyama Port Toyama District Quay Construction Project, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau.

This technology suppresses the swaying of floating caissons during towing. By adopting the “sheet-type sway-reduction tank,” which applies Taiyo Kogyo’s membrane structure technology, we have achieved a significant improvement in constructability compared to conventional steel tanks.Based on the insights gained from this project, Taiyo Kogyo will accelerate the provision of solutions utilizing membrane structure technology in the field of marine civil engineering.

In recent years, Japan’s port facilities have been seeing the construction of new breakwaters and the extension of existing ones. This is driven by the need to accommodate the growing demand for maritime transport and the increasing size of cargo ships through the development of international logistics terminals, as well as by the need for tsunami countermeasures aimed at disaster prevention and mitigation.In waters facing the open ocean, as caissons have become larger, a method is frequently adopted for constructing caisson-type breakwaters and quays: rather than using massive crane ships, the caissons are floated and towed to the construction site by smaller vessels for installation.However, depending on wave conditions, these floating caissons can sway significantly, raising safety concerns for workers on the caissons and restricting the caisson installation process—which in turn ties up construction vessels and other necessary equipment for extended periods.

To address these challenges, Toa Construction has been conducting “Research and Development on Technology to Reduce the Sway of Floating Caissons Using Sway-Reduction Tanks” by utilizing the Innovative Social Infrastructure Development Research and Development Promotion Program of the Port and Airport Technology Research Institute, part of the National Research and Development Agency, Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology Research Institute.

While steel tanks have traditionally been used for this “sway reduction technology using a sway-reduction tank,” the two companies have now jointly developed a “sheet-metal sway-reduction tank” by leveraging Taiyo Kogyo’s design and fabrication technologies for membrane structures, which the company has cultivated over many years.

We have introduced this technology to the site as an innovative measure for the “Reiwa 6 Fiscal Year Fushiki Toyama Port (Toyama District) Wharf (-10 m) (No. 2) (Improvement) Construction Project (Part 2).”During the caisson towing operation from the Shinminato District to the Toyama District of Fushiki Toyama Port, we installed “sheet-made motion-reduction tanks” for the first time and confirmed the following results:

① Roll and pitch reduction: In addition to the effects of towing by a crane vessel, roll (lateral sway) and pitch (longitudinal sway) were further reduced by approximately 20%.

② Labor-saving construction: By leveraging the properties of the sheet material, we achieved significant efficiency gains in the installation and removal of the tanks.

③ Contribution to safety: With motion suppressed, the entire process—from towing to installation and backfilling—was completed safely and smoothly.

Based on the insights gained from this project, Taiyo Kogyo will accelerate the provision of solutions utilizing membrane structure technology in the field of marine civil engineering. In particular, for port construction projects where long-distance towing and the installation of large caissons are anticipated, we will work together with partner companies, including Toa Construction, to contribute to improving construction safety, shortening project schedules, and enhancing productivity in social infrastructure development.

Taiyo Kogyo is a leading company in the field of large-scale membrane structures, with a history spanning over 100 years. At the 1970 Japan World Exposition, the company achieved a world first by constructing a low-rise (height-restricted) pneumatic membrane structure for the U.S. Pavilion, in which the roof was supported solely by air pressure.Since then, the company has participated in large-scale projects around the world, including the installation of the membrane roof at the Tokyo Dome and the Millennium Dome in London (now known as The O2 Arena), one of the world’s largest dome structures. Furthermore, for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo, the company was involved in the construction of more than 20 pavilions and facilities, playing a key role in the development of the Expo site.With membrane structure technology—which excels in cost-effectiveness, constructability, light transmission, and design—at the core of our operations, we have expanded our business into architecture, civil engineering, logistics, and environmental sectors, thereby supporting safety and peace of mind in society.
Together with group companies such as TSP Taiyo Co., Ltd., which provides event consulting, and Actio Co., Ltd., which manages facility operations, we will continue to provide new value to society under the motto, “Soften the world. Warm the future.”