Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation in the Public Works ...

Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and the Ministry of Construction
(MOC) are examined. Two case histories of MOC practices are presented, one for
development of an automated compaction measuring robot, and the other for precast
concrete seismic structural systems (PRESSS). The Japanese policy practices for PRESSS
are contrasted directly with the US policy practices for the coordinated US PRESSS
program. The expected differences in outcomes are highlighted in order to suggest the
changes in US attitudes and practices needed to develop a synergistic relationship between
public works programs and construction technology advances.
To achieve technical innovations risks must be taken and the basic issues are who
should pay if the innovation is not successful and who should benefit if the innovation is
successful. A synergistic relationship for public works activities and innovation requires a
commitment to the innovation vision and process, and not to their own self interests, by all
who are part of the process or stand to benefit from that process: government, academia,
consultants, contractors and society.
THE CIVIL ENGINEERING PROCESS
Technology advances are essential to economic growth and current thinking ties
growth primarily to manufacturing output. Yet, effective and efficient constructed facilities
are essential for quality manufacturing and are, in essence, the foundation on which the
technology of our society is built. The importance of the quality and efficiency of
constructed facilities is clearly illustrated by their loss as a result of a natural disaster. That
loss disrupts society and requires an expensive emergency response. The quality and
efficiency of such facilities affects directly the way society does its business and consequently
that quality and efficiency contributes directly to society's long term well being.
The achievement of technological advances requires simultaneous investment in both
research and development (R&D) activities and in education, and success stimulates
increased investments in R&D activities and education. Thus, the involvement of higher
education professionals in technology advancement activities is essential to the achievement
of such advances. However, in the short term, technological advances are more dependent
on proof of the technological concept and its implementation in a few key cases in practice
than on a healthy basic research program. In science improvements come primarily from
breakthroughs, but for technology improvements are usually incremental with as much
knowledge often gained from field failures as from field successes. The systematic
collection, analysis, and interpretation of the consequences of attempting to implement
technological advances is fundamental to the development of both successful technological
advances and to the development of relevant public policies that facilitate technological
advances.
Shown in Fig. 1 is an idealization of the civil engineering process for a typical public
works project. The project starts with a societal need which in itself must be clearly
identified. Certain public works concepts that are responsive to that society need are then
suggested by public authorities. From that stage onwards the public policy issues diminish
in significance and the technical issues, along with administrative (permitting) and budgetary
issues, increase in significance. Predictably any technical constraints are dictated by the
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