Box from Tohoku Expressway Takizawa IC to Nishine IC
About falling concrete pieces from culvert

NEXCO EAST Tohoku Regional Head Office (Aoba Ward, Sendai City) Tohoku Expressway box culvert dropped concrete fragments. No damage such as injuries or property damage has been confirmed.

We are currently conducting emergency inspections to prevent similar events from occurring at the box culvert. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our neighbors.

1 History of discovery

First report to us
At around 18:10 on Sunday, March 17, 2013, residents in the vicinity of the site notified us that concrete pieces had fallen, and confirmed the pieces on site.

2 Occurrence location

Box culvert (525.5KP) that intersects the agricultural road Ippongi southeast trunk line between the Takizawa interchange and the Nishine interchange at Tohoku Expressway

(Between Takizawa Interchange and Nishine Interchange opened on October 8, 1980)
Site name: Iwate-gun, Takizawa-mura, Iwate-gun, Yazawa-Ebayashi, Iwateken

3 dropped concrete pieces

Width of about 10 cm x thickness of about 5 cm x length of about 58 cm (about 3.7 kg)

4 Cause of fall

It is highly probable that the rainwater entered due to the aged deterioration of the concrete, and the reinforcing bars corroded and expanded, causing the concrete to peel off and fall.

5 Inspection history of the box culvert

Inspection was carried out in October 2012, and minor damage was confirmed.

6 Response status of the box culvert

We have traffic regulations and emergency inspections, which are scheduled to be completed today by March 18.

[Fall situation]

Maximum piece:

Width of about 10 cm x thickness of about 5 cm x length of about 25 cm (about 1.7 kg)
Width of about 10 cm x thickness of about 5 cm x length of about 23 cm (about 1.5 kg)
Width approx. 10 cm x thickness approx. 5 cm x length approx. 10 cm (approx. 0.5 kg)
Total (about 3.7kg)