Infrastructure maintenance is about to change! " Scanat," the new brand of the 3D scanning app " Scanat," is now fully operational for infrastructure maintenance.
nat (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: 劉 栄駿; nat ) and Kotobuki Construction Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture; President and CEO: Eigo Morisaki; hereinafter “Kotobuki Construction”) have announced Scanat,” a method for applying Scanat 3D Scanat to the civil engineering and infrastructure sectors, as part of a new initiative to promote the use of digital technology at infrastructure maintenance sites. They have also launched a dedicated website: This methodology was selected in June 2024 for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Project to Promote Efficient Construction Work Toward the Realization of Work Style Reform ” and is attracting attention as a leading example of promoting digital transformation (DX) at construction sites.
Background: Over 30 years of hands-on experience combined with cutting-edge spatial measurement technology
For over 30 years, Kotobuki Construction has been involved in year-round maintenance of local national highways and tunnel repair work. During this time, the company recognized the challenges posed by the cumbersome nature of on-site information sharing, measurement, and record-keeping. In 2023, President Morisaki discovered Scanat,” a 3D scanning app developed for the architectural sector, and recognized its potential. nat to propose a partnership, and the company began actively pursuing its application in construction and infrastructure maintenance.
Initiative: The Benefits of Using Scanat in Civil Engineering
" Scanat " uses iPads and iPhones to quickly and easily convert site conditions into 3D data, which is then shared via the cloud. This streamlines the process of assessing site conditions, taking measurements, and sharing information with clients. By eliminating the need for on-site re-inspections and reducing travel time, and by allowing stakeholders to share real-time site conditions while simultaneously taking measurements on screen, infrastructure maintenance can be carried out more quickly and effectively. Recognizing the significant benefits of " Scanat " for emergency response during national highway maintenance (on-site verification, measurement, and information sharing) and for tunnel inspections—which were traditionally documented through photography and handwritten notes—Kotobuki Construction introduced " Scanat " in 2023 for the National Route 4 and Fukushima National Highway maintenance and repair project. This established a system for converting site conditions into 3D data and sharing that information with the client. As a result, on-site inspections and site visits—which previously required multiple trips—have been minimized, significantly reducing the effort required for on-site measurements, inspections, and meetings, and achieving a reduction of approximately 21 hours of work time per month. Furthermore, we are expanding the scope of its application by using it for quality control of partial pavement repairs (patching), visualizing work areas during pre-work meetings, and establishing simplified tunnel inspection methods by utilizing the curve distance measurement function on 3D data.
3D data of slopes at risk of collapse (including measurements of length and area)Quality Control for Pavement Repair (Patching)
Future Outlook
We expect the use Scanat to expand to various infrastructure sites, including tunnel construction and road maintenance, in the future. This initiative was selected on June 10, 2024, for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Project to Promote Efficient Construction Work Toward the Realization of Work Style Reform” and was also introduced as a model project. With growing understanding and expectations from clients, we will continue to expand Scanat use Scanat to more construction and maintenance sites, contributing to the digitalization and improved productivity of the entire industry.
