田中賞の趣旨と由来

故 田中 豊博士は、関東大震災後の首都の復興に際し、帝都復興院初代橋梁課長として隅田川にかかる永代橋、清洲橋など東京の象徴として一般にもなじみの深い数々の名橋を生み出されたことで現在でもよく知られています。先生は当時の橋梁・構造工学界の権威者であり、あげられた業績は文字どおり日本の橋梁界、鋼構造界の育ての親と呼ばれるにふさわしいものでした。
　先生のご逝去後、ご遺族から斯界振興の一助にと、土木学会に基金のご寄付がなされました。 一方、有志の間には博士の功績をしのび、これを記念する事業を企ててはとの申し出があり、 昭和40年、「田中豊博士記念事業会」が発足しました。その結果、数多くの個人、団体よりご寄付が寄せられ基金がつくられました。同記念事業会はこれを土木学会に寄付し、学会では記念事業として、橋梁・鋼構造工学に関する優秀な業績に対して毎年「土木学会田中賞」を授与することとなりました。すなわち、昭和41年度より土木学会賞の一つとして田中賞が発足したのです。以来約半世紀を経過し、多くのご厚志、斯界各方面の御援助御協力を得ながら、極めて名誉ある賞としての評価が定着し、橋梁技術のさらなる発展に大きく貢献してきました。

  田中豊氏について（土木学会誌 第104巻 2019年1月号）

　田中賞の内容は下記の4部門より成っています。
 

(1)業績部門
橋梁に関する技術の進歩、発展や事業の形成・実施、調査、計画、設計、製作・施工、維持管理等における実践等において、顕著な業績を挙げたと認められる者を対象とします。

(2)論文部門
土木学会刊行物に発表された論文、報告等の中で、計画、設計、製作・施工、維持管理、利活用、考案、歴史・文化、普及・啓発などに関連して、橋梁工学への貢献が大きいと認められるものを対象とします。

(3)作品部門
新設あるいは既設の橋梁およびそれに類する構造物で、計画、設計、製作・施工、維持管理、更新、復旧などの面において特色を有する優れた作品を対象とします。作品部門は、橋梁が多くの人びととの共同作業の成果という点から、受賞対象は企業者、設計者、施工者などの組織あるいは特定の個人ではなく、あくまでも作品そのものと考えています。これは他の土木学会賞と異なる特色です。

(4)技術部門
橋梁またはそれに類する構造物に適用され、計画、設計、製作・施工、維持管理、更新、復旧、解体、撤去などの面において特色を有する優れた技術または革新的な技術で，橋梁工学の発展に寄与するものを対象とします。

The late Dr. Yutaka Tanaka, the first head of the Bridge Division of the Board of Capital Reconstruction / the Bureau of Reconstruction during reconstruction of the capital following the Great Kanto Earthquake, is widely known even today as the man responsible for the construction of many famous bridges familiar to the general public that have become symbols of Tokyo. These include the Eitaibashi and Kiyosubashi bridges spanning the Sumida River.  At that time, Dr.Tanaka was an authority on bridge and structural societies. In light of his achievements, it would be fitting to call him the father of Japan's bridge and steel structure industries.

After Dr.Tanaka'death, his family contributed to the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) a fund for the purpose of promoting his profession.  In 1965, following the earlier initiative by volunteers, it was proposed to set up a venture to commemorate the professor's achievements, the 'Dr.Yutaka Tanaka Commemorative Foundation'.  Since then, numerous individuals and groups have contributed further donations to the fund.  Using these donations, the JSCE, on behalf of the Commemorative Foundation, decided to award an annual prize, 'The Japan Society of Civil Engineers Tanaka Prize', for excellence in bridge and steel structure engineering, In 1966, the awarding of the Tanaka prize, which is just one of the JSCE awards, was started. Over the last fifty years or more, numerous volunteers, together with the assistance and cooperation from many other people, have helped establish the prize as one of extremely high honor and value, and have also contributed greatly to the dissemination of bridge engineering technology.

The Tanaka prize is made up of the following four awards:

(1) Division of Professional Bridge Engineer Recognition
Awarded in recognition of outstanding achievement for the advancement and development in the field of bridge engineering. The Award was created in 1993, so it is relatively new, but has already established itself, having been awarded to some of the most eminent bridge engineers in the country.

(2) Division of Outstanding Research Publication
This award is selected of a paper (thesis or academic report) presented in a JSCE publication, relating to the planning, design, fabrication, construction, maintenance administration, invention of devices, or history etc of bridges, and which is recognized for the significant contribution it makes to the development of bridge engineering.

(3) Division of Outstanding Bridge Design, Construction and Retrofit
A bridge, or related structure, whose planning, design, construction, retrofit or otherwise, is selected in recognition of its special features. The Project Award, acknowledging that the collaboration of many people is involved in producing a bridge, is different from other JSCE awards in that it is not awarded to a single individual, but rather to the grouping of the developer, designer, contractor and entire organization responsible for producing the work.

(4) Division of Outstanding Bridge Technologies
Aimed at recognizing outstanding or innovative technologies applied to bridges or similar structures, which exhibit distinctive features in aspects such as planning, design, fabrication, construction, maintenance, renovation, restoration, demolition, and removal, and contribute to the advancement of bridge engineering.