Acknowledgements
I would like to express my appreciation to the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Labour for selecting this project and to the Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry for their valuable advice and encouragement, Akahoshi, Daihen, the Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, the College of Industrial Technology, Nihon University and Chiba Prefectural Industrial Support Research Centre, participants in the consortium, and Dr Enomoto, Director of the Japan Light Metal Welding & Construction Association, and Nomoto, Emeritus Professor of Tokyo University, who have both given kind valuable advice throughout this project.