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B031320 - GEOTECHNICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
Main information
Teaching Language
Course Content
Suggested readings
Learning Objectives
Prerequisites
Teaching Methods
Further information
Type of Assessment
Course program
Sustainable Development Goals 2030
Academic Year 2022-23
Course year
Second year - First Semester
Belonging Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering (DICEA)
Course Type
Single education field course
Scientific Area
ICAR/07 - GEOTECHNICS
Credits
6
Teaching Hours
48
Teaching Term
12/09/2022 ⇒ 16/12/2022
Attendance required
No
Type of Evaluation
Final Grade
Course Content
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Course program
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Lectureship
Teaching Language
Italian
Course Content
The Course focuses on the description of methodological frameworks and quantitative approaches to the geotechnical analysis of some of the main natural (e.g., slope instability, seismic liquefaction) and anthropogenic (e.g., soil contamination, controlled landfills) environmental hazards, as well as on methods for their geotechnical management and mitigation.
Suggested readings (Search our library's catalogue)
Course contents are delivered via presentations uploaded to the Course Repository on the Moodle platform.
Learning Objectives
The course aims to:
- convey to Students the perception about the growing relevance of natural and anthropogenic environmental hazards, and about the role of climate change in the context of the temporal increase of some of them
- spark a real and keen interest in Students toward the process of environmental risk management and the role of geotechnics in the context of the mitigation of these risks
- provide Students with the main theoretical concepts to independently conduct geotechnical environmental risk management and mitigation activities
- accustom Students to conducting oral presentations and drafting written texts on topics related to the geotechnical management of environmental risks
- convey to Students the perception about the growing relevance of natural and anthropogenic environmental hazards, and about the role of climate change in the context of the temporal increase of some of them
- spark a real and keen interest in Students toward the process of environmental risk management and the role of geotechnics in the context of the mitigation of these risks
- provide Students with the main theoretical concepts to independently conduct geotechnical environmental risk management and mitigation activities
- accustom Students to conducting oral presentations and drafting written texts on topics related to the geotechnical management of environmental risks
Prerequisites
An adequate understanding of fundamental principles of geotechnical engineering and soil mechanics is expected and required to benefit from the course syllabus. Students are strongly advised to maintain or acquire a sufficient level of competence in the following topics:
- soil classification
- index properties
- in-situ stress states and the principle of effective stress
- soil strength and stiffness
- laboratory and in-situ testing methods
Course time will not be allocated to the review of the above topics.
- soil classification
- index properties
- in-situ stress states and the principle of effective stress
- soil strength and stiffness
- laboratory and in-situ testing methods
Course time will not be allocated to the review of the above topics.
Teaching Methods
The course adopts a highly interactive "blended learning" approach comprising:
- classroom lectures covering topics (contents subject to assessment)
- classroom exercises (contents subject to assessment)
- classroom or online seminars (contents not subject to assessment)
- synchronous and/or asynchronous interactive learning (Student presentations; contents not subject to assessment)
- classroom lectures covering topics (contents subject to assessment)
- classroom exercises (contents subject to assessment)
- classroom or online seminars (contents not subject to assessment)
- synchronous and/or asynchronous interactive learning (Student presentations; contents not subject to assessment)
Further information
Attendance of course events is not mandatory but is strongly recommended to benefit from syllabus contents and from the supplementary exam points awarded for participation in synchronous sessions.
Type of Assessment
The course exam is structured into quizzes, short oral presentations, and an oral examination. The course grade is calculated as the sum of the scores obtained for each component of the exam as follows:
- 5 quizzes, each allowing a maximum of 3 exam points
- 5 individual presentations, each allowing a maximum of 3 exam points (2 if presented in asynchronous mode, i.e., outside dedicated Thematic Workshop)
- individual project, for a maximum total 5 exam points
- oral examination, for a maximum total 5 exam points
All exam-related activities are optional, with the possible exception of the oral examination if the sum of the total points obtained in the other modules is below 23. The oral examination, if taken, must follow the other modules chronologically. If the calculated sum exceeds 30, then the recorded grade is “30 e lode”. Detailed information regarding grading criteria is available on the course information sheet, which can be downloaded from the Moodle platform.
- 5 quizzes, each allowing a maximum of 3 exam points
- 5 individual presentations, each allowing a maximum of 3 exam points (2 if presented in asynchronous mode, i.e., outside dedicated Thematic Workshop)
- individual project, for a maximum total 5 exam points
- oral examination, for a maximum total 5 exam points
All exam-related activities are optional, with the possible exception of the oral examination if the sum of the total points obtained in the other modules is below 23. The oral examination, if taken, must follow the other modules chronologically. If the calculated sum exceeds 30, then the recorded grade is “30 e lode”. Detailed information regarding grading criteria is available on the course information sheet, which can be downloaded from the Moodle platform.
Course program
The course is divided into 5 thematic Parts:
- Part 1: environmental risk management framework
- Part 2: environmental geotechnical characterization methods
- Part 3: geotechnical soil improvement methods
- Part 4: natural and climate-induced environmental risks
- Part 5: environmental risks from contamination
The detailed syllabus is available on the course information sheet, which can be downloaded from the Moodle platform.
- Part 1: environmental risk management framework
- Part 2: environmental geotechnical characterization methods
- Part 3: geotechnical soil improvement methods
- Part 4: natural and climate-induced environmental risks
- Part 5: environmental risks from contamination
The detailed syllabus is available on the course information sheet, which can be downloaded from the Moodle platform.
Sustainable Development Goals 2030
This course contributes to the realization of the UN goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.