58384 - Georisks

Learning outcomes

The objective of the course is to give the student a basic understanding of the concepts of hazard, vulnerability, and risk in the context of natural hazards.

Several natural hazards will be condidered and practical exercises based on web and computer applications are going to show how risk assessemnt is done in modern contexts.

Course contents

Definition of, hazard, vulnerability, and environmental risk.

Introduction to geological mapping.

Hydrogeologic risk: flooding, droughts, landslides.

Ground and surface water pollution risk.

Land subsidence risk (fluid expulsion and collapse).

Volcanic risk.

Tsunami risk.

Readings/Bibliography

Course notes, scientific papers and powerpoint presentations.

Suggested textbook:

Pipkin, Trent, Hazlett. Environmental Geology, 2007

Teaching methods

Lessons from power point slides

Exercises using laptop computers (the student should have accessto a laptop computer)

Exercises baseed on Web applications for Google Earth.

Exercises based on Excel spreadsheets.

Possible field trips.

Assessment methods

Course attendance is necessary. The final grade will be based 50% on the exercises done in class (3-4 exercises) and 50 % based on a written geologic report with argument to be negotiated with the teacher. The geologic report will be about one of the natural hazards dealt within the course.

Teaching tools

Laptop computer, web applications, spreadsheets.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Antonellini