GEOLOGIA AMBIENTALE
The student should have good knowledge in physical geography, geology and, possibly, some basics in statistics. Knowledge in English Language in required. It would be useful to have attended before a basic GIS introduction.
Student evaluation will be based on a written test followed by an oral examination. The written test will be based on the theoretical content of the course.
The analysis of a written report of the field stage will be part of the examination as well. An examination held in this way offers both the opportunity to test student’s knowledge of the course content and to drive the student to develop specific skills on a) analysis of complex problems, b) the development of new and original research approach and c) good communications.
The final mark will be obtained from the weighted sum of the three parts, according to the following:
Written report of the field stage: 20%
Written test: 40%
Oral examination: 40%
Knowledge:
- Geological hazard: possible sources of hazard from both endogenic and exogenic processes; key parameters and variables in determining geological hazard; possible risk mitigation strategies.
- Georesources: evaluation and management granting effective exploitartion and suistanable evelopment.
- Geological data analysis: collection and analysis of structural data and interpretation of geological maps.
Skills:
- Predict the main geological hazards affecting an area and evaluate the system sensitivity to changes of different parameters
- Evaluate the human impact on the environment and geological setting and decoupling human influence from natural background signal.
- Derive the geological and physical characteristics of a site from geophysical data.
- Read geological maps and correctly interpret information coming from structural and technical analysis in order to derive input data for hazard analysis.
This course will cover the possible interactions between geological setting and processes and human activities and will explore the complex influences that one can have on each other.
This course will give the opportunity to the students to: a) evaluate the main geological processes acting in an area, b) learn how to collect geological data in order to define type and magnitude of the hazards to which environment is exposed (hazard analysis, recurrence interval and complex scenarios) and c) evaluate the exposure and vulnerability of human activities and environment.
Main topics will be:
- Introduction to environmental geology (hazard vs risk; predisposing and triggering factors etc.) (2 hours)
- Geological process and impact on environment and human activities (i.e., seismic, volcanic, hydrogeological hazars etc.) (14 hours)
- Human processes affecting geological setting and resources (e.g., indiced subsidence and seismicity, exploitation of mineral deposits, fracking, groundwater resources) (10 hours)
- Geological analysis and geophysical exploration (geological mappiung, geophysics, structural data, hydrogeological analysis etc.). (12 hours)
Environmental geology: principles and practice, Fred G. Bell, Wiley-Blackwell; - course textbook
Geology and the Environment, B.W. Pipkin, D.D. Trent et al. – suggested additional reading
The course’s slides and additional monographic texts will be made available on the on-line course platform.
Lessons include active lectures (36 hours), held in one University seat and broadcasted on the other one, and two mandatory field stages (for a total of 24 hours – 2 1/2 days) to be held in the final part of the course.