ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
Stampa
Enrollment year
2021/2022
Academic year
2021/2022
Regulations
DM270
Academic discipline
GEO/05 (APPLIED GEOLOGY)
Department
DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Course
GEOSCIENCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Curriculum
GEOSCIENZE APPLICATE ALLA GESTIONE DELL'AMBIENTE
Year of study
Period
1st semester (04/10/2021 - 14/01/2022)
ECTS
6
Lesson hours
51 lesson hours
Language
English
Activity type
WRITTEN TEST
Teacher
MEISINA CLAUDIA (titolare) - 6 ECTS
Prerequisites

The students of this course have to own or to obtain an adequate initial knowledge about the following basic principles of geology: soil and rock classification, basic knowledge of structural geology and hydrogeology.

Learning outcomes

Scope of the course is to introduce the student to fundamental geological surface and subsurfaces data in order to understanding engineering geological models for application to engineering works and to geohazards.
In terms of acquired skills, the course will provide the ability to plan and execute engineering geological models to use for the study of landslide, tunnel, foundation, liquefaction, subsidence.

Course contents

Geological factors and their relation with engineering problems. The most important fields of application of engineering geology to foundations, slopes, tunnels, dams and earth structures. Basic aspects of engineering geology including map construction and interpretation (e.g. engineering geological mapping units). Significance of ground profiles to engineering design, their origin in various geological settings. Engineering geological model types and terminology: conceptual and observational approaches. General rules for the construction of useful models. Use of surface and subsoil data in creating model of the ground (data collection, management and pre-processing), development of engineering geological models involved in civil engineering projects and in geohazards, model validation. Some examples of engineering geological models for geohazards assessment in different geological and geomorphological environments.
The course content covers some Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all, Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures to illustrate the theory and tutorial sessions where the emphasis is on applications and problem solving. Each subject is illustrated with the support of experimental and observational evidences and well-documented case histories concerning earthquake and landslide hazard drawn from the experience of the instructor. During the exercises, two 3D engineering geological models of the subsoil will be reconstructed in two different geological and geomorphological contexts using the RockWorks software.

Reccomended or required readings

 Luis Gonzalez de Vallejo, Mercedes Ferrer (2011). Geological Engineering. CRC Press, ISBN 9781439892213. Reference textbook.
 Course notes, scientific articles and other material will be provided during the course.

Assessment methods

Three assignments about the concepts and the topics of the course will be handed over and graded during the course. At the end of the course, a final examination will be also scheduled, consisting in a three hours-written test with open questions regarding the topics of the course. The final grading will be obtained from the following proportion: 40% evaluation of the assignments, 60% evaluation of the final exam.

Further information
Sustainable development goals - Agenda 2030