objectives
A sequence of theoretical lessons, practical exercises and technical visits is provided in this course with the purpose of introducing students to the geological aspects of civil and environmental engineering. The acquisition of necessary knowledge for the guardianship of the environment and the ability to apply such knowledge to the engineering works forms one main goal of the course. The initial theoretical lessons concern on recall of basic geology. Methodologies of direct and remote sensing investigations will be then introduced to obtain geological and hydro-geologic data useful for the definition of applicative geological models. These models are aimed to better analyse the problem introduced by civil engineering works and the relationships between causes and effects on the territory. The cultural baggage will allow the students to make own independent analyses on the relationships between use and evolution of the territory, and to improve the interaction with technological innovations in the field of direct and remote acquisition of data. The acquisition of theories will be supported by practical exercises where students will analyse engineering works in their geologic and hydro-geological context, in order to evaluate their geological criticality. These matters will take advantage of technical visits at particularly important civil engineering works, already built or under construction, and at relevant national Research Centres.
Course program
The teaching programme includes a first general and advanced part (about 52 hours) in which the following topics will be covered: geology and design. Investigation methodologies: remote sensing (interpretation of images and DInSAR techniques) and techno-geological terrestrial surveys; geophysical and geo-mechanical investigations aimed to the analysis and the protection of the territory. Landslides: description and classification; individualization techniques. Landslide analysis in the Italian territory. Hydrogeology: the water in nature; phreatic and confined aquifer (aquitard); underground hydro-dynamics; geo-chemical, geo-physical and geo-mechanical techniques for hydro-geological investigation; perforation and ground water withdrawal techniques; pumping tests under stationary and transient regime; aquifer and ground water level mapping; groundwater protection. Earthquake geology: seismotectonics and seismic microzonation. Analysis of the geological criticality and thematic mapping. Hazard, risk, vulnerability and exposure. The geological and hydro-geological models in applied geology and their definition. A second part (about 20 hours) of related exercises: the importance of the geology, geomorphology and hydro-geology in the planning of engineering works, applications and case studies. Realization of a final report concerning the preliminary analysis of the criticality geological of an engineering work.
