OVERVIEW

Many areas of the world are prone to multiple and potentially interacting natural hazards able to generate significant impacts, specifically in complex anthropized systems. 

Disaster risk assessment and management are essential to ensure the sustainability and safety of the built environment and population, especially from an engineering perspective. 

The teaching unit will provide the students with advanced knowledge and skills on risk assessment, with two specific focuses: (i) seismic risk assessment and mitigation of the built environment, and (ii) multi-hazard risk assessment, considering the impacts generated by multiple and potentially interacting hazards.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching unit will provide the students with advanced knowledge and skills on risk assessment, with two specific focuses: (i) seismic risk assessment and mitigation of the built environment, and (ii) multi-hazard risk assessment, considering the impacts generated by multiple and potentially interacting hazards.
At the end of the teaching unit, students will be able to:
i) apply the concepts and definitions of seismic risk, as well as those related to multi-hazard and multi-risk frameworks;
ii) conduct large-scale damage and vulnerability assessments of existing buildings in the post-earthquake emergency phase, and select the best approaches to manage multi-hazard risk;
iii) critically evaluate potential seismic risk reduction policies and implement strategies for multi-hazard disaster risk reduction.

PREREQUISITES

Even if no ‘formal’ prerequisites are necessary, the student is suggested to have:

For “Seismic risk assessment and mitigation of the built environment” module:

• Basic requirements for modelling and analysis of structures
• Basic knowledge of structural mechanics 
• Material behaviour (stress and strain)
• Internal forces – Compression and Tension – Shear – Bending moment

For “Multi-hazard impact and risk assessment” module:

• Basic knowledge of natural hazard disaster risk concepts
• Knowledge of the Risk Equation and its components (hazard, exposure, vulnerability, capacity)
• Knowledge of the Disaster Risk Management Cycle and its phases

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final mark obtained at the end of the class will be the average of the marks obtained separately in the two modules in which the teaching is divided. Please refer to the ‘EXAM DESCRIPTION’ session of each module for details about exams modalities.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The final mark obtained at the end of the class will be the average of the marks obtained separately in the two modules in which the teaching is divided. Please refer to the ‘ASSESSMENT METHODS’ session of each module for details about the assessment criteria applied.