OVERVIEW

The teaching unit is composed of two modules that provide students with a comprehensive overview of various Earth surface dynamics. The first addresses the impacts of disasters on coastal environments, with a focus on hydraulic, maritime and coastal engineering, analysis of the phenomenon of marine pollution and monitoring. The second is dedicated to wildfire hazards. It covers wildfire as an Earth system process, the quantification of wildfire danger, hazard and risk, and the simulation of wildfire scenarios. According to the 2005 Flood Directive, the area to be analysed for landslides, river and coastal erosion extends from the edge of the water catchment area to the closure depth on the sea. This indicates that, from an environmental engineering perspective, all Earth surface processes are interconnected — from the proper management of wildfires (which can trigger soil erosion, increase surface runoff, and elevate the likelihood of debris flows and landslides) to the overall condition of the coastline. For the coastal area the sediment transport from the hydraulic network is one of the sources of the evolution of the coastal line (erosion and deposit).

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching unit Risk in Natural Environments is composed of two modules, namely Impact of Disasters on Coastal Environments and Wildfire Risk Assessment and Management. The learning objectives for each module are listed below.

Impact of Disasters on Coastals Environments

The Impact of Disasters on Coastal Environments module provides in the first part a description of the main physical phenomena that characterize wave motion and its interaction with the coastal environment. 
The second part of the module provides the basis for being able to analyze the main physical and nonphysical factors that can produce a negative impact in the coastal environment. The main technical concepts to be applied in port areas from an engineering point of view are also provided. The student will therefore be able to deal with engineering problems in coastal and port areas.

Wildfire Risk Assessment and Management

The module aims to provide students with basic concepts of assessment and management of wildfire risk. The module will impart the necessary knowledge to understand the processes and ground and meteorological conditions related to the occurrence of fires in agro-forestry environments, with particular attention to the temporal dynamics of local fire danger extremes. The purpose of the module is to provide an overview of the global issue of wildfires, focusing on the various aspects involved in this type of risk, including the effects of climate change. At the end of the module, the student will be able to use and interpret the most common systems for quantifying wildfire danger; interpret susceptibility, hazard, and wildfire risk maps; and identify data sources and techniques necessary for constructing these maps. Additionally, the student will be familiar with the main fire propagation models and their role in firefighting actions and scenario generation.

PREREQUISITES

The course doesn't request a prerequisites

Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs), disabilities or other educational needs are invited to contact the teacher and the School's contact person for disability at the beginning of teaching to agree on possible teaching arrangements that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning patterns. Contacts of the teacher and the School's disability contact person can be found at the following link Comitato di Ateneo per l’inclusione delle studentesse e degli studenti con disabilità o con DSA | UniGe | Università di Genova

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://courses.unige.it/10553/p/students-timetable

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

See the specific indications of the two modules of the teaching unit.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The lessons of both modules of the teaching unit  will be performed using power point presentations. The material showed during each lesson will be uploadead also in the  “AulaWEB “of the course, and eventually on dedicated MS TEAMS groups.

During the  two modules different moments will be introduced to evaluate the comprehension using Wooclap test or similar procedure.

It will be requested to produce some technical relations that will be discussed in the classroom to increase the communication and critical skills of the students.