The objectives of the class are to: (i) understand the role of geologic and geomorphological components on the environmental problems; (ii) achieve knowledge on natural geological resources, such as groundwater, mineral and energy resources, geological landscape, river physical habitat; (iii) learn about impacts that human activity can cause on these resources, including the impacts of major building engineering projects and, vice versa, the risks generated by geological processes on the built environment
Furthermore the class intends to provide the capability of using in an appropriate manner terminology and concepts in order to:
- understand literature related to geological environmental problems;
- effectively discuss arguments and problems covered during the class.
- capability of achieving further knowledge and updates from the scientific and technical literature in the perspective of the continuation of the study program.
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Lectures
Type of Assessment
Oral test. The conversation aims to verify, by the mean of theoretical questions and critical discussion with the professor:
- acquisition of the knowledge covered during the class;
- capability of using in an appropriate manner the terminology of the discipline;
- capability of critically discussing topics and problems covered;
- capability of understanding the literature and achieve further knowledge and updates during the continuation of the study program.
Course program
1. Aims and methods of Environmental geology. Sustainable development.
Part I: Geological resources
2. Water resources. Hydrogeology.
3. Energy resources. Hydrocarbon. Geothermic energy.
4. Mineral resources. Minerals and quarried materials. Mining and quarrying activity.
5. Soil
6. Geological landscape, geosites, geoturism
7. Hydromorphology
Part II: Impact of development on the geological environment
8. Impacts on water resources. Climatic warming and glaciers melting. Groundwater pollution and vulnerability of aquifers.
9. Impacts of resources exploitation
Impacts of hydrocarbon extraction. Impacts of quarrying activity.
10. Soil degradation and desertification.
11. Wastes and landfills.
12. Environmental impacts of major building engineering projects
Roads, tunnels, dams. Environmental monitoring.
13. Impacts on hydromorphology.
Sustainability and management of natural resources related to streams. Water Framework Directive, hydromorphological assessment, river restoration.
14. Geo-hydrological risks
Impacts of natural processes on the human environment: landslides and fluvial dynamics.