Environmental Engineering

ELENA RIDOLFI

General outcomes
The formative objectives of the HYDRAULIC RISK ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION MEASURES course are to calculate the main terms of the hydrologic balance at basin scale; to estimate the hydraulic risk and to estimate the possible actions of mitigation; to design hydraulic works for soil protection; to implement structural and non structural measures for flood prevention, and hydrosystems management models, with a view to adaptation and mitigation of the hydrological effects of climate change.
The course is divided into three main parts in which the following topics will be covered respectively:
A. Definition of hydraulic risk and adaptation strategies to climate change.
B. Hydraulic risk mitigation measures
C. Management Models of hydrosystems
Some hydrological and hydraulic models are presented for the estimation of the hydraulic risk and possible actions of mitigation, for the planning and design of hydraulic works for soil protection and for the implementation of structural and non structural measures for flood prevention.

The general learning outcomes expected are included among the wider outcomes of the whole master programme in Environmental Engineering. To this regard, the module contributes (as for the hydraulic risk management) to the educational background required for the graduate engineer to manage and design interventions for the preservation of the quality of environmental compartments and mitigation of climate change effects.

Specific outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:
after passing the exam, the students will be able to deal with issues related to flood risk engineering and land protection, with particular reference to the planning the best flood mitigation strategy, to the design and to the management structural and non structural measures for flood strategy also in real time.

Applying knowledge and understanding:
after passing the exam, the students will be able to undertake planning and design alternatives in order to protect and prevent territory from flood risk.

Making judgement:
After passing the exam, the students will acquire the ability to make judgements with particular regard to “the evaluation of flood mitigation strategy both in structural and non structural way” and “ the planning, the design of hydraulic works and the imlementation of hydrological and hydraulic models for the real time flood risk management”, also on complex systems/problems.

Learning skills:
The above mentioned skills will contribute to building a backbone that will allow the students to get updated information in a continuous, autonomous and in-depth manner, concerning both their professional abilities and the emerging environmental issues.
Solving numerical and design exercises will also provide the students with a tool to acquire autonomous learning skills, also with specific regard to the ability to make judgement and critical assessment of the faced problems in case of shortage or lack of the relevant information

Expected learning outcomes of the course:

River hydraulic modeling and hydraulic risk analysis related to flood-prone areas;
Knowledge of structural mitigation works and non-structural flood risk mitigation strategies;
Analysis of erosion phenomena in mountain watercourses;
Knowledge of river training and restoration techniques;
Understanding of drought phenomena;
Understanding of the effects of climate change in the hydrological context.

In order to understand the topics of the course and achieve the learning outcomes, at the beginning of teaching activities it is necessary that the student knows the basic hydraulic equations, models of hydrological processes at basin scale, conceptual rainfall-runoff models, principal hydrological statistical tools.

FLUVIAL HYDRAULICS - HYDRODYNAMICS, SURFACE FLOWS, SURFACE
WATER: Measure and formation of flows; floods; estimation of discharge
with annual maximum methods; baseflow.
HYDROLOGIC RISK AND HYDRAULIC PROTECTION: Identification and risk assessment, structural and not
structural actions of mitigation.
FLOODING AREAS: Generality and methods of marking out.
METHODS OF CIVIL PROTECTION: Language and organization of the Civil Protection, emergency management and plans of
Civil Protection.
THE FLOOD SERVICE: Hydro-meteorological monitoring (Hydro-meteorological networks, meteorological radar, signals on the
satellite measures), the meteorological forecasts (models to total scale and limited area), methods of warning (rainfall thresholds of flood).
RIVER MORPHODYNAMIC
FLUVIAL WATER WORKS
STORAGE AND FLOOD AREAS
MANAGEMENT OF HYDROSYSTEMS ENGINEERING, TECHNICAL AND ECONOMICA FEASIBILITY, RELIABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT.

F. Napolitano: "APPUNTI E DISPENSE DI PROTEZIONE IDRAULICA DEL TERRITORIO E DEI LITORALI”

A. Armanini: Principi di Idraulica Fluviale, Editoriale Bios, 1999
L. Da Deppo, C. Datei, P. Salandin: Sistemazione dei corsi d’acqua italiani, Edizioni Libreria Cortina, Padova, 1998
R. Rosso: Manuale di protezione idraulica del territorio, CUSI, Milano, 2002

The course is delivered through in-person lectures, supported by slide presentations.
Throughout the course, practical exercises are proposed to help students understand how to implement rainfall-runoff models, flood wave propagation models, as well as structural and non-structural flood mitigation measures and slope stabilization techniques.

The course includes interactive components to encourage engagement between the instructor and students.
At the end of the course, practical seminars are organized to showcase real-world applications of the topics covered.

Not mandatory, but recommended

The knowledge acquired by the students on the course topics would be evaluated through both mid-term tests (on selected topics during the lecturing period) and a final exam. The latter will involve an oral discussion of the main subjects of the course (as a rule, 3 subjects selected by the teacher during the exam), out of which one will be specifically focused on the practical/design projects that are to be submitted in the form of a written report on the day of the exam.
The final evaluation will take into account mainly (70-80%) the acquired knowledge and understanding and the ability of their application, and for the remaining 20-30% the demonstrated making judgements abilities and autonomous learning skills. Each of these aspects will be judged on the 3 topics selected by the teacher during the exam.

Hydraulic invariance: why it is needed and how we can achieve it
Non structural measures to mitigate flood: rainfall threshold values
Processes to estimate discharge at a specific river cross section given the observed precipitation

• Legislazione
  • Books: Lecturer's notes


• Analisi e mappatura del rischio idraulico
  • Books: Lecturer's notes


• Cambiamento climatico e PNACC
  • Books: Lecturer's notes


• Misure strutturali per la mitigazione del rischio idraulico: dighe, diversivi, argini e rivestimenti, soglie
  • Books: Lecturer's notes


• Misure non strutturali per la mitigazione del rischio idraulico: previsione e allerta, assicurazioni
  • Books: Lecturer's notes


• Invarianza idraulica e SuDs
  • Books: Lecturer's notes