Environmental Engineering

General learning outcomes Purpose of the course is to focus attention on some of the main problems of geotechnical engineering applied to the environment and to soil stability, such as the design of landfills, designing with geosynthetics and design the interventions to attenuate natural and anthropic risks, providing the methodologies to approach and solve the problems. The course is to prefix to provide the design elements for: ● Evaluation of the conditions of slope stability and fundamental design works to reduce the risk related to natural phenomena and/or anthropic activity (landslides, earthworks, variation of groundwater level and underground excavations). ● Design of soil stabilization and reinforcement earth. ● Waterproofing barriers (bottom and capping) and vertical barriers in landfill and soil remediation Specific learning outcomes Knowledge and understanding At the end of the course, students will be able to: ● Recognize and choose the use of geotextiles and geocomposites; ● Evaluate the applicability of interventions with reinforced earths; ● Choose the best technologies for the design of vertical and horizontal barriers in landfills and contaminated sites; ● Design the geotechnical aspects of waste landfills ● Identify the problems and choose the best solutions for interventions with trenchless technologies (Microtunnel and HDD) ● Know and evaluate bio-engineering techniques Applying knowledge and understanding At the end of the course, students will be able to: ● Design reinforced earth structures. ● Develop stability analysis of slopes in static and seismic conditions using specific software ● Evaluate the stability of landfill capping. ● Design a Compacted Clay Liners for landfill and design the related test field; ● Evaluate the stability of a landfill and its settlement vs time ● Designing Bio-Engineering interventions Making judgements By sharing presentations, documents and specific publications, the course will develop students' analytical skills and independent judgment, stimulating the evaluation of the specific system dealt with in order to identify the critical elements and the possible improvements. During the lessons software will be used for the evaluation of slope stability and spreadsheets for the resolution of some theoretical problems applied to real cases, even complex ones, encouraging students to discuss interpretative hypotheses and possible analytical solutions to the highlighted problems. At the end of the course, students will be able to work on the topics covered both independently and as members of a team. Communication skills The teacher will stimulate the students' communication skills, inviting them to discussion and analysis on the topics and application cases dealt with. Learning skills The sharing of the material relating to the course, the discussion and identification of the main actors in reference to the covered topics, the experimentation of the techniques for solving real problems and the research, also bibliographic, of technological solution, will help the students to develop a strong ability to continue, in total autonomy, the study and the professional and scientific updating on the topics dealt with.