GE488 Natural Hazards

Contents and structure

The course provides the students with insights into different kinds of natural hazards. Focus is laid on landslides, floods and wildfires and their impact on inhabited environments and infrastructure. Examples of specific hazardous events and the processes involved are investigated during practical exercises. An important part of the training aims to enable the students to recognize and understand the potential danger of natural hazards and assess their risk. This training allows the students to evaluate the need for mitigation measures and the potential in risk reduction for different types of measures.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

Students gain knowledge about

- driving and triggering factors of natural hazards and how they interplay

- process development and propagation of hazardous events

- how climate change can affect the frequency and magnitude of natural hazards

- the potential impact of natural hazards on infrastructure and society

 

Skills:

Students will be able to:

- understand the content of articles and reports dealing with natural hazards

- conduct basic assessments of the danger and extent of potential events based on the analysis of existing maps, databases, available reports and numerical models

 

General qualifications:

Students will be able to:

- communicate with decision-makers and the general public about natural hazards

- identify and specify potential hazard zones in a given area

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Lessons, assignments and excursions

 

Excursions

- Field trips to different locations in western Norway, where students investigate unstable/slide-prone slopes, morphological landslide features and flood damage

Compulsory learning activities

- Approved reports from four assignments

- Approved excursions and associated field reports

Assessment

Individual 4 hrs written exam

Grading A-F

Examination support material

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