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Unit of study_
CIVL5453: Geotechnical Hazards
2024 unit information
Geotechnical hazards include landslides, rock falls and mud flows. They are triggered by soil/rock failure due to natural or human causes. The objective of this Unit of Study is to develop the ability to assess and mitigate the risks associated to such events. Students will learn how to estimate when and where these events are likely to occur, how to define safety zones and how to design effective protection structures. The syllabus is comprised of (i) Landslide Risk Assessment and Management procedures (ii) post-failure and out of equilibrium soil mechanics applied to prediction of rock fall, landslide and mud flow run-out distance and impact force on structures; (iii) design of geotechnical protection structures using Finite Element modelling. Senior geotechnical engineers from major companies will deliver some guest lectures presenting on practical case study involving geotechnical hazards throughout the semester.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Engineering
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | Civil Engineering |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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(CIVL2410 AND CIVL3411) OR (CIVL9410 AND CIVL9411). Students are assumed to have a good knowledge of fundamental soil mechanics, which is covered in the courses of soil mechanics (settlement, water flow, soil strength) and foundation engineering (soil models, stability analyses; slope stability; retaining walls; foundation capacity) |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. write geotechnical report with extensive consideration of theoretical and methodological issues
- LO2. interpret and discuss uncertainty in theoretical/practical context
- LO3. apply theories of rock and soil motion to design protection systems and building foundations
- LO4. demonstrate proficiency in Landslide Risk Assessment and Management procedures recommended by the Australian Geomechanics Society
- LO5. develop geotechnical solutions to mitigate rock and soil motion
- LO6. demonstrate proficiency in computer simulations of out of equilibrium motions
- LO7. understand physical models of rock falls, landslides and mud-flows, and their limitation.
Unit availability
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