Natural hazards assessment and modeling

The main objectives of the course are to: 1) provide an overview of different processes in natural hazards research in the context of ongoing climate change and local environmental conditions; 2) provide insights and practice for the quantification, conceptual assessment, and risk evaluation of different types of natural hazards; 3) learn to assess a specific hazards-related research question via literature analysis and collaborative work in a group.

Individual exercises on four areas of natural hazards will be conducted and their results discussed: 1) River floods; 2) Slope processes such as rock fall; 3) Coastal hazards including sea-level rise; 4) Cryospheric hazards, including snow avalanches and glacier-related hazards.

The importance of hazard cascades and simultaneously occurring hazards will also be discussed and explored.

A student who has completed this course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

• has a broad overview of current research and methods in inland flooding, slope processes, coastal hazards, cryospheric hazards, and hazard cascades
• knows about methods used for quantification and modelling of different types of natural hazards, and the limitations of such methods
• has a broad overview of relevant hazards and their history in Norway and globally
• understands how both antecedent conditions and ongoing climate change contribute to present-day natural hazards (i.e. the past is the key to the present)
• has broad knowledge of theoretical and methodological approaches to the assessment of different types of natural hazards
• has a deep understanding of a selected topic in natural hazards research from a physical geographical perspective

Skills

• can locate and synthesize relevant peer-reviewed scientific literature for the purpose of answering a specific research question on natural hazards
• has hands-on experience in modelling, either conceptually, numerically or physically, different types of natural hazards, and estimating the risk potential of a given settlement that is exposed to these hazards
• can present a selected research topic orally to fellow students
• can critically evaluate the scientific presentation of a topic given by fellow students

General competence

• can critically assess natural hazards situations based on data and literature provided
• can synthesize literature to answer a problem statement on natural hazards
• has thorough knowledge and mastery of physical geographical vocabulary in natural hazards research and can apply this knowledge in written and oral contexts.
• can communicate clearly and concisely in written and oral forms
• can write an academic text on current issues in natural hazards research regarding the scientific problems, analyses, and conclusions.
• can provide constructive written and oral feedback on scientific content and presentation skills.

Introduction lecture and seminars up to 10 hours.

The compulsory assignments and the exam must be completed in English. Exceptions must be clarified with the lecturer responsible for the course.

Teaching will only be given if a sufficient number of students register for the course and if the Department has sufficient teaching resources. See www.ntnu.edu/studies/courses for the most up to date information on the courses not being offered.