Unit GEOMORPHOLOGY AND APPLIED GEOLOGY
- Course
- Earth science and environment
- Study-unit Code
- A004564
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Corrado Cencetti
- CFU
- 12
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2024
- Offered
- 2025/26
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa integrata
APPLIED GEOLOGY
| Code | 55003309 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 6 |
| Teacher | Corrado Cencetti |
| Teachers |
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| Hours |
|
| Learning activities | Caratterizzante |
| Area | Discipline geomorfologiche e geologico-applicative |
| Academic discipline | GEO/05 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | Italian |
| Contents | Rocks and engineering soils. Index properties. Mechanical properties of soils. Landslides (monitoring and mapping). Remediation of instability. |
| Reference texts | Scesi L., Papini M. & Gattinoni P. (2003) - Geologia Applicata - Applicazione ai progetti di Ingegneria Civile. Vol. 2. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Pipkin B.W., Trent D.D. & Hazlett R. (2007) - Geologia ambientale. Edizione italiana a cura di Rinaldo Genevois. Piccin Editore, Padova. Canuti P., Crescenti U. & Francani V. (2008) - Geologia applicata all'ambiente. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano. Copies of the slides illustrated in class by the teacher. |
| Educational objectives | Understand the technical role of the Applied Geologist in the design of engineering works, through the analysis of the mechanical behavior of soils and rocks. Understand the monitoring and cartographic representation techniques of landslides, useful for defining suitable interventions for their safety. Acquisition of methods for the safe management of streams. Acquisition of mining methods for mineral deposits. Acquisition of specific skills that constitute the essential knowledge base of the professional geologist, also considering that this course is distinctly "professionalizing". The three-year degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences allows registration in the Register of the Professional Order of Geologists (Section B = Junior Geologist). |
| Prerequisites | Even if no mandatory preparatory information is indicated, basic knowledge of general geology and geomorphology is essential in order to understand the contents covered. It is therefore advisable to pass the Geomorphology module before the Applied Geology module. |
| Teaching methods | Lessons and practice. |
| Other information | None |
| Learning verification modality | Single oral test, which consists of an interview aimed at verifying the student's preparation regarding the topics covered during the course and the acquisition of specific skills that constitute the essential knowledge base of the professional geologist. This is also in consideration that this course is distinctly "professionalising". The three-year degree in Geology allows, in fact, registration in the Register of the Professional Order of Geologists (Section B = Junior Geologist). For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or DSA visit the page: http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa |
| Extended program | Applied Geology and Earth Sciences. Rocks and Soils. Main index properties of soils. Main mechanical properties of soils and rocks. Cohesion, internal friction angle and shear resistance of soils and rocks. Landslides. Monitoring of landslides. Thematic cartography. Techniques, methods and works for the management and remediation of landslides. |
| Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile |
GEOMORPHOLOGY
| Code | 55018609 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 6 |
| Teacher | Laura Melelli |
| Teachers |
|
| Hours |
|
| Learning activities | Base |
| Area | Formazione geologica di base |
| Academic discipline | GEO/04 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | Italian |
| Contents | 1. Principles and methods of geomorphology 2. Structural geomorphology 3. Morphotectonics 4. Hints of volcanic geomorphology 5. Slope geomorphology 6. Fluvial geomorphology 7. Glacial and periglacial geomorphology 8. Coastal geomorphology 9. Hints of aeolian geomorphology 10. Hints of karst geomorphology 11. Hints of anthropogenic geomorphology 12. Hints of geomorphological cartography 13. An overview on geomorphological heritage |
| Reference texts | Ciccacci S. (2019) "Le forme del rilievo. Atlante illustrato di geomorfologia". Mondadori università Ed, pp. 528. ISBN-13: 978-8861847347 Dramis F., Ollier C. (2016) " Genesi ed evoluzione del rilievo terrestre. Fondamenti di Geomorfologia". Pitagora Ed. Bologna. ISBN: 88-371-1620-9. |
| Educational objectives | The content of the course is fundamental to the completion of a degree in Geology. The comprehensive nature of the course enables students to gain the skills required to interpret any aspect of the physical and anthropogenic landscape, including endogenous and exogenous dynamics. The main knowledge acquired is as follows: 1) The ability to recognise morphotypes linked to structural factors and the main morphogenetic processes (gravitational, fluvial and surface runoff, karstic, glacial, periglacial, marine, wind, volcanic), 2) The ability to distinguish the degree of activity of forms, 3) The ability to interpret the evolution of the physical landscape at different spatial and temporal scales, 4) Knowledge of the main mathematical laws governing morphological systems at equilibrium and the interpretation of variations due to external variables. The fundamental skills, which are the ability to apply the knowledge acquired, will be as follows: 1) The capacity to conduct a fundamental geomorphological survey and generate derived thematic mapping. 2) The ability to identify morphogenetic processes and morphotypes as a natural resource. 3) The capacity to identify morphogenetic processes and morphotypes related to natural hazards. 4) The capacity to interpret topographic maps from a geological-geomorphological perspective. In particular, this skill is applicable to all those disciplines of the Earth Sciences whose activities include field surveying. Translation by DeepL.com (free version). |
| Prerequisites | In order to comprehend and utilise the majority of the information and techniques elucidated in the teaching, it is recommended that the candidate has successfully completed the first-year examination in Physical Geography and GIS. It is of great importance to have acquired a solid understanding of the fundamental principles of rock recognition and classification, as well as the concepts of physical and chemical weathering. |
| Teaching methods | The course is structured as follows: - Classroom lectures on all course topics; - Reading of topographic cartography in the classroom and/or in the field from a geomorphological perspective. Within the limits of the excursion funds provided by the Department, field exercises may be planned. |
| Other information | No other information |
| Learning verification modality | The exam includes an oral test. The oral exam is a discussion lasting approximately 20 minutes, which is designed to ascertain the student's level of knowledge and comprehension of the theoretical and methodological contents indicated in the syllabus. During the oral exam, students may be asked to respond to questions based on images, extracts from topographical or thematic maps. Furthermore, the oral exam will permit the assessment of the student's communication skills, with particular attention to language proficiency and the ability to organize and present information independently on the same topics. For further information on support services for students with disabilities and/or DSA, please refer to the following website: http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa |
| Extended program | 1. Principles and methods of geomorphology Fundamental concepts in geomorphology. Landforms: classification, morphometric, morphodynamic, morphochronological. Man as morphogenetic agent and passive subject of morphogenesis. Overview of absolute dating methods for landforms. The actions of erosion, transport and sedimentation used as a principle for the classification of landforms. The description of landforms along cross and longitudinal sections and in plan. 2. Structural geomorphology Slopes as basic element of the landscape. How slopes are shaped. How slopes evolve. Structural forms on stratified rocks. Tabular structures. Monoclinal structures. Folded structures. Fault-related structural shapes. How hydrographic patterns are affected by structural control. 3. Morphotectonics Wide-ranging regional uplifts. How folds and faults affect the landscape. 4. Outlines of volcanic geomorphology Volcanic reliefs. 5. Slope geomorphology Genesis and evolution. Strain and stress. Rheology of geological materials. Slow gravitational movements of surface deposits. Landslides. Classification of landslides. Falls. Topple. Slides: translational and rotational. Flows. Lateral spreads. Large landslides. State of landslide activity. Deep Gravitative Slope Deformations. The concepts of susceptibility, hazard, vulnerability, and risk. The PAI (Hydrogeological Structure Plan). The IFFI Project (Inventory of Italian Landslide Phenomena). 6. Fluvial geomorphology The river drainage basin. Areal runoff on slopes. Watercourses. Fluvial morphology. Types of river erosion. Sediment transport, the Hjulström curve. River beds: straight, sinuous, meandering, braided channels, anastomosed channels. Riverbeds change with the seasons. The shape of watercourses. The normalised longitudinal profile. Transverse profiles. Floodplains. River catches. The evolution of river valleys. The influence of tectonics, climate and human intervention. River terraces. 7. Glacial and periglacial geomorphology Glacier types. Glacier formation. Glacier dynamics. The mass balance. The heat balance and temperature of glaciers. Rheology of ice. The movement of glaciers. Glacier surface deformations. The morphogenetic action of glaciers. Erosion forms, indicators of movement and transport, sedimentation landforms (moraines). Fluvioglacial and proglacial deposits and forms. Pleistocene glaciations. 8. Coastal geomorphology Sea level variations. Sea movements. Tides. Sea currents. Wave motion. Waves, mechanisms of refraction, diffraction, reflection. Currents near the coast. Tidal currents. Suction currents. Coastal drift. The tsunami. Coastal morphology. The classification of coasts. The rectification of coasts. Marine terraces. Beaches. 9. Notes on aeolian geomorphology The aeolian process and the actions of erosion, transport and sedimentation. Forms of erosion. Forms of sedimentation: dunes and their classification. Anthropogenic actions to limit desertification. 10. Outlines of karstic geomorphology Dissolution and precipitation. Classification of forms on a morphometric basis. Epigean forms. Hints at hypogean forms. 11. Anthropogenic geomorphology Anthropogenically modified natural forms. Anthropogenic forms. Urban geomorphology. 12. Notes on geomorphological cartography Geomorphological cartography. The CARG project for the realization of the Geomorphological Map of Italy at a scale of 1:50,000. 13. Overview of geomorphological heritage The geoheritage, geodiversity and geotourism. The ProGEO project. |
| Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile | 11, 15 |