The learning objectives of this course are to make understand and contextualize the erosion and accumulation forms related to slope processes (landslides in natural and artificial slopes, disintegration and erosion of soils) and to surface hydraulic processes (ordinary and exceptional) that they define the effects of hydrogeological instability in the context of a hydrographic basin. Therefore at the end of the course the student must have acquired the ability to analyze the geomorphological aspects of a territory deriving from active processes in anthropized environments with a complete and intersectoral vision. At the same time the course development intend to provide knowledge on the methodologies for creating models and susceptibility maps aimed at territorial management using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Evolution of the physical landscape over time for the definition of geomorphological risk:

• geomorphology (endogenous and exogenous dynamics) and anthropization: impacts and risks)
• elements of geomorphological cartography
• Disruptions and instability due to gravity
• Disruptions and instability due to washout
• Disruptions and instability due to the dynamics of the riverbed
• Application of river bed mapping techniques
• GIS systems and image-data (raster and vector formats)
• Use of LiDAR data for the analysis of morphological variations
• Development of terrain models with dedicated software: from point clouds to raster data in GIS
• Methods of image-data management in GIS systems
• Vector and raster data processing on real case studies and results interpretation
• excursions

None

Knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course the student must have assimilated the fundamental knowledge of the morphodynamic evolutionary mechanisms that occur in the geosphere under ordinary conditions (and of the different derived forms), as well as of the main exogenous morphogenetic processes responsible for the modeling and transformations of the earth's surface during extraordinary events in natural environments with different degrees of anthropogenic interaction.

Applied knowledge and understanding

The student will have to show the ability to carry out analyzes for the monitoring and modeling of the evolution processes of the earth surface, with particular regard to territorial risks, as well as to be able to connect the various types of morphodynamic processes of the environmental systems to the weather/climatic or geological conditions of an area (and vice versa). The student will also have to show the ability to reconstruct the morphological evolution of the landscape (natural and man-made) and to forecast the future one also in the Geographic Information Systems, using the specific language of the discipline.

Autonomy of judgment

The student must be able to critically evaluate the complex atmosphere-hydrosphere-lithosphere system, having acquired the ability to understand the scientific importance of the analysis of exogenous processes and the evolution of the relief forms and their social and environmental impact  through an autonomous ability of observation, data collection and interpretation. In addition, the student must be able to recognize the incidence of different geographical control factors for each of the natural phenomena studied and hypothesize morpho-evolutionary scenarios on climatic systems and geological structures through the use of GIS platforms.

Communication skills

The student will acquire sufficient skills to expose the morpho-evolutionary system of geo-hydrological risks and their interconnections in a simple and synthetic form, but with a competent technical-scientific language, recognizing the right value and weight to the different control factors. Furthermore, the student will achieve descriptive skills of the morphodynamic processes in progress starting from theoretical morphoclimatic frameworks and using the terms of the discipline in a pertinent way. He will  have to be able also to convey the principles and contents learned even to non-experts with correctness and simplicity.

Learning ability

The student must be able to build his / her scientific growth path in the field of applied geomorphology in a critical and autonomous way, being able to use the acquired knowledge. These skills, as far as possible, will be stimulated by proposing in-depth studies. The student will therefore be able to autonomously explore specific concepts, not presented during the course, on scientific texts. The basic notions acquired during the course represent fundamental requisites for continuing the studies of the Degree Course. The different case studies presented and the interactive teaching methods will allow the student to learn independently by applying basic methods and rules of the scientific method. Students who pass the exam will have developed the necessary skills to independently and critically tackle more complex studies relating to applied geomorphology and environmental geology in a perspective of comparison with all the other disciplines of the study course.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer and the specific communications of the lecturer are available, together with other support activities, within the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Field laboratory (field surveys or excursions).

Teaching

Lessons aimed at explaining each topic through slides and relational schemes as well as practical exercises.

Innovative teaching methods

Flipped classroom
Flipped Learning. Overturned learning in academic teaching.

Attendance

Attendance of lesson and exercises is recommended, but not mandatory.

Course books

LUPIA PALMIERI E. & PAROTTO M. (2014),  Il Globo Terrestre e la sua Evoluzione, Zanichelli

PANIZZA M. (2014), Geomorfologia, Pitagora Ed., Bologna

CICCACCI S. (2014), le forme del rilievo - Atlante illustrato di Geomorfologia, Mondadori Università, Roma

PANIZZA M. & PIACENTE S. (2014), Geomorfologia Culturale, Pitagora Ed., Bologna

PANIZZA M. (2016), Manuale di Geomorfologia  Applicata, Franco Angeli Ed., Milano

D’OREFICE M. & GRACIOTTI R. (2015), Rilevamento geomorfologico e Cartografia Flaccovio Ed., Palermo

A.W. GOUDIE (Ed.) (2004), Encyclopedia of Geomorphology (vol. 1 e 2), Routledge, London-New York, 1156 pp .

Assessment

The evaluation will take place through an oral exam.

The criteria underlying the evaluation are:

• Level of mastery of knowledge (verification of acquired knowledge)
• Articulation of the response
• Ability in thematic connection and synthesis skills

Voting classes:

• less than 18: skill level not enough
• 18-20: skill level enough
• 21-23: skill level satisfactory
• 24-26: skill level good
• 27-29: skill level very good
• 30-30 with honors: skill level excellent

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students will consult the Blended platform and will be able to follow and download the lessons in pdf files.

The professor is responsible for informing non-attending students about any didactic material to be presented before the exam.

Attendance

Non-attending students are obliged to communicate to the teacher (via email or with a meeting, by appointment) their intention to take the exam at least one month before the session.

Course books

LUPIA PALMIERI E. & PAROTTO M. (2014),  Il Globo Terrestre e la sua Evoluzione, Zanichelli

PANIZZA M. (2014), Geomorfologia, Pitagora Ed., Bologna

CICCACCI S. (2014), le forme del rilievo - Atlante illustrato di Geomorfologia, Mondadori Università, Roma

PANIZZA M. & PIACENTE S. (2014), Geomorfologia Culturale, Pitagora Ed., Bologna

PANIZZA M. (2016), Manuale di Geomorfologia  Applicata, Franco Angeli Ed., Milano

D’OREFICE M. & GRACIOTTI R. (2015), Rilevamento geomorfologico e Cartografia Flaccovio Ed., Palermo

A.W. GOUDIE (Ed.) (2004), Encyclopedia of Geomorphology (vol. 1 e 2), Routledge, London-New York, 1156 pp .

Assessment

The evaluation will take place through an oral exam.

The criteria underlying the evaluation are:

• Level of mastery of knowledge (verification of acquired knowledge)
• Articulation of the response
• Ability in thematic connection and synthesis skills

Voting classes:

• less than 18: skill level not enough
• 18-20: skill level enough
• 21-23: skill level satisfactory
• 24-26: skill level good
• 27-29: skill level very good
• 30-30 with honors: skill level excellent

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.