This module examines the major geological natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, ground stability and landslide hazards, tsunamis, bolide impacts) in terms of driving geological processes and human impacts. The theoretical background behind each hazard is addressed, placing processes in a wider geological context, examining the key physical principles driving each process, and considering frequency and magnitude relationships.Concepts of risk and vulnerability are introduced via a range of case studies, examining factors that have led to natural disasters. Methods of hazard assessment and monitoring are investigated, with case-study examples, to consider the forecasting and mitigation of geological natural hazards.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Understand the nature, principal causes and the effects of a range of geological hazards
Understand how geological and human factors determine hazards and risks associated with natural geological processes
Understand monitoring and communication approaches for mitigating the impacts of a range of geological natural hazards, and how these vary between hazard types
Evaluate mitigation strategies for geological natural hazards based on an understanding of potential impacts and vulnerability