Course overview
This course will enable students to quantify and communicate natural hazard risk and assess the effectiveness of risk reduction strategies. Spatial modelling and mapping is used in the context of a range of natural hazards (e.g. bushfire, sea level rise), exposed assets (e.g. physical, social, environmental), risk reduction strategies (e.g. land use planning, structural measures) and drivers of change (e.g. climate change, population growth). By working on a single project throughout the course, students develop the ability to work on complex engineering problems in a professional and motivating context, aligning with the program’s intent to prepare students for professional practice.
- Hazards, Impact And Risk
- Future Change And Risk Reduction
- Adaptation Pathways
Course learning outcomes
- Quantify, critically assess and communicate the spatial variability in the severity and likelihood of different natural hazards (e.g. bushfire, riverine flooding, coastal inundation and flooding) based on the spatial modelling and mapping performed as part of this course
- Quantify, critically assess and communicate the spatial variability in the exposure, vulnerability, impact and resultant natural hazard risk to different types of “assets” (e.g. buildings, critical infrastructure, people, environment) based on the spatial modelling and mapping performed as part of this course
- Quantify, critically assess and communicate the impact of different drivers of change (e.g. climate change and socio-economic development) and resulting plausible future conditions on changes in impact and risk based on the spatial modelling and mapping performed as part of this course
- Quantify, critically assess and communicate the advantages, disadvantages and relative effectiveness of different risk reduction options (e.g. land use planning, land management, structural measures, asset hardening) based on the spatial modelling and mapping performed as part of this course
- Critically assess and discuss different approaches and mechanisms for increasing the chances of implementing adaptive risk management plans for the course project based on literature and information provided in the course lectures
- Gain a basic level of proficiency in spatial modelling and mapping for natural hazard risk management based on the quality of modelling and mapping produced in the course project
Degree list
The following degrees include this course