Search result: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2020

Environmental Engineering Master Information
Majors
Major Water Resources Management
Compulsory Moudules
Flow and Transport
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
101-0269-00LRiver Morphodynamic Modelling Restricted registration - show details O3 credits2GD. F. Vetsch, D. Vanzo
AbstractThe course teaches the basics of morphodynamic modelling, relevant for civil and environemental engineers.The governing equations for sediment transport in open channels and corresponding numerical solution strategies are introduced. The theoretical parts are discussed by examples.
Learning objectiveThe goal of the course is twofold. First, the the students develop a throughout understanding of the basics of river morphodynamic processes. Second, they get familiar with numerical tools for the simulations in one- and two-dimensions of morphodynamics.
Content- fundamentals of river morphodynamics (Exner equation, bed-load, suspended-load)
- aggradation and degradation processes
- river bars
- non-uniform sediment morphodynamics: the Hirano model
- short and long term response of gravel bed rivers to change in sediment supply
Lecture notesLecture notes, slides shown in the lecture and software can be downloaded
LiteratureCitations will be given in lecture.
Prerequisites / NoticeExercises are based on the simulation software BASEMENT (www.basement.ethz.ch), the open-source GIS Qgis (www.qgis.org) and code examples written in MATLAB. The applications comprise one- and two-dimensional approaches for the modelling of flow and sediment transport.

Requirements: Numerical Hydraulics, River Engineering, MATLAB and/or Python programming skills would be an advantage.
Groundwater
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
102-0448-00LGroundwater IIO6 credits4GM. Willmann, J. Jimenez-Martinez
AbstractThe course is based on the course 'Groundwater I' and is a prerequisite for a deeper understanding of groundwater flow and contaminant transport problems with a strong emphasis on numerical modeling.
Learning objectiveThe course should enable students to understand advanced concepts of groundwater flow and transport and to apply groundwater flow and transport modelling.

the student should be able to
a) formulate practical flow and contaminant transport problems.

b) solve steady-state and transient flow and transport problems in 2 and 3 spatial dimensions using numerical codes based on the finite difference method and the finite element methods.

c) solve simple inverse flow problems for parameter estimation given measurements.

d) assess simple multiphase flow problems.

e) assess spatial variability of parameters and use of stochastic techniques in this task.

f) assess simple coupled reactive transport problems.
ContentIntroduction and basic flow and contaminant transport equation.

Numerical solution of the 3D flow equation using the finite difference method.

Numerical solution to the flow equation using the finite element equation

Numerical solution to the transport equation using the finite difference method.

Alternative methods for transport modeling like method of characteristics and the random walk method.

Two-phase flow and Unsaturated flow problems.

Spatial variability of parameters and its geostatistical representation -geostatistics and stochastic modelling.

Reactive transport modelling.
Lecture notesHandouts
Literature- Anderson, M. and W. Woessner, Applied Groundwater Modeling, Elsevier Science & Technology Books, 448 p., 2002

- J. Bear and A. Cheng, Modeling Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport, Springer, 2010

- Appelo, C.A.J. and D. Postma, Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution, Second Edition, Taylor & Francis, 2005

- Rubin, Y., Applied Stochastic Hydrology, Oxford University Press, 2003

- Chiang und Kinzelbach, 3-D Groundwater Modeling with PMWIN. Springer, 2001.
Prerequisites / NoticeEach afternoon will be divided into 2 h of lectures and 2h of exercises. Two thirds of the exercises of the course are organized as a computer workshop to get hands-on experience with groundwater modelling.
701-1240-00LModelling Environmental PollutantsO3 credits2GM. Scheringer, C. Bogdal
AbstractModeling the emissions, transport, partitioning and transformation/degradation of chemical contaminants in air, water and soil.
Learning objectiveThis course is intended for students who are interested in the environmental fate and transport of volatile and semi-volatile organic chemicals and exposure to pollutants in environmental media including air, water, soil and biota. The course focuses on the theory and application of mass-balance models of environmental pollutants. These models are quantitative tools for describing, understanding, and predicting the way pollutants interact with the environment. Important topics include thermodynamic and kinetic descriptions of chemical behavior in environmental systems; mechanisms of chemical degradation in air and other media; novel approaches to modeling chemical fate in a variety of environments, including lakes and rivers, generic regions, and at the global scale, and application of mass balance modeling principles to describe bioaccumulation of pollutants by fish and mammals.
ContentApplication of mass balance principles to chemicals in a system of coupled environmental media. Measurement and estimation of physico-chemical properties that determine the environmental behavior of chemicals. Thermodynamic and kinetic controls on the behavior of pollutants. Modeling environmental persistence, bioaccumulation and long-range transport potential of chemicals, including a review of available empirical data on various degradation processes. Current issues in multimedia contaminant fate modeling and a case study of the student's choice.
Lecture notesMaterial to support the lectures will be distributed during the course.
LiteratureThere is no required text. The following texts are useful for background reading and additional information.
D. Mackay. Multimedia Environmental Models: The Fugacity Approach, 2nd Ed. 2001. CRC Press.
R. P. Schwarzenbach, P. M. Gschwend, D. M. Imboden. Environmental Organic Chemistry. 2nd Ed. 2003, John Wiley & Sons.
M. Scheringer. Persistence and spatial range of environmental chemicals: New ethical and scientific concepts for risk assessment. 2002. Wiley-VCH.
Landscape
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
102-0617-01LMethodologies for Image Processing of Remote Sensing DataO3 credits2GI. Hajnsek, O. Frey, S. Leinss
AbstractThe aim of this course is to get an overview of several methodologies/algorithms for analysis of different sensor specific information products. It is focused at students that like to deepen their knowledge and understanding of remote sensing for environmental applications.
Learning objectiveThe course is divided into two main parts, starting with a brief introduction to remote sensing imaging (4 lectures), and is followed by an introduction to different methodologies (8 lectures) for the quantitative estimation of bio-/geo-physical parameters. The main idea is to deepen the knowledge in remote sensing tools in order to be able to understand the information products, with respect to quality and accuracy.
ContentEach lecture will be composed of two parts:
Theory: During the first hour, we go trough the main concepts needed to understand the specific algorithm.
Practice: During the second hour, the student will test/develop the actual algorithm over some real datasets using Matlab. The student will not be asked to write all the code from scratch (especially during the first lectures), but we will provide some script with missing parts or pseudo-code. However, in the later lectures the student is supposed to build up some working libraries.
Lecture notesHandouts for each topic will be provided.
LiteratureSuggested readings:
T. M. Lillesand, R.W. Kiefer, J.W. Chipman, Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation, John Wiley & Sons Verlag, 2008
J. R. Jensen, Remote Sensing of the Environment: An Earth Resource Perspective, Prentice Hall Series in Geograpic Information Science, 2000
Water Resources Management
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
102-0468-00LWatershed Modelling Information O3 credits2GP. Molnar
AbstractIntroduction to watershed modelling with applications of GIS in hydrology, the use of semi- and fully-distributed continuous watershed models, and their calibration and validation. The course contains substantive practical modelling experience in several assignments.
Learning objectiveWatershed Modelling is a course in the Master of Science in Environmental Engineering Programme. It is a practical course in which the students learn to (a) use GIS in hydrological applications, (b) calibrate and validate models, (c) apply and interpret semi- and fully- distributed continuous watershed models, and (d) discuss several modelling case studies. This course is a follow up of Hydrology 2 and requires solid computer skills.
Content- Introduction to watershed modelling
- GIS in watershed modelling (ArcGIS exercise)
- Calibration and validation of models
- Semi-distributed modelling with PRMS (model description, application)
- Distributed watershed modelling with TOPKAPI (model description, application)
- Modelling applications and case studies (climate change scenarios, land use change, basin erosion)
Literature- Lecture presentations
- Exercise documentation
- Relevant scientific papers
all posted on the course website
102-0488-00LWater Resources ManagementO3 credits2GP. Burlando
AbstractModern engineering approach to problems of sustainable water resources, planning and management of water allocation requires the understanding of modelling techniques that allow to account for comprehensive water uses (thereby including ecological needs) and stakeholders needs, long-term analysis and optimization. The course presents the most relevant approaches to address these problems.
Learning objectiveThe course provides the essential knowledge and tools of water resources planning and management. Core of the course are the concepts of data analysis, simulation, optimization and reliability assessment in relation to water projects and sustainable water resources management.
ContentThe course is organized in four parts.
Part 1 is a general introduction to the purposes and aims of sustainable water resources management, problem understanding and tools identification.
Part 2 recalls Time Series Analysis and Linear Stochastic Models. An introduction to Nonlinear Time Series Analysis and related techniques will then be made in order to broaden the vision of how determinism and stochasticity might sign hydrological and geophysical variables.
Part 3 deals with the optimal allocation of water resources and introduces to several tools traditionally used in WRM, such as linear and dynamic programming. Special attention will be devoted to optimization (deterministic and stochastic) and compared to simulation techniques as design methods for allocation of water resources in complex and competitive systems, with focus on sustainability and stakeholders needs.
Part 4 will introduce to basic indexes used in economical and reliability analyses, and will focus on multicriteria analysis methods as a tool to assess the reliability of water systems in relation to design alternatives.
Lecture notesA copy of the lecture handouts will be available on the webpage of the course. Complementary documentation in the form of scientific and technical articles, as well as excerpts from books will be also made available.
LiteratureA number of book chapters and paper articles will be listed and suggested to read. They will also be part of discussion during the oral examination.
Prerequisites / NoticeSuggested relevant courses: Hydrologie I (or a similar content course) and Wasserhaushalt (Teil "Wasserwirtschaft", 4. Sem. UmweltIng., or a similar content course) for those students not belonging to Environmental Engineering.
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