88297 - Harbour Engineering

Learning outcomes

The course focuses on the design and management of coastal structures and harbors, as well as the assessment of their environmental impact and sustainability. Tools for the analysis and design of coastal defenses, onshore approach facilities and harbors (docks, breakwater etc) will be discussed. Student will learn how to assess sea forcings (waves, currents) and design coastal structures in the presence of climate change and human impacted environment.

Course contents

The teacher will adopt an innovative approach to learning, which makes extensive use of interaction with students. Accordingly, students will be given the optional opportunity of delivering presentations to the class and the public, developing software, preparing open source contributions to be published on the web. The educational approach adopted by the teacher takes the technical application as the central thread of the lectures. An intensive interaction with the students will be established through web based discussions (see also https://www.albertomontanari.it/?q=node/155 and https://www.albertomontanari.it/?q=node/60. An example of tutorial is given at https://www.albertomontanari.it/?q=node/285).

The lectures include: (1) Introduction to coastal and harbour engineering; (2) The coastal environment and terminology; (3) Port planning and environmental impact; (4) Harbour layout, shore infrastructure and utilities; (5) Fundamentals of port structures design, design codes, guidelines and functional requirements; (6) Design of coastal protections; (7) Design of breakwaters and of typical harbour retaining structures; (8) Land reclamation; (9) Climate change impact and mitigation.

Computer based exercises will be developed which will focus on technical applications.

Readings/Bibliography

The teachers will prepare dynamic documents to support the learning process, which will be made available in the form of open web pages, which will be open to interactive contribution by students (see https://www.albertomontanari.it/?q=node/285).

Teaching methods

Students should preliminarily possess knowledge of ocean engineering, in particular wave theory, and of geotechnical engineering.

The course is taught through lectures. Part of them are dedicated to the solution of practical exercises, that are developed at the computer. Site visits can be arranged.

Assessment methods

The preparation of the student will be assessed through an oral colloquium whose duration is about 30 minutes. The student may present at the exam a brief report of the exercises that were developed during the course. Students are asked to reply to 3-4 questions focusing on the topics that were treated during the lectures. Students may be asked to solve a short exercise. The exam is passed if the student proves to be prepared on the theoretical principles and analytical derivations that were taught during the lectures. The teacher will explicitly mention to students during the lectures what are the basic questions that one needs to rigorously address in order to pass the exam. The speaking capability will also be evaluated but it is not a cause of failure. The laude is reserved to students who are excellently prepared and prove to have integrated their preparation with personal in-depth analysis.

Teaching tools

The teachers will made available their lecture notes on Virtuale. Scientific papers will be distributed during the lectures as well as summaries of recent research outcomes.

For more details please see https://www.albertomontanari.it/harboureng (for the part of harbour engineering).

Links to further information

https://www.albertomontanari.it

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Montanari

See the website of Renata Archetti