Civil Engineering

The aim of the course is achieved by a combination of theoretical studies of measuring principles, planning and execution of field investigations, writing of a technical report, and oral presentation at a seminar. The course is dominated by a major compulsory project work which is carried out in groups of three students. The field investigation project consists of establishing a conceptual model, numerical pre-modeling for the design of investigation strategy, field investigation, data processing, inverse modeling, interpretation, and also written and oral presentation of results. The field investigation comprises three days and consists of geological field reconnaissance, and measurements with a couple of geophysical methods in combination with other field investigation methods such as drilling, penetration testing, and digging of test pits. Two of the days are carried out in small groups of about three-four students with one teacher per group.

This course gives in-depth knowledge on the interest and need of using biobased building materials such as wood, wood-based materials, and materials based on plant fibers these materials' properties as well as strengths and weaknesses for different areas of usage. The course covers the following topics: Makro and microstructure of biobased materials; moisture sorption and moisture properties; durability; modification techniques and how these affect the material properties; thermal and mechanical properties; biobased materials in a life cycle perspective; and usage of biobased materials in buildings/structures.

The course introduces fundamental issues including river morphology, streamflow measurements, open-channel hydraulics, water quality issues, and sediment transport. It covers advanced issues on water resources-related subjects. Students are required to use knowledge acquired in elementary fluid mechanics, hydraulics, and hydrology. Topics include foe engineering issues, investigation of rivers, planning, in-stream structures, and urban streams. Students learn general features of rivers, role of river engineering, and how to manage rivers for both nature and humans.

Prerequisite: Elementary Fluid Mechanics

This course examines the principles of waste treatment and resources recovery and introduces practices are related to social innovation and solving social problems. Topics include integrated solid waste management, municipal solid waste characteristics and quantities, processing of municipal solid waste, materials separation, combustion and energy recovery, life cycle analysis and management, processing and treatment of sludge, biosolids processing, resource recovery and beneficial use, and biogas purification and upgrading. 

The course offers an introduction to optimal structural design. It discusses conceptual tools and computing resources and also stresses the design of elastic structures. Topics include: classical structural optimization; mathematical preliminaries; geometric optimization; homogenization method; evolutionary optimization.