Instructor:
Steven
Earle
GEOL-312 • Environmental Geology • Spring 2010
Instructor:
Steven
Earle
Office: 360/304a
Office hours: Mon. & Fri. 10:00-11:00, Wed. 10:30-11:30
E-mail: steven.earle@viu.ca
| Geology 312 is an introduction to some of the important aspects of Environmental Geology - how both the natural and built environments are affected by geological features and processes, and how some of our activities can have an impact on geological processes. | ||||||||
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| Textbook: Environmental Geology (8th ed.) by E. Keller | ||||||||
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Course topics
· the importance of clay minerals to environmental geology · understanding earthquakes and their impacts and how to minimize those impacts, · understanding volcanic eruptions and their impacts, · the causes and effects of glaciations, · the causes and effects of slope failures and how we can limit those effects, · the importance of ground and surface water supplies, · the implications of our use of other geological resources.
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Mt. Colonel Foster and Landslide Lake. The 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake triggered a rock failure that originated near to the top of the peak (upper right) and ended in the lake. The logs in the foreground were removed from the steep slope on the other side of the lake. (Photo: Lindsay Elms, http://members.shaw.ca/beyondnootka/)
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Course schedule
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Wednesday |
Friday |
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Jan |
6 |
Introduction |
8 |
Clay minerals |
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Clay mineral properties |
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13 |
Earthquake characteristics and magnitudes |
15 |
Geological materials under shaking conditions |
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Earthquake harmonics & moment magnitude |
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20 |
Earthquake periodicity and prediction |
22 |
Stress transfer, Episodic tremor and slip |
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Interpreting WCDA and ETS data |
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27 |
Earthquake intensity estimation and mapping damage potential |
29 |
Nanaimo seismic hazard mapping field trip |
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Feb |
3 |
Sources and compositions of magmas, types of volcanic eruptions |
5 |
Monitoring volcanoes (instrumentation) |
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Volcanic rocks in thin section |
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10 |
Volcanic hazards |
12 |
Volcano alert exercise |
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17 |
Milankovitch cycles and Glaciation |
19 |
Glaciation in BC, glacial erosion & deposition |
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Sea-to-Sky cross-sections & campus field trip |
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22 |
No classes - spring break |
26 |
No classes - spring break |
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Mar. |
3 |
Slope failures - causes and classification, bedrock failure |
5 |
Sea-to-Sky field trip |
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10 |
Failure of unconsoldiated materials |
12 |
Milner Gardens field trip |
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17 |
Mining (metal and coal) and ARD |
19 |
Extension field trip (11:30 to 14:00) |
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24 |
Waste disposal |
26 |
RDN Landfill overview |
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RDN Landfill field trip |
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31 |
Surface and groundwater supplies |
2 |
No classes - Easter Friday |
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Apr. |
7 |
Groundwater vulnerability assessment |
9 |
Review |
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Academic integrity
The following standards of academic integrity are copied from the Student Academic Code of Conduct. The entire policy can be found on the VIU website at http://www.viu.ca/policies/policy.asp?rdPolicyNumber=99.01. All students should read the entire policy document.
STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Students are expected to meet the standards of academic integrity as indicated in this policy. Standards of academic integrity include, but are not limited to:
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Mark distribution (subject to change)
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Item |
marks |
date or date due |
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Labs (3 to 5 marks each) |
40 |
1 week after each lab date |
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Assignments (5 marks each) |
25 |
Jan. 29th Feb. 12th Mar.12th Mar.26th Apr9th |
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Final exam |
35 |
During exam period |
Grading:
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A+ |
95.0 |
to |
100.0 |
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C+ |
65.0 |
to |
69.9 |
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A |
90.0 |
to |
94.9 |
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C |
60.0 |
to |
64.9 |
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A- |
85.0 |
to |
89.9 |
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C- |
55.0 |
to |
59.9 |
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B+ |
80.0 |
to |
84.9 |
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D |
50.0 |
to |
54.9 |
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B |
75.0 |
to |
79.9 |
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F |
0.0 |
to |
49.9 |
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B- |
70.0 |
to |
74.9 |
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