Concepts, units, scales and dimensions. Vectors. Kinematics of particles. Particle dynamics, inertia, forces and Newton's laws. Friction. Work and energy, conservation of energy. Momentum, collisions. Systems of particles, center of mass. Rotation of a rigid body. Angular momentum and moment of inertia. Statics. Gravity. Solids and fluids, Bernoulli's equation. Oscillations: Simple, damped and forced. Waves. Sound. Temperature. Ideal gas. Heat and the first law of thermodynamics. Kinetic theory of gases. Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. Home problems: Once a week the students have to solve homeproblems on the website MasteringPhysics.

Laboratory work: Three exercises, mainly centered on mechanics, where students are trained in handling physical instruments, collecting and inspecting data. Students hand in their lab notebooks for a grade.

Note that the textbook is accessible to students via Canvas free of charge.

This is a foundational course in single variable calculus. The prerequisites are high school courses on algebra, trigonometry. derivatives, and integrals. The course aims to create a foundation for understanding of subjects such as natural and physical sciences, engineering, economics, and computer science. Topics of the course include the following:

• Real numbers.
• Limits and continuous functions.
• Differentiable functions, rules for derivatives, derivatives of higher order, applications of differential calculus (extremal value problems, linear approximation).
• Transcendental functions.
• Mean value theorem, theorems of l'Hôpital and Taylor.
• Integration, the definite integral and rules/techniques of integration, primitives, improper integrals.
• Fundamental theorem of calculus.
• Applications of integral calculus: Arc length, area, volume, centroids.
• Ordinary differential equations: First-order separable and homogeneous differential equations, first-order linear equations, second-order linear equations with constant coefficients.
• Sequences and series, convergence tests.
• Power series, Taylor series.

Basics of linear algebra over the reals.  

Subject matter: Systems of linear equations, matrices, Gauss-Jordan reduction.  Vector spaces and their subspaces.  Linearly independent sets, bases and dimension.  Linear maps, range space and nullk space.  The dot product, length and angle measures.  Volumes in higher dimension and the cross product in threedimensional space.  Flats, parametric descriptions and descriptions by equations.  Orthogonal projections and orthonormal bases.  Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization.  Determinants and inverses of matrices.  Eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalization.

Programming in Python (for computations in engineering and science): Main commands and statements (computations, control statements, in- and output), definition and execution of functions, datatypes (numbers, matrices, strings, logical values, records), operations and built-in functions, array and matrix computation, file processing, statistics, graphics. Object-oriented programming: classes, objects, constructors and methods. Concepts associated with design and construction of program systems: Programming environment and practices, design and documentation of function and subroutine libraries, debugging and testing of programmes.

Goal: To describe the field of work, ethical responsibility and professionalism within the engineering profession. Topics:  The class provides engineering students with a base to understand their ethical responsibilities towards the environment, society, the engineering profession and themselves. It gives an insight into the roles and tasks of engineers in the past, present and the future. The class provides an overview of the diversity of job opportunities for engineers in Iceland and internationally. Innovation and latest trends, including sustainability and the environment, are discussed. Students receive training in literature review and academic report writing, as well as proper conduct in a professional setting. Weekly homeworks and team assignments are conducted in class.

The first semester student workshop is for BS students in Civil and Environmental Engineering to work on their homeworks in calculus I, physics 1, and linear algebra. Students from higher years take shifts in these workshops over the semester and respond to questions from new students. The role of the supervising students is not to teach the course material but to give good advice and suggestions for study. These workshops are a platform for new students in the Faculty to meet and work independently on their homeworks in the first semester. All BS students in Civil and Environmental Engineering are encouraged to participate.

Structural analysis 1 is the first courses of many in structural engineering which aim is to teach methods to determinate forces and deformations of structures. The students will be introduced to the fundamentals of statics and trained in solving simple problems. Weekly the students will  have to turn in homeproblems. Most of the them are based on handcaluclations but in some of them they will have to use computers and make short programs in Matlab.

Engineering students are provided with training in presenting the result of their work in a neat, orderly and precise manner. Major emphasis is placed on submission of exercise results and project reports in a clear and concise text and a graphical layout commensurate with a good engineering practice. Introduction to drafting rules and standards. Sizes and folding of technical drawings. Lay-out and detailing of handwritten reports. Graphics, transparencies and slides. Graphical description of objects. Parallel projection of curved surfaces and bodies. Multiview- and pictorial projection.

Basic concepts in probability and statistics based on univariate calculus. 

Topics: 
Sample space, events, probability, equal probability, independent events, conditional probability, Bayes rule, random variables, distribution, density, joint distribution, independent random variables, condistional distribution, mean, variance, covariance, correlation, law of large numbers, Bernoulli, binomial, Poisson, uniform, exponential and normal random variables. Central limit theorem. Poisson process. Random sample, statistics, the distribution of the sample mean and the sample variance. Point estimate, maximum likelihood estimator, mean square error, bias. Interval estimates and hypotheses testing form normal, binomial and exponential samples. Simple linear regression. Goodness of fit tests, test of independence.

Open and closed sets. Mappings, limits and continuity. Differentiable mappings, partial derivatives and the chain rule. Jacobi matrices. Gradients and directional derivatives. Mixed partial derivatives. Curves. Vector fields and flow. Cylindrical and spherical coordinates. Taylor polynomials. Extreme values and the classification of stationary points. Extreme value problems with constraints. Implicit functions and local inverses. Line integrals, primitive functions and exact differential equations. Double integrals. Improper integrals. Green's theorem. Simply connected domains. Change of variables in double integrals. Multiple integrals. Change of variables in multiple integrals. Surface integrals. Integration of vector fields. The theorems of Stokes and Gauss.

Role of geology in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Endogenic processes: Structure of the earth, magma and lava types, continental drift, earthquakes, volcanic activity. Exogenic processes: Weathering, erosion (glacial, river and coastal erosion), sedimentation and sedimentary environments, surface and ground water. Geological history of Iceland and N-Atlantic Ocean. Natural hazards in Iceland (volcanic activity, earthquakes, mass movements, flooding, weather). Environmental impact assessment. Applied earth materials in Iceland, e.g. for buildings, roads, concrete, substances for cement and other use for earth material, frost action, filter design, use of boulders, rock mechanism, rock sample testing and rock classification. Exploration methods in engineering geology and geophysics for various constructions, e.g. for power plants (dams), tunnels, harbors, bridges, roads, airstrips, power lines and urban design. Students will visit 2-3 companies or institutions and take a two-day field trip, where geological sites with relevance for Civil and Environmental Engineering will be visited.

Objectives: To introduce the basic principle of the mechanics of continuous media and train the students in applying these principles within the field of strength of materials and structural mechanics. Using Matlab for solving problems and excercises.

Contents: Analysis of stress and strain, stress-strain relationship and stress functions. Elasticity: Two dimensional stress and strain fields, stress concentration, contact stresses and temperature effects. Yield criteria.  Bending and torsion. Energy methods, introduction to non-linear behaviour and plasticity.  Wave propagation in continuous media and dynamics of simple linear systems.

Aim: Information on and basic training in evaluation of properties of common building materials. The materials; metals, polymers earth filling materials, concrete and wood are studied regarding effect of environmental and mechanical loading. The properties especially evaluated are; composition of materials, grain size and distribution, porosity, water absorption, strength and stiffness, thermal conductivity, volume stability and durability.

General introduction to chemical foundations, atoms, molecules and ions. Stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Properties of gases, solids and liquides, and properties af solutions. Atomic structure and the periodic table. Atomic bonding (ionic, covalent and metal) using VB theory. Chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Acids and bases and the properties and application of aqueous solutions (buffers and solubility products). Thermochemistry (enhalpy, entropy, sponaneity and the Gibbs free energy). Electrochemistry (galvanic and electrolyic sells) and application of electrochemistry. Nuclear chemistry.

Functions of a complex variable. Analytic functions. The exponential function, logarithms and roots. Cauchy's Integral Theorem and Cauchy's Integral Formula. Uniform convergence. Power series. Laurent series. Residue integration method. Application of complex function theory to fluid flows. Ordinary differential equations and systems of ordinary differential equations. Linear differential equations with constant coefficients. Systems of linear differential equations. The matrix exponential function. Various methods for obtaining a particular solution. Green's functions for initial value problems. Flows and the phase plane. Nonlinear systems of ordinary differential equations in the plane, equilibrium points, stability and linear approximations. Series solutions and the method of Frobenius. Use of Laplace transforms in solving differential equations.

The class goal is to introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of environmental engineering. The class studies the causes and concerns of environmental problems and provides analytical tools to assess and control them. Topics include: Global and local environmental issues, mass transfer theory, environmental chemistry, risk assessments, water pollution, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution, solid waste management, global warming and united nations sustainable development goals.

Lectures and recitations will be conducted in Icelandic. Written materials (class notes, homeworks and textbook) are in English. Students perform a group research project which involves data collection in the field, oral presentation and report writing. 

Objectives: This course is to provide the students an overview of treatment and reutilization technology in wastewater engineering, air pollution control engineering, and solid & hazardous waste engineering.

Topics: In this course, three major topics are covered:

(1) Treatment and reutilization technology in wastewater engineering, including wastewater and storm water systems; physical, chemical, and biological wastewater treatment unit processes; industrial wastewater treatment; advanced wastewater treatment and reclamation technology; sludge treatment and disposal technology

(2) Treatment and reutilization technology in air pollution control engineering, including techniques for air pollution measurements; sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides abatement techniques; VOCs and HCs abatement techniques; particulate matters abatement techniques; Control technique of mobile source pollutants.

(3) Treatment and reutilization technology in solid & hazardous waste engineering, including waste minimization and processing,    biochemical waste conversion, thermal waste transformation, waste disposal, hazardous waste treatment and reuse.

Teaching: Lectures (teaching lecture, tutorial lecture, lab lecture), homework, and a group project. Lectures introduce the fundamentals and advances of treatment and reutilization technology in environmental engineering (focusing on wastewater, air, and solid waste). Homework is assigned to help students review the lecture contents and practice technical calculation questions. Tutorial lectures are provided to discuss solutions of homework assignments with students. Lab lecture is performed in the research lab to demonstrate selected treatment processes and allow students hands-on practice. In the group project, students review literatures of a selected topic relating to advanced treatment technology, write a report, and give an oral presentation.

The course is also suitable for students not specializing in Civil or Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, other engineering fields, Environment and Natural Resources, Life and Environmental Science.

Application of matrix methods in structural analysis. Interpretation of the displacement method as a finite element method. Trusses and frames. Stiffness matrix for single elements. Stiffness matrix for structural systems. Solution methods. Computer programmes and computer applications. The Rayleigh-Ritz method. Basic principles and properties of finite element methods. Shape functions. Two-dimensional stress analysis. Triangular and rectangular elements. Errors.

Aim: To introduce the student to Fourier analysis and partial differential equations and their applications.
Subject matter: Fourier series and orthonormal systems of functions, boundary-value problems for ordinary differential equations, the eigenvalue problem for Sturm-Liouville operators, Fourier transform. The wave equation, diffusion equation and Laplace's equation solved on various domains in one, two and three dimensions by methods based on the first part of the course, separation of variables, fundamental solution, Green's functions and the method of images.

Fundamental concepts on approximation and error estimates. Solutions of systems of linear and non-linear equations. PLU decomposition. Interpolating polynomials, spline interpolation and regression. Numerical differentiation and integration. Extrapolation. Numerical solutions of initial value problems of systems of ordinary differential equations. Multistep methods. Numerical solutions to boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations.

Grades are given for programning projects and in total they amount to 30% of the final grade. The student has to receive the minimum grade of 5 for both the projects and the final exam.

Hydrology is the scientific study of earth's water resources. Students will be introduced to the physical and chemical properties of water and the processes responsible for its occurrence, distribution and cycling, with emphasis on the terrestrial phase of the hydrologic cycle as well as the characteristics of the Icelandic water resource. Methods and models used in engineering hydrology and design are introduced, and used to solve projects.

Students taking UMV401G as a mandatory course have priority for registration. 

Objectives: To enable students from broad backgrounds to apply geographical information systems for map development and geographic analysis in technical reports, project presentations, work, and research. To provide training and enhance student maturity to: 1) manage projects using geographical information, 2) evaluate and select the most appropriate geographic analysis and maps for diverse projects, 3) write text that interprets maps and describes a geographic analysis, and 4) write a professional report to describe a project applying geographic information systems, maps, and geographic analysis. 

Topics: Students get introduced to geographic information systems and geographic data. Learn the development of reference and thematic maps. Use vector and raster data. Learn selection by attributes and location, and creation of map layers from selections. Learn how to join tables and spatial join. Practice in various operations on map layers, e.g. clip, dissolve, transfer data between layers, drawing and developing new map layers. Link aerial photos to maps. Display GPS coordinate data on maps. Perform spatial analysis of data. Emphasis is on developing student ability to select map contents, operations and analysis tools, design maps and interpret maps in written text. 

Teaching: The course is taught in Icelandic. Students learn and receive practice in fundamental use of geographical information systems by completing hands-on projects in a computer lab, homework, and a final project, all based on real-world data. The projects are designed to develop student ability in selecting maps, map contents and analysis tools, along with interpreting maps.

The course is taught in a classroom with live streaming, the recordings are then made available a few days later. The course can be taken on-site, distance learning or mixed. The course is not designed to be taken without real-time participation during class.

This course is to provide the students hands-on practice in environmental engineering lab. The students will be trained to equip with theoretical background knowledge, use water quality analytical tools, perform advanced wastewater treatment process, collect and analyze data, and prepare research report. Two students will be grouped, and each group will perform the experiment independently with focusing on optimization of operating conditions to improve treated water quality. The class provides fundamental technical expertise that contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals nr. 6 (clean water and sanitation) and nr. 14 (life in water).

Projects in Fall 2025: Mitigation of microplastic fibres during membrane filtration of wastewater (focusing on microfiber detection, microfiber transport and interaction with membrane, and water quality)

The main aim of the course is to introduce the probabilistic basis for structural design and building codes. Methods are described that can be used to compute safety and reliability of structures. Furthermore, it is outlined how they can be used to define material strengths and loads for design. An introduction is given to current Eurocodes that cover safety and definition of structural loads. Students will have to solve number of home projects and in some of them programming in Matlab is required.

Objectives:

To provide students with skills to apply the fundaments of mechanics of soils in the design process of structures.

Course contents:

Soil composition, grain size distribution, Atterberg limits. Soil classification, soil compaction, compaction methods. Pore pressure, capillary tension, permeability, ground water, flow nets and drainage. Stress in a soil mass, effective stresses. Shear strength, internal friction, cohesion. Earth pressure, retaining walls. Settlement, compressibility of soils. Bearing capacity of soils. Slope stability. Laboratory experiments.

Objective: Students should be able to participate in executing and evaluating projects in transportation engineering, particularly in road construction, traffic engineering, and transportation planning. Students should be able to enter further studies in transportation engineering. Students should have practiced the application of transportation engineering through work on design projects, both individually and in groups.

Main topics: Transportation and society, vehicle braking, public transportation, road alignment design, traffic safety, traffic flow, queues, traffic capacity, level of service, traffic forecasting, road network planning and intersections.

The objective of the course is that students get the skills to:

1.    Understand the main concepts in accounting, cost theory and investment theory.

2.    Be able to use methods of measuring the economic feasibility of technical projects.

3.    Be able to develop computer models to assess the profitability of investments, the value of companies and pricing of bonds

Among topics included are accounting, cost theory, cash flow analysis, investment theory, measures of profitability including net present value and internal rate of return, and the building of profitability models. The course ends with a group assignment where the students exercise the development of computer models for feasibility assessment of projects.

The course gives the students basic knowledge in fluid mechanics. Theoretical background for fluids and fluid flow is presented. The fundamental equations of fluid mechanics are derived and used to solve problems. The students perform laboratory experiments.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

The course is an introductory course in project management. It introduces key concepts of project management and covers context and selection of projects, project planning, project monitoring, management of project teams, and project closure. Students create and execute project plans in groups. Special emphasis is on using of project management for managing technological innovation in organizations.

The course is taught by experts from Veitur and Reykjavik Energy. A practical design project is carried out in the Fluidit program, which Veitur and most engineering firms in Iceland use.

In the course, the roles and structure of water, heating, and sewage systems are covered. The equipment used, such as piping materials, valves, pumps, pumping stations, and devices, is discussed. The main causes of leaks and how to prevent them are addressed. Students learn the difference between groundwater and surface water and the main methods for purifying drinking water. Students learn about water tanks, their purpose, and different types. The utilization of geothermal energy in Iceland for district heating is covered. Also, snow melting and infiltration into sewage pipes are discussed. Students learn about the composition of sewage water; rainwater, household, and industrial wastewater, both in terms of composition and quantity. Pollution of sewage in recipients, the treatment systems used, and how to choose treatment facilities are also covered.

The purpose of the course is to prepare students for working in technology-based firms and organizations. The course will give an overview of the management of firms and organizations, the role of engineers and the challenges they face. Students will learn about analysis tools used in decision making, interpret the results, and communicate both orally and in writing.

Aim: To give an overview of the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of anthropogenic activities and to introduce the procedures and methods used in the environmental assessment process. At the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of the main principles of EIA and the methods used for its application.  After having completed the course, students should be able to actively participate in the making of EIA. Subject: Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects is the main subject of the course.  EIA is a systematic process meant to streamline development projects by minimizing environmental effects. The first part of the course is an introduction to the global context and history of EIA, the subject of EIA, and an introduction to the EIA methodology.  The second part of the course focuses on processes. The aim, subject, and process of EIA will be explained, including a discussion on the various stages and aspects of the EIA procedure (such as screening, scoping, participants, stakeholders and consultation, impact prediction and assessment, reporting and monitoring).  Although the examples of processes, definitions and methods introduced in the course will be based on the Icelandic legislation, the learning outcome will be of practical use for all students, without regard to their nationality. Through individual assignments, each student will be able to explore the EIA process in context with an area of their choice.  

Iceland is somewhat unique in that almost all electricity is produced with renewable energy sources. Hydropower is one of the two main pillars of electricity supply in Iceland, together with geothermal power. 

Goal: Provide technological insights into hydropower harnessing, with special emphasis on Icelandic conditions. This is a critical class in the emphasis areas of Water Resources Engineering and Renewable Energy Engineering, and touches upon United Nations Sustainable Development Goal nr. 7, sustainable energy.

Topics: Hydropower potential. Technically feasible hydropower. Main structural components in a hydropower plant. Structural design of hydropower plants, both underground (tunnels) and above ground (dams, spillways). Regulations. Environment, health and safety considerations over life cycle of plant. Ice and sedimentation. Hydro- and electromechanical components. Electricity production. Cost analysis of main structures and equipment. Feasibility of the power plant.

Assessment

Term assignments/projects, written report and oral presentation of final project, and oral final exam at the end of semester. 

Teaching methods 

Emphasis is on self-study and project work, both in teams as well as individual. Weekly lectures, 3 x 40 min, are planned. A field site visit is planned. The class is taught in English.

Students in following specialization have predecedence over others in registration in the course:  Renewable Energy - Hydroelectric Engineering, Water resource engineering

Aim: This course is an introduction course in designing of reinforced concrete structures. The main effort will be on the understanding and designing of simple reinforced concrete beams and one-dimensional plates. The course will be taught according to Eurocode 2. Contents: The properties of concrete and reinforcement will be defined and the interaction of these two materials in a reinforced concrete structures explained. Stress-strain relationship and E-modulus. Deflection and stresses will be calculated in serviceability limit state for cracked sections. Safety factors. Plastic analysis. Moment and shear bearing capacity in the ultimate limit state, also punching shear for plates. Balanced and minimum reinforcement. Ductility. Time dependent behaviour of concrete structures, creep and shrinkage. Anchorage and detailing of reinforcement, environmental conditions. Workshops: Exercises.

Aim: The course is an introductory course in steel structures. Its aim is to establish an understanding of the behaviour of steel structures and their components and how to apply the design codes in design. Contents: Steel production and main structural and material parameters of steel for use in construction. Behaviour and design of main structural steel members such as tension members, beams, columns and beam-columns. Buckling of steel members: Columns, beams, local buckling and the classification of cross sections. Connections in steel structures, behaviour and basis of design. Connections with welding and bolting and the design of simple connections. Project work: Analysis and design exercises.

Traffic volume, location, plan geometry and elevation of roads and airfields, sight distance, intersections, cross-sections. Foundation materials, drainage, compaction, stabilization, fills. Design of highway and airport pavements, load distribution, bases and sub-bases, rigid and flexible surfaces. Selection and design of concrete, asphalt concrete, asphalt emulsion, surface dressing and other materials used for pavement surfaces. Pavement management systems (PMS). Impact analysis. Methods used for testing road-building materials, pavement structures and surfaces. Tests carried out in the laboratory. Design exercises.

This is an introductory course in the collection and transportation of wastewater in urban areas. This class covers topics relating to the United Nations Sustainable Development goals nr. 6 (sanitation) and nr. 11 (sustainable cities).

Course contents: Chemical and biological characteristics of sewage and stormwater. Types and quantities of sanitary sewage.  Design of wastewater systems: Pipe flow calculations, allowable pipe slopes and water speeds, Manning´s equation. System components: Pipelines, manholes, pumping stations, combined sewer overflows. Construction, operation and rehabilitation of sewers. Rainwater quantity: Rainfall intensity, duration, frequency and run-off coefficients. Causes and characteristics of urban floods in Iceland. Climate adaptation with sustainable, blue-green stormwater management. Soil capacity to infiltrate water in cold climate. 

The course includes a design project of a wastewater system, data collection and analyses.

The aim of this course is to introduce water supply systems design and operation, and how to secure drinking water safety.  Also to introduce simple solutions for water supply in rural areas.

Course content: Legal framework for water supply. Drinking water quality requirement, threats to water quality and preventive management to secure public health. Water demand estimate for design. Water resources, water harnessing and water supply solutions.  Main elements of water treatment. Storage tanks and their design. Pumps and pumps selections. Design of supply network. Pipes, valves and hydrants.

The course includes design project of a small water supply from catchment to consumer, project in water safety planning including risk assessment and planning of preventive measures to secure water safety, and a field visit.

Aim: requirements to buildings and the effect of these on general design needs. Training in describing requirements of the buyer and how to use these to design the building and building parts. The course: Building physics of one dimensional thermal and moisture movements, air movements around buildings and in pressure difference over building components, ventilation of roofs and thermal losses of buildings. The climate of Iceland, weather and comfort of interior spaces. The building, form, interior plan and space requirements, health and safety of the inhabitants. Design of building parts and detailing. A short discussion on green buildings, LCA, LCC, building damages, refurbishment and maintenance.

The course gives the students training in applying fundamental knowledge in construction and project management in civil and environmental engineering. Introduction to the basics of project management and applying its methods of planning and managing projects.

Objectives: Students get an overview on the environmental state of the world and on the main environmental impacts arising from using and developing the human societies. Students are able to evaluate and compare the different urban forms and planning objectives from the perspective of their environmental impacts.

Topics: The course gives the students an overview of the current environmental problems both on global and local scales. The emphasis is on analyses and evaluation of the impacts of various types of land-use on the environment. Examples of such analyses are studied and potential planning solutions are searched for. Current planning policies with regard to preserving the environment are studied and evaluated.

Teaching: Lectures once a week, weekly assignments and a pair project. Lectures will cover the main themes which will then be covered in more detail in the assignments and in the pair project. At the lectures a lot of examples from academic studies will be presented. The students will also participate the lectures through discussions and small within-lecture pair and group assignments.

The course is project orientated; students work independently on projects under the guidance of the teacher. Guidance is primarily on technical and theoretical solutions from the geographical information system (GIS) point of view. Major part of the semester is focused on the students own projects, often in connection with their final thesis (BS). Student projects can come from any discipline but need to have a GIS perspective that needs to be solved.

Topics: Projections, geographical objects, attributes databases, topology, geographical fields, presentation of GIS data, 3D, Meta data, open source programmes.

There is no exam but evaluation of students is through final report and smaller projects during the semester. In the beginning of the semester students are required to have a description of their project along with an estimation of the geographical information (data) they need to solve it

Basic principles of organic chemistry with special reference to the medical disciplines. All main classes of organic compounds from alkanes to amines are covered together with their major reaction mechanisms. Structure and chemistry of biological compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and proteins with special reference to biochemistry, enzyme catalysed reaction and medicine in general.

This course focuses on the structure of the periodic table and properties of the elements based on their place in the periodic table. The students learn about the naturally occurring forms of the elements, isolation of the elements and common chemical reactions. Atomic theory is taught as a base for understanding the properties of the elements and their reactivity. Early theories of the structure of the hydrogen atome put forward by Bohr and their development to modern view of the atom structure are covered. The electronic structure of the atom is described, and theories describing formation of chemical bonds such as valence bond theory, VSEPR, and molecular orbital theory are used to determine structures and predict reactivity of molecules. Processes for purification of metals from their naturally occurring ores is covered as well as properties of metalloids and nonmetals. The transition metal elements, and the formation of coordination compounds with solubility, equilibria, ions and electron pair donors will be introduced. Radioactivity, formation and types of radioactive species, reactions and their applications will be introduced.

Teaching takes 12 weeks. Charge and electric field. Gauss' law. Electric potential. Capacitors and dielectrics. Electric currents and resistance. Circuits. Magnetic fields. The laws of Ampère and Faraday. Induction. Electric oscillation and alternating currents. Maxwell's equations. Electromagnetic waves. Reflection and refraction. Lenses and mirrors. Wave optics. Four laboratory exercises in optics and electromagnetism.

Non-parametric testing and contingency tables. Statistical quality control: Control charts for variables and attributes. Acceptance sampling, single and double. Operating characteristic curves. Variance analysis, factor analysis and experimental design. Regression, both linear and non-linear. Principal components.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

Concepts, units, scales and dimensions. Vectors. Kinematics of particles. Particle dynamics, inertia, forces and Newton's laws. Friction. Work and energy, conservation of energy. Momentum, collisions. Systems of particles, center of mass. Rotation of a rigid body. Angular momentum and moment of inertia. Statics. Gravity. Solids and fluids, Bernoulli's equation. Oscillations: Simple, damped and forced. Waves. Sound. Temperature. Ideal gas. Heat and the first law of thermodynamics. Kinetic theory of gases. Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. Home problems: Once a week the students have to solve homeproblems on the website MasteringPhysics.

Laboratory work: Three exercises, mainly centered on mechanics, where students are trained in handling physical instruments, collecting and inspecting data. Students hand in their lab notebooks for a grade.

Note that the textbook is accessible to students via Canvas free of charge.

This is a foundational course in single variable calculus. The prerequisites are high school courses on algebra, trigonometry. derivatives, and integrals. The course aims to create a foundation for understanding of subjects such as natural and physical sciences, engineering, economics, and computer science. Topics of the course include the following:

• Real numbers.
• Limits and continuous functions.
• Differentiable functions, rules for derivatives, derivatives of higher order, applications of differential calculus (extremal value problems, linear approximation).
• Transcendental functions.
• Mean value theorem, theorems of l'Hôpital and Taylor.
• Integration, the definite integral and rules/techniques of integration, primitives, improper integrals.
• Fundamental theorem of calculus.
• Applications of integral calculus: Arc length, area, volume, centroids.
• Ordinary differential equations: First-order separable and homogeneous differential equations, first-order linear equations, second-order linear equations with constant coefficients.
• Sequences and series, convergence tests.
• Power series, Taylor series.

Basics of linear algebra over the reals.  

Subject matter: Systems of linear equations, matrices, Gauss-Jordan reduction.  Vector spaces and their subspaces.  Linearly independent sets, bases and dimension.  Linear maps, range space and nullk space.  The dot product, length and angle measures.  Volumes in higher dimension and the cross product in threedimensional space.  Flats, parametric descriptions and descriptions by equations.  Orthogonal projections and orthonormal bases.  Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization.  Determinants and inverses of matrices.  Eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalization.

Programming in Python (for computations in engineering and science): Main commands and statements (computations, control statements, in- and output), definition and execution of functions, datatypes (numbers, matrices, strings, logical values, records), operations and built-in functions, array and matrix computation, file processing, statistics, graphics. Object-oriented programming: classes, objects, constructors and methods. Concepts associated with design and construction of program systems: Programming environment and practices, design and documentation of function and subroutine libraries, debugging and testing of programmes.

Goal: To describe the field of work, ethical responsibility and professionalism within the engineering profession. Topics:  The class provides engineering students with a base to understand their ethical responsibilities towards the environment, society, the engineering profession and themselves. It gives an insight into the roles and tasks of engineers in the past, present and the future. The class provides an overview of the diversity of job opportunities for engineers in Iceland and internationally. Innovation and latest trends, including sustainability and the environment, are discussed. Students receive training in literature review and academic report writing, as well as proper conduct in a professional setting. Weekly homeworks and team assignments are conducted in class.

The first semester student workshop is for BS students in Civil and Environmental Engineering to work on their homeworks in calculus I, physics 1, and linear algebra. Students from higher years take shifts in these workshops over the semester and respond to questions from new students. The role of the supervising students is not to teach the course material but to give good advice and suggestions for study. These workshops are a platform for new students in the Faculty to meet and work independently on their homeworks in the first semester. All BS students in Civil and Environmental Engineering are encouraged to participate.

Structural analysis 1 is the first courses of many in structural engineering which aim is to teach methods to determinate forces and deformations of structures. The students will be introduced to the fundamentals of statics and trained in solving simple problems. Weekly the students will  have to turn in homeproblems. Most of the them are based on handcaluclations but in some of them they will have to use computers and make short programs in Matlab.

Engineering students are provided with training in presenting the result of their work in a neat, orderly and precise manner. Major emphasis is placed on submission of exercise results and project reports in a clear and concise text and a graphical layout commensurate with a good engineering practice. Introduction to drafting rules and standards. Sizes and folding of technical drawings. Lay-out and detailing of handwritten reports. Graphics, transparencies and slides. Graphical description of objects. Parallel projection of curved surfaces and bodies. Multiview- and pictorial projection.

Basic concepts in probability and statistics based on univariate calculus. 

Topics: 
Sample space, events, probability, equal probability, independent events, conditional probability, Bayes rule, random variables, distribution, density, joint distribution, independent random variables, condistional distribution, mean, variance, covariance, correlation, law of large numbers, Bernoulli, binomial, Poisson, uniform, exponential and normal random variables. Central limit theorem. Poisson process. Random sample, statistics, the distribution of the sample mean and the sample variance. Point estimate, maximum likelihood estimator, mean square error, bias. Interval estimates and hypotheses testing form normal, binomial and exponential samples. Simple linear regression. Goodness of fit tests, test of independence.

Open and closed sets. Mappings, limits and continuity. Differentiable mappings, partial derivatives and the chain rule. Jacobi matrices. Gradients and directional derivatives. Mixed partial derivatives. Curves. Vector fields and flow. Cylindrical and spherical coordinates. Taylor polynomials. Extreme values and the classification of stationary points. Extreme value problems with constraints. Implicit functions and local inverses. Line integrals, primitive functions and exact differential equations. Double integrals. Improper integrals. Green's theorem. Simply connected domains. Change of variables in double integrals. Multiple integrals. Change of variables in multiple integrals. Surface integrals. Integration of vector fields. The theorems of Stokes and Gauss.

Role of geology in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Endogenic processes: Structure of the earth, magma and lava types, continental drift, earthquakes, volcanic activity. Exogenic processes: Weathering, erosion (glacial, river and coastal erosion), sedimentation and sedimentary environments, surface and ground water. Geological history of Iceland and N-Atlantic Ocean. Natural hazards in Iceland (volcanic activity, earthquakes, mass movements, flooding, weather). Environmental impact assessment. Applied earth materials in Iceland, e.g. for buildings, roads, concrete, substances for cement and other use for earth material, frost action, filter design, use of boulders, rock mechanism, rock sample testing and rock classification. Exploration methods in engineering geology and geophysics for various constructions, e.g. for power plants (dams), tunnels, harbors, bridges, roads, airstrips, power lines and urban design. Students will visit 2-3 companies or institutions and take a two-day field trip, where geological sites with relevance for Civil and Environmental Engineering will be visited.

Objectives: To introduce the basic principle of the mechanics of continuous media and train the students in applying these principles within the field of strength of materials and structural mechanics. Using Matlab for solving problems and excercises.

Contents: Analysis of stress and strain, stress-strain relationship and stress functions. Elasticity: Two dimensional stress and strain fields, stress concentration, contact stresses and temperature effects. Yield criteria.  Bending and torsion. Energy methods, introduction to non-linear behaviour and plasticity.  Wave propagation in continuous media and dynamics of simple linear systems.

Aim: Information on and basic training in evaluation of properties of common building materials. The materials; metals, polymers earth filling materials, concrete and wood are studied regarding effect of environmental and mechanical loading. The properties especially evaluated are; composition of materials, grain size and distribution, porosity, water absorption, strength and stiffness, thermal conductivity, volume stability and durability.

General introduction to chemical foundations, atoms, molecules and ions. Stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Properties of gases, solids and liquides, and properties af solutions. Atomic structure and the periodic table. Atomic bonding (ionic, covalent and metal) using VB theory. Chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Acids and bases and the properties and application of aqueous solutions (buffers and solubility products). Thermochemistry (enhalpy, entropy, sponaneity and the Gibbs free energy). Electrochemistry (galvanic and electrolyic sells) and application of electrochemistry. Nuclear chemistry.

Functions of a complex variable. Analytic functions. The exponential function, logarithms and roots. Cauchy's Integral Theorem and Cauchy's Integral Formula. Uniform convergence. Power series. Laurent series. Residue integration method. Application of complex function theory to fluid flows. Ordinary differential equations and systems of ordinary differential equations. Linear differential equations with constant coefficients. Systems of linear differential equations. The matrix exponential function. Various methods for obtaining a particular solution. Green's functions for initial value problems. Flows and the phase plane. Nonlinear systems of ordinary differential equations in the plane, equilibrium points, stability and linear approximations. Series solutions and the method of Frobenius. Use of Laplace transforms in solving differential equations.

The class goal is to introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of environmental engineering. The class studies the causes and concerns of environmental problems and provides analytical tools to assess and control them. Topics include: Global and local environmental issues, mass transfer theory, environmental chemistry, risk assessments, water pollution, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution, solid waste management, global warming and united nations sustainable development goals.

Lectures and recitations will be conducted in Icelandic. Written materials (class notes, homeworks and textbook) are in English. Students perform a group research project which involves data collection in the field, oral presentation and report writing. 

Objectives: This course is to provide the students an overview of treatment and reutilization technology in wastewater engineering, air pollution control engineering, and solid & hazardous waste engineering.

Topics: In this course, three major topics are covered:

(1) Treatment and reutilization technology in wastewater engineering, including wastewater and storm water systems; physical, chemical, and biological wastewater treatment unit processes; industrial wastewater treatment; advanced wastewater treatment and reclamation technology; sludge treatment and disposal technology

(2) Treatment and reutilization technology in air pollution control engineering, including techniques for air pollution measurements; sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides abatement techniques; VOCs and HCs abatement techniques; particulate matters abatement techniques; Control technique of mobile source pollutants.

(3) Treatment and reutilization technology in solid & hazardous waste engineering, including waste minimization and processing,    biochemical waste conversion, thermal waste transformation, waste disposal, hazardous waste treatment and reuse.

Teaching: Lectures (teaching lecture, tutorial lecture, lab lecture), homework, and a group project. Lectures introduce the fundamentals and advances of treatment and reutilization technology in environmental engineering (focusing on wastewater, air, and solid waste). Homework is assigned to help students review the lecture contents and practice technical calculation questions. Tutorial lectures are provided to discuss solutions of homework assignments with students. Lab lecture is performed in the research lab to demonstrate selected treatment processes and allow students hands-on practice. In the group project, students review literatures of a selected topic relating to advanced treatment technology, write a report, and give an oral presentation.

The course is also suitable for students not specializing in Civil or Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, other engineering fields, Environment and Natural Resources, Life and Environmental Science.

Application of matrix methods in structural analysis. Interpretation of the displacement method as a finite element method. Trusses and frames. Stiffness matrix for single elements. Stiffness matrix for structural systems. Solution methods. Computer programmes and computer applications. The Rayleigh-Ritz method. Basic principles and properties of finite element methods. Shape functions. Two-dimensional stress analysis. Triangular and rectangular elements. Errors.

Aim: To introduce the student to Fourier analysis and partial differential equations and their applications.
Subject matter: Fourier series and orthonormal systems of functions, boundary-value problems for ordinary differential equations, the eigenvalue problem for Sturm-Liouville operators, Fourier transform. The wave equation, diffusion equation and Laplace's equation solved on various domains in one, two and three dimensions by methods based on the first part of the course, separation of variables, fundamental solution, Green's functions and the method of images.

Fundamental concepts on approximation and error estimates. Solutions of systems of linear and non-linear equations. PLU decomposition. Interpolating polynomials, spline interpolation and regression. Numerical differentiation and integration. Extrapolation. Numerical solutions of initial value problems of systems of ordinary differential equations. Multistep methods. Numerical solutions to boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations.

Grades are given for programning projects and in total they amount to 30% of the final grade. The student has to receive the minimum grade of 5 for both the projects and the final exam.

Hydrology is the scientific study of earth's water resources. Students will be introduced to the physical and chemical properties of water and the processes responsible for its occurrence, distribution and cycling, with emphasis on the terrestrial phase of the hydrologic cycle as well as the characteristics of the Icelandic water resource. Methods and models used in engineering hydrology and design are introduced, and used to solve projects.

Students taking UMV401G as a mandatory course have priority for registration. 

Objectives: To enable students from broad backgrounds to apply geographical information systems for map development and geographic analysis in technical reports, project presentations, work, and research. To provide training and enhance student maturity to: 1) manage projects using geographical information, 2) evaluate and select the most appropriate geographic analysis and maps for diverse projects, 3) write text that interprets maps and describes a geographic analysis, and 4) write a professional report to describe a project applying geographic information systems, maps, and geographic analysis. 

Topics: Students get introduced to geographic information systems and geographic data. Learn the development of reference and thematic maps. Use vector and raster data. Learn selection by attributes and location, and creation of map layers from selections. Learn how to join tables and spatial join. Practice in various operations on map layers, e.g. clip, dissolve, transfer data between layers, drawing and developing new map layers. Link aerial photos to maps. Display GPS coordinate data on maps. Perform spatial analysis of data. Emphasis is on developing student ability to select map contents, operations and analysis tools, design maps and interpret maps in written text. 

Teaching: The course is taught in Icelandic. Students learn and receive practice in fundamental use of geographical information systems by completing hands-on projects in a computer lab, homework, and a final project, all based on real-world data. The projects are designed to develop student ability in selecting maps, map contents and analysis tools, along with interpreting maps.

The course is taught in a classroom with live streaming, the recordings are then made available a few days later. The course can be taken on-site, distance learning or mixed. The course is not designed to be taken without real-time participation during class.

This course is to provide the students hands-on practice in environmental engineering lab. The students will be trained to equip with theoretical background knowledge, use water quality analytical tools, perform advanced wastewater treatment process, collect and analyze data, and prepare research report. Two students will be grouped, and each group will perform the experiment independently with focusing on optimization of operating conditions to improve treated water quality. The class provides fundamental technical expertise that contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals nr. 6 (clean water and sanitation) and nr. 14 (life in water).

Projects in Fall 2025: Mitigation of microplastic fibres during membrane filtration of wastewater (focusing on microfiber detection, microfiber transport and interaction with membrane, and water quality)

The main aim of the course is to introduce the probabilistic basis for structural design and building codes. Methods are described that can be used to compute safety and reliability of structures. Furthermore, it is outlined how they can be used to define material strengths and loads for design. An introduction is given to current Eurocodes that cover safety and definition of structural loads. Students will have to solve number of home projects and in some of them programming in Matlab is required.

Objectives:

To provide students with skills to apply the fundaments of mechanics of soils in the design process of structures.

Course contents:

Soil composition, grain size distribution, Atterberg limits. Soil classification, soil compaction, compaction methods. Pore pressure, capillary tension, permeability, ground water, flow nets and drainage. Stress in a soil mass, effective stresses. Shear strength, internal friction, cohesion. Earth pressure, retaining walls. Settlement, compressibility of soils. Bearing capacity of soils. Slope stability. Laboratory experiments.

Objective: Students should be able to participate in executing and evaluating projects in transportation engineering, particularly in road construction, traffic engineering, and transportation planning. Students should be able to enter further studies in transportation engineering. Students should have practiced the application of transportation engineering through work on design projects, both individually and in groups.

Main topics: Transportation and society, vehicle braking, public transportation, road alignment design, traffic safety, traffic flow, queues, traffic capacity, level of service, traffic forecasting, road network planning and intersections.

The objective of the course is that students get the skills to:

1.    Understand the main concepts in accounting, cost theory and investment theory.

2.    Be able to use methods of measuring the economic feasibility of technical projects.

3.    Be able to develop computer models to assess the profitability of investments, the value of companies and pricing of bonds

Among topics included are accounting, cost theory, cash flow analysis, investment theory, measures of profitability including net present value and internal rate of return, and the building of profitability models. The course ends with a group assignment where the students exercise the development of computer models for feasibility assessment of projects.

The course gives the students basic knowledge in fluid mechanics. Theoretical background for fluids and fluid flow is presented. The fundamental equations of fluid mechanics are derived and used to solve problems. The students perform laboratory experiments.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

The course is an introductory course in project management. It introduces key concepts of project management and covers context and selection of projects, project planning, project monitoring, management of project teams, and project closure. Students create and execute project plans in groups. Special emphasis is on using of project management for managing technological innovation in organizations.

The course is taught by experts from Veitur and Reykjavik Energy. A practical design project is carried out in the Fluidit program, which Veitur and most engineering firms in Iceland use.

In the course, the roles and structure of water, heating, and sewage systems are covered. The equipment used, such as piping materials, valves, pumps, pumping stations, and devices, is discussed. The main causes of leaks and how to prevent them are addressed. Students learn the difference between groundwater and surface water and the main methods for purifying drinking water. Students learn about water tanks, their purpose, and different types. The utilization of geothermal energy in Iceland for district heating is covered. Also, snow melting and infiltration into sewage pipes are discussed. Students learn about the composition of sewage water; rainwater, household, and industrial wastewater, both in terms of composition and quantity. Pollution of sewage in recipients, the treatment systems used, and how to choose treatment facilities are also covered.

The purpose of the course is to prepare students for working in technology-based firms and organizations. The course will give an overview of the management of firms and organizations, the role of engineers and the challenges they face. Students will learn about analysis tools used in decision making, interpret the results, and communicate both orally and in writing.

Aim: To give an overview of the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of anthropogenic activities and to introduce the procedures and methods used in the environmental assessment process. At the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of the main principles of EIA and the methods used for its application.  After having completed the course, students should be able to actively participate in the making of EIA. Subject: Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects is the main subject of the course.  EIA is a systematic process meant to streamline development projects by minimizing environmental effects. The first part of the course is an introduction to the global context and history of EIA, the subject of EIA, and an introduction to the EIA methodology.  The second part of the course focuses on processes. The aim, subject, and process of EIA will be explained, including a discussion on the various stages and aspects of the EIA procedure (such as screening, scoping, participants, stakeholders and consultation, impact prediction and assessment, reporting and monitoring).  Although the examples of processes, definitions and methods introduced in the course will be based on the Icelandic legislation, the learning outcome will be of practical use for all students, without regard to their nationality. Through individual assignments, each student will be able to explore the EIA process in context with an area of their choice.  

Iceland is somewhat unique in that almost all electricity is produced with renewable energy sources. Hydropower is one of the two main pillars of electricity supply in Iceland, together with geothermal power. 

Goal: Provide technological insights into hydropower harnessing, with special emphasis on Icelandic conditions. This is a critical class in the emphasis areas of Water Resources Engineering and Renewable Energy Engineering, and touches upon United Nations Sustainable Development Goal nr. 7, sustainable energy.

Topics: Hydropower potential. Technically feasible hydropower. Main structural components in a hydropower plant. Structural design of hydropower plants, both underground (tunnels) and above ground (dams, spillways). Regulations. Environment, health and safety considerations over life cycle of plant. Ice and sedimentation. Hydro- and electromechanical components. Electricity production. Cost analysis of main structures and equipment. Feasibility of the power plant.

Assessment

Term assignments/projects, written report and oral presentation of final project, and oral final exam at the end of semester. 

Teaching methods 

Emphasis is on self-study and project work, both in teams as well as individual. Weekly lectures, 3 x 40 min, are planned. A field site visit is planned. The class is taught in English.

Students in following specialization have predecedence over others in registration in the course:  Renewable Energy - Hydroelectric Engineering, Water resource engineering

Aim: This course is an introduction course in designing of reinforced concrete structures. The main effort will be on the understanding and designing of simple reinforced concrete beams and one-dimensional plates. The course will be taught according to Eurocode 2. Contents: The properties of concrete and reinforcement will be defined and the interaction of these two materials in a reinforced concrete structures explained. Stress-strain relationship and E-modulus. Deflection and stresses will be calculated in serviceability limit state for cracked sections. Safety factors. Plastic analysis. Moment and shear bearing capacity in the ultimate limit state, also punching shear for plates. Balanced and minimum reinforcement. Ductility. Time dependent behaviour of concrete structures, creep and shrinkage. Anchorage and detailing of reinforcement, environmental conditions. Workshops: Exercises.

Aim: The course is an introductory course in steel structures. Its aim is to establish an understanding of the behaviour of steel structures and their components and how to apply the design codes in design. Contents: Steel production and main structural and material parameters of steel for use in construction. Behaviour and design of main structural steel members such as tension members, beams, columns and beam-columns. Buckling of steel members: Columns, beams, local buckling and the classification of cross sections. Connections in steel structures, behaviour and basis of design. Connections with welding and bolting and the design of simple connections. Project work: Analysis and design exercises.

Traffic volume, location, plan geometry and elevation of roads and airfields, sight distance, intersections, cross-sections. Foundation materials, drainage, compaction, stabilization, fills. Design of highway and airport pavements, load distribution, bases and sub-bases, rigid and flexible surfaces. Selection and design of concrete, asphalt concrete, asphalt emulsion, surface dressing and other materials used for pavement surfaces. Pavement management systems (PMS). Impact analysis. Methods used for testing road-building materials, pavement structures and surfaces. Tests carried out in the laboratory. Design exercises.

This is an introductory course in the collection and transportation of wastewater in urban areas. This class covers topics relating to the United Nations Sustainable Development goals nr. 6 (sanitation) and nr. 11 (sustainable cities).

Course contents: Chemical and biological characteristics of sewage and stormwater. Types and quantities of sanitary sewage.  Design of wastewater systems: Pipe flow calculations, allowable pipe slopes and water speeds, Manning´s equation. System components: Pipelines, manholes, pumping stations, combined sewer overflows. Construction, operation and rehabilitation of sewers. Rainwater quantity: Rainfall intensity, duration, frequency and run-off coefficients. Causes and characteristics of urban floods in Iceland. Climate adaptation with sustainable, blue-green stormwater management. Soil capacity to infiltrate water in cold climate. 

The course includes a design project of a wastewater system, data collection and analyses.

The aim of this course is to introduce water supply systems design and operation, and how to secure drinking water safety.  Also to introduce simple solutions for water supply in rural areas.

Course content: Legal framework for water supply. Drinking water quality requirement, threats to water quality and preventive management to secure public health. Water demand estimate for design. Water resources, water harnessing and water supply solutions.  Main elements of water treatment. Storage tanks and their design. Pumps and pumps selections. Design of supply network. Pipes, valves and hydrants.

The course includes design project of a small water supply from catchment to consumer, project in water safety planning including risk assessment and planning of preventive measures to secure water safety, and a field visit.

Aim: requirements to buildings and the effect of these on general design needs. Training in describing requirements of the buyer and how to use these to design the building and building parts. The course: Building physics of one dimensional thermal and moisture movements, air movements around buildings and in pressure difference over building components, ventilation of roofs and thermal losses of buildings. The climate of Iceland, weather and comfort of interior spaces. The building, form, interior plan and space requirements, health and safety of the inhabitants. Design of building parts and detailing. A short discussion on green buildings, LCA, LCC, building damages, refurbishment and maintenance.

The course gives the students training in applying fundamental knowledge in construction and project management in civil and environmental engineering. Introduction to the basics of project management and applying its methods of planning and managing projects.

Objectives: Students get an overview on the environmental state of the world and on the main environmental impacts arising from using and developing the human societies. Students are able to evaluate and compare the different urban forms and planning objectives from the perspective of their environmental impacts.

Topics: The course gives the students an overview of the current environmental problems both on global and local scales. The emphasis is on analyses and evaluation of the impacts of various types of land-use on the environment. Examples of such analyses are studied and potential planning solutions are searched for. Current planning policies with regard to preserving the environment are studied and evaluated.

Teaching: Lectures once a week, weekly assignments and a pair project. Lectures will cover the main themes which will then be covered in more detail in the assignments and in the pair project. At the lectures a lot of examples from academic studies will be presented. The students will also participate the lectures through discussions and small within-lecture pair and group assignments.

The course is project orientated; students work independently on projects under the guidance of the teacher. Guidance is primarily on technical and theoretical solutions from the geographical information system (GIS) point of view. Major part of the semester is focused on the students own projects, often in connection with their final thesis (BS). Student projects can come from any discipline but need to have a GIS perspective that needs to be solved.

Topics: Projections, geographical objects, attributes databases, topology, geographical fields, presentation of GIS data, 3D, Meta data, open source programmes.

There is no exam but evaluation of students is through final report and smaller projects during the semester. In the beginning of the semester students are required to have a description of their project along with an estimation of the geographical information (data) they need to solve it

Basic principles of organic chemistry with special reference to the medical disciplines. All main classes of organic compounds from alkanes to amines are covered together with their major reaction mechanisms. Structure and chemistry of biological compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and proteins with special reference to biochemistry, enzyme catalysed reaction and medicine in general.

This course focuses on the structure of the periodic table and properties of the elements based on their place in the periodic table. The students learn about the naturally occurring forms of the elements, isolation of the elements and common chemical reactions. Atomic theory is taught as a base for understanding the properties of the elements and their reactivity. Early theories of the structure of the hydrogen atome put forward by Bohr and their development to modern view of the atom structure are covered. The electronic structure of the atom is described, and theories describing formation of chemical bonds such as valence bond theory, VSEPR, and molecular orbital theory are used to determine structures and predict reactivity of molecules. Processes for purification of metals from their naturally occurring ores is covered as well as properties of metalloids and nonmetals. The transition metal elements, and the formation of coordination compounds with solubility, equilibria, ions and electron pair donors will be introduced. Radioactivity, formation and types of radioactive species, reactions and their applications will be introduced.

Teaching takes 12 weeks. Charge and electric field. Gauss' law. Electric potential. Capacitors and dielectrics. Electric currents and resistance. Circuits. Magnetic fields. The laws of Ampère and Faraday. Induction. Electric oscillation and alternating currents. Maxwell's equations. Electromagnetic waves. Reflection and refraction. Lenses and mirrors. Wave optics. Four laboratory exercises in optics and electromagnetism.

Non-parametric testing and contingency tables. Statistical quality control: Control charts for variables and attributes. Acceptance sampling, single and double. Operating characteristic curves. Variance analysis, factor analysis and experimental design. Regression, both linear and non-linear. Principal components.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

Concepts, units, scales and dimensions. Vectors. Kinematics of particles. Particle dynamics, inertia, forces and Newton's laws. Friction. Work and energy, conservation of energy. Momentum, collisions. Systems of particles, center of mass. Rotation of a rigid body. Angular momentum and moment of inertia. Statics. Gravity. Solids and fluids, Bernoulli's equation. Oscillations: Simple, damped and forced. Waves. Sound. Temperature. Ideal gas. Heat and the first law of thermodynamics. Kinetic theory of gases. Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. Home problems: Once a week the students have to solve homeproblems on the website MasteringPhysics.

Laboratory work: Three exercises, mainly centered on mechanics, where students are trained in handling physical instruments, collecting and inspecting data. Students hand in their lab notebooks for a grade.

Note that the textbook is accessible to students via Canvas free of charge.

This is a foundational course in single variable calculus. The prerequisites are high school courses on algebra, trigonometry. derivatives, and integrals. The course aims to create a foundation for understanding of subjects such as natural and physical sciences, engineering, economics, and computer science. Topics of the course include the following:

• Real numbers.
• Limits and continuous functions.
• Differentiable functions, rules for derivatives, derivatives of higher order, applications of differential calculus (extremal value problems, linear approximation).
• Transcendental functions.
• Mean value theorem, theorems of l'Hôpital and Taylor.
• Integration, the definite integral and rules/techniques of integration, primitives, improper integrals.
• Fundamental theorem of calculus.
• Applications of integral calculus: Arc length, area, volume, centroids.
• Ordinary differential equations: First-order separable and homogeneous differential equations, first-order linear equations, second-order linear equations with constant coefficients.
• Sequences and series, convergence tests.
• Power series, Taylor series.

Basics of linear algebra over the reals.  

Subject matter: Systems of linear equations, matrices, Gauss-Jordan reduction.  Vector spaces and their subspaces.  Linearly independent sets, bases and dimension.  Linear maps, range space and nullk space.  The dot product, length and angle measures.  Volumes in higher dimension and the cross product in threedimensional space.  Flats, parametric descriptions and descriptions by equations.  Orthogonal projections and orthonormal bases.  Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization.  Determinants and inverses of matrices.  Eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalization.

Programming in Python (for computations in engineering and science): Main commands and statements (computations, control statements, in- and output), definition and execution of functions, datatypes (numbers, matrices, strings, logical values, records), operations and built-in functions, array and matrix computation, file processing, statistics, graphics. Object-oriented programming: classes, objects, constructors and methods. Concepts associated with design and construction of program systems: Programming environment and practices, design and documentation of function and subroutine libraries, debugging and testing of programmes.

Goal: To describe the field of work, ethical responsibility and professionalism within the engineering profession. Topics:  The class provides engineering students with a base to understand their ethical responsibilities towards the environment, society, the engineering profession and themselves. It gives an insight into the roles and tasks of engineers in the past, present and the future. The class provides an overview of the diversity of job opportunities for engineers in Iceland and internationally. Innovation and latest trends, including sustainability and the environment, are discussed. Students receive training in literature review and academic report writing, as well as proper conduct in a professional setting. Weekly homeworks and team assignments are conducted in class.

The first semester student workshop is for BS students in Civil and Environmental Engineering to work on their homeworks in calculus I, physics 1, and linear algebra. Students from higher years take shifts in these workshops over the semester and respond to questions from new students. The role of the supervising students is not to teach the course material but to give good advice and suggestions for study. These workshops are a platform for new students in the Faculty to meet and work independently on their homeworks in the first semester. All BS students in Civil and Environmental Engineering are encouraged to participate.

Structural analysis 1 is the first courses of many in structural engineering which aim is to teach methods to determinate forces and deformations of structures. The students will be introduced to the fundamentals of statics and trained in solving simple problems. Weekly the students will  have to turn in homeproblems. Most of the them are based on handcaluclations but in some of them they will have to use computers and make short programs in Matlab.

Engineering students are provided with training in presenting the result of their work in a neat, orderly and precise manner. Major emphasis is placed on submission of exercise results and project reports in a clear and concise text and a graphical layout commensurate with a good engineering practice. Introduction to drafting rules and standards. Sizes and folding of technical drawings. Lay-out and detailing of handwritten reports. Graphics, transparencies and slides. Graphical description of objects. Parallel projection of curved surfaces and bodies. Multiview- and pictorial projection.

Basic concepts in probability and statistics based on univariate calculus. 

Topics: 
Sample space, events, probability, equal probability, independent events, conditional probability, Bayes rule, random variables, distribution, density, joint distribution, independent random variables, condistional distribution, mean, variance, covariance, correlation, law of large numbers, Bernoulli, binomial, Poisson, uniform, exponential and normal random variables. Central limit theorem. Poisson process. Random sample, statistics, the distribution of the sample mean and the sample variance. Point estimate, maximum likelihood estimator, mean square error, bias. Interval estimates and hypotheses testing form normal, binomial and exponential samples. Simple linear regression. Goodness of fit tests, test of independence.

Open and closed sets. Mappings, limits and continuity. Differentiable mappings, partial derivatives and the chain rule. Jacobi matrices. Gradients and directional derivatives. Mixed partial derivatives. Curves. Vector fields and flow. Cylindrical and spherical coordinates. Taylor polynomials. Extreme values and the classification of stationary points. Extreme value problems with constraints. Implicit functions and local inverses. Line integrals, primitive functions and exact differential equations. Double integrals. Improper integrals. Green's theorem. Simply connected domains. Change of variables in double integrals. Multiple integrals. Change of variables in multiple integrals. Surface integrals. Integration of vector fields. The theorems of Stokes and Gauss.

Role of geology in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Endogenic processes: Structure of the earth, magma and lava types, continental drift, earthquakes, volcanic activity. Exogenic processes: Weathering, erosion (glacial, river and coastal erosion), sedimentation and sedimentary environments, surface and ground water. Geological history of Iceland and N-Atlantic Ocean. Natural hazards in Iceland (volcanic activity, earthquakes, mass movements, flooding, weather). Environmental impact assessment. Applied earth materials in Iceland, e.g. for buildings, roads, concrete, substances for cement and other use for earth material, frost action, filter design, use of boulders, rock mechanism, rock sample testing and rock classification. Exploration methods in engineering geology and geophysics for various constructions, e.g. for power plants (dams), tunnels, harbors, bridges, roads, airstrips, power lines and urban design. Students will visit 2-3 companies or institutions and take a two-day field trip, where geological sites with relevance for Civil and Environmental Engineering will be visited.

Objectives: To introduce the basic principle of the mechanics of continuous media and train the students in applying these principles within the field of strength of materials and structural mechanics. Using Matlab for solving problems and excercises.

Contents: Analysis of stress and strain, stress-strain relationship and stress functions. Elasticity: Two dimensional stress and strain fields, stress concentration, contact stresses and temperature effects. Yield criteria.  Bending and torsion. Energy methods, introduction to non-linear behaviour and plasticity.  Wave propagation in continuous media and dynamics of simple linear systems.

Aim: Information on and basic training in evaluation of properties of common building materials. The materials; metals, polymers earth filling materials, concrete and wood are studied regarding effect of environmental and mechanical loading. The properties especially evaluated are; composition of materials, grain size and distribution, porosity, water absorption, strength and stiffness, thermal conductivity, volume stability and durability.

General introduction to chemical foundations, atoms, molecules and ions. Stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Properties of gases, solids and liquides, and properties af solutions. Atomic structure and the periodic table. Atomic bonding (ionic, covalent and metal) using VB theory. Chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Acids and bases and the properties and application of aqueous solutions (buffers and solubility products). Thermochemistry (enhalpy, entropy, sponaneity and the Gibbs free energy). Electrochemistry (galvanic and electrolyic sells) and application of electrochemistry. Nuclear chemistry.

Functions of a complex variable. Analytic functions. The exponential function, logarithms and roots. Cauchy's Integral Theorem and Cauchy's Integral Formula. Uniform convergence. Power series. Laurent series. Residue integration method. Application of complex function theory to fluid flows. Ordinary differential equations and systems of ordinary differential equations. Linear differential equations with constant coefficients. Systems of linear differential equations. The matrix exponential function. Various methods for obtaining a particular solution. Green's functions for initial value problems. Flows and the phase plane. Nonlinear systems of ordinary differential equations in the plane, equilibrium points, stability and linear approximations. Series solutions and the method of Frobenius. Use of Laplace transforms in solving differential equations.

The class goal is to introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of environmental engineering. The class studies the causes and concerns of environmental problems and provides analytical tools to assess and control them. Topics include: Global and local environmental issues, mass transfer theory, environmental chemistry, risk assessments, water pollution, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution, solid waste management, global warming and united nations sustainable development goals.

Lectures and recitations will be conducted in Icelandic. Written materials (class notes, homeworks and textbook) are in English. Students perform a group research project which involves data collection in the field, oral presentation and report writing. 

Objectives: This course is to provide the students an overview of treatment and reutilization technology in wastewater engineering, air pollution control engineering, and solid & hazardous waste engineering.

Topics: In this course, three major topics are covered:

(1) Treatment and reutilization technology in wastewater engineering, including wastewater and storm water systems; physical, chemical, and biological wastewater treatment unit processes; industrial wastewater treatment; advanced wastewater treatment and reclamation technology; sludge treatment and disposal technology

(2) Treatment and reutilization technology in air pollution control engineering, including techniques for air pollution measurements; sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides abatement techniques; VOCs and HCs abatement techniques; particulate matters abatement techniques; Control technique of mobile source pollutants.

(3) Treatment and reutilization technology in solid & hazardous waste engineering, including waste minimization and processing,    biochemical waste conversion, thermal waste transformation, waste disposal, hazardous waste treatment and reuse.

Teaching: Lectures (teaching lecture, tutorial lecture, lab lecture), homework, and a group project. Lectures introduce the fundamentals and advances of treatment and reutilization technology in environmental engineering (focusing on wastewater, air, and solid waste). Homework is assigned to help students review the lecture contents and practice technical calculation questions. Tutorial lectures are provided to discuss solutions of homework assignments with students. Lab lecture is performed in the research lab to demonstrate selected treatment processes and allow students hands-on practice. In the group project, students review literatures of a selected topic relating to advanced treatment technology, write a report, and give an oral presentation.

The course is also suitable for students not specializing in Civil or Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, other engineering fields, Environment and Natural Resources, Life and Environmental Science.

Application of matrix methods in structural analysis. Interpretation of the displacement method as a finite element method. Trusses and frames. Stiffness matrix for single elements. Stiffness matrix for structural systems. Solution methods. Computer programmes and computer applications. The Rayleigh-Ritz method. Basic principles and properties of finite element methods. Shape functions. Two-dimensional stress analysis. Triangular and rectangular elements. Errors.

Aim: To introduce the student to Fourier analysis and partial differential equations and their applications.
Subject matter: Fourier series and orthonormal systems of functions, boundary-value problems for ordinary differential equations, the eigenvalue problem for Sturm-Liouville operators, Fourier transform. The wave equation, diffusion equation and Laplace's equation solved on various domains in one, two and three dimensions by methods based on the first part of the course, separation of variables, fundamental solution, Green's functions and the method of images.

Fundamental concepts on approximation and error estimates. Solutions of systems of linear and non-linear equations. PLU decomposition. Interpolating polynomials, spline interpolation and regression. Numerical differentiation and integration. Extrapolation. Numerical solutions of initial value problems of systems of ordinary differential equations. Multistep methods. Numerical solutions to boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations.

Grades are given for programning projects and in total they amount to 30% of the final grade. The student has to receive the minimum grade of 5 for both the projects and the final exam.

Hydrology is the scientific study of earth's water resources. Students will be introduced to the physical and chemical properties of water and the processes responsible for its occurrence, distribution and cycling, with emphasis on the terrestrial phase of the hydrologic cycle as well as the characteristics of the Icelandic water resource. Methods and models used in engineering hydrology and design are introduced, and used to solve projects.

Students taking UMV401G as a mandatory course have priority for registration. 

Objectives: To enable students from broad backgrounds to apply geographical information systems for map development and geographic analysis in technical reports, project presentations, work, and research. To provide training and enhance student maturity to: 1) manage projects using geographical information, 2) evaluate and select the most appropriate geographic analysis and maps for diverse projects, 3) write text that interprets maps and describes a geographic analysis, and 4) write a professional report to describe a project applying geographic information systems, maps, and geographic analysis. 

Topics: Students get introduced to geographic information systems and geographic data. Learn the development of reference and thematic maps. Use vector and raster data. Learn selection by attributes and location, and creation of map layers from selections. Learn how to join tables and spatial join. Practice in various operations on map layers, e.g. clip, dissolve, transfer data between layers, drawing and developing new map layers. Link aerial photos to maps. Display GPS coordinate data on maps. Perform spatial analysis of data. Emphasis is on developing student ability to select map contents, operations and analysis tools, design maps and interpret maps in written text. 

Teaching: The course is taught in Icelandic. Students learn and receive practice in fundamental use of geographical information systems by completing hands-on projects in a computer lab, homework, and a final project, all based on real-world data. The projects are designed to develop student ability in selecting maps, map contents and analysis tools, along with interpreting maps.

The course is taught in a classroom with live streaming, the recordings are then made available a few days later. The course can be taken on-site, distance learning or mixed. The course is not designed to be taken without real-time participation during class.

This course is to provide the students hands-on practice in environmental engineering lab. The students will be trained to equip with theoretical background knowledge, use water quality analytical tools, perform advanced wastewater treatment process, collect and analyze data, and prepare research report. Two students will be grouped, and each group will perform the experiment independently with focusing on optimization of operating conditions to improve treated water quality. The class provides fundamental technical expertise that contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals nr. 6 (clean water and sanitation) and nr. 14 (life in water).

Projects in Fall 2025: Mitigation of microplastic fibres during membrane filtration of wastewater (focusing on microfiber detection, microfiber transport and interaction with membrane, and water quality)

The main aim of the course is to introduce the probabilistic basis for structural design and building codes. Methods are described that can be used to compute safety and reliability of structures. Furthermore, it is outlined how they can be used to define material strengths and loads for design. An introduction is given to current Eurocodes that cover safety and definition of structural loads. Students will have to solve number of home projects and in some of them programming in Matlab is required.

Objectives:

To provide students with skills to apply the fundaments of mechanics of soils in the design process of structures.

Course contents:

Soil composition, grain size distribution, Atterberg limits. Soil classification, soil compaction, compaction methods. Pore pressure, capillary tension, permeability, ground water, flow nets and drainage. Stress in a soil mass, effective stresses. Shear strength, internal friction, cohesion. Earth pressure, retaining walls. Settlement, compressibility of soils. Bearing capacity of soils. Slope stability. Laboratory experiments.

Objective: Students should be able to participate in executing and evaluating projects in transportation engineering, particularly in road construction, traffic engineering, and transportation planning. Students should be able to enter further studies in transportation engineering. Students should have practiced the application of transportation engineering through work on design projects, both individually and in groups.

Main topics: Transportation and society, vehicle braking, public transportation, road alignment design, traffic safety, traffic flow, queues, traffic capacity, level of service, traffic forecasting, road network planning and intersections.

The objective of the course is that students get the skills to:

1.    Understand the main concepts in accounting, cost theory and investment theory.

2.    Be able to use methods of measuring the economic feasibility of technical projects.

3.    Be able to develop computer models to assess the profitability of investments, the value of companies and pricing of bonds

Among topics included are accounting, cost theory, cash flow analysis, investment theory, measures of profitability including net present value and internal rate of return, and the building of profitability models. The course ends with a group assignment where the students exercise the development of computer models for feasibility assessment of projects.

The course gives the students basic knowledge in fluid mechanics. Theoretical background for fluids and fluid flow is presented. The fundamental equations of fluid mechanics are derived and used to solve problems. The students perform laboratory experiments.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

The course is an introductory course in project management. It introduces key concepts of project management and covers context and selection of projects, project planning, project monitoring, management of project teams, and project closure. Students create and execute project plans in groups. Special emphasis is on using of project management for managing technological innovation in organizations.

The course is taught by experts from Veitur and Reykjavik Energy. A practical design project is carried out in the Fluidit program, which Veitur and most engineering firms in Iceland use.

In the course, the roles and structure of water, heating, and sewage systems are covered. The equipment used, such as piping materials, valves, pumps, pumping stations, and devices, is discussed. The main causes of leaks and how to prevent them are addressed. Students learn the difference between groundwater and surface water and the main methods for purifying drinking water. Students learn about water tanks, their purpose, and different types. The utilization of geothermal energy in Iceland for district heating is covered. Also, snow melting and infiltration into sewage pipes are discussed. Students learn about the composition of sewage water; rainwater, household, and industrial wastewater, both in terms of composition and quantity. Pollution of sewage in recipients, the treatment systems used, and how to choose treatment facilities are also covered.

The purpose of the course is to prepare students for working in technology-based firms and organizations. The course will give an overview of the management of firms and organizations, the role of engineers and the challenges they face. Students will learn about analysis tools used in decision making, interpret the results, and communicate both orally and in writing.

Aim: To give an overview of the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of anthropogenic activities and to introduce the procedures and methods used in the environmental assessment process. At the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of the main principles of EIA and the methods used for its application.  After having completed the course, students should be able to actively participate in the making of EIA. Subject: Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects is the main subject of the course.  EIA is a systematic process meant to streamline development projects by minimizing environmental effects. The first part of the course is an introduction to the global context and history of EIA, the subject of EIA, and an introduction to the EIA methodology.  The second part of the course focuses on processes. The aim, subject, and process of EIA will be explained, including a discussion on the various stages and aspects of the EIA procedure (such as screening, scoping, participants, stakeholders and consultation, impact prediction and assessment, reporting and monitoring).  Although the examples of processes, definitions and methods introduced in the course will be based on the Icelandic legislation, the learning outcome will be of practical use for all students, without regard to their nationality. Through individual assignments, each student will be able to explore the EIA process in context with an area of their choice.  

Iceland is somewhat unique in that almost all electricity is produced with renewable energy sources. Hydropower is one of the two main pillars of electricity supply in Iceland, together with geothermal power. 

Goal: Provide technological insights into hydropower harnessing, with special emphasis on Icelandic conditions. This is a critical class in the emphasis areas of Water Resources Engineering and Renewable Energy Engineering, and touches upon United Nations Sustainable Development Goal nr. 7, sustainable energy.

Topics: Hydropower potential. Technically feasible hydropower. Main structural components in a hydropower plant. Structural design of hydropower plants, both underground (tunnels) and above ground (dams, spillways). Regulations. Environment, health and safety considerations over life cycle of plant. Ice and sedimentation. Hydro- and electromechanical components. Electricity production. Cost analysis of main structures and equipment. Feasibility of the power plant.

Assessment

Term assignments/projects, written report and oral presentation of final project, and oral final exam at the end of semester. 

Teaching methods 

Emphasis is on self-study and project work, both in teams as well as individual. Weekly lectures, 3 x 40 min, are planned. A field site visit is planned. The class is taught in English.

Students in following specialization have predecedence over others in registration in the course:  Renewable Energy - Hydroelectric Engineering, Water resource engineering

Aim: This course is an introduction course in designing of reinforced concrete structures. The main effort will be on the understanding and designing of simple reinforced concrete beams and one-dimensional plates. The course will be taught according to Eurocode 2. Contents: The properties of concrete and reinforcement will be defined and the interaction of these two materials in a reinforced concrete structures explained. Stress-strain relationship and E-modulus. Deflection and stresses will be calculated in serviceability limit state for cracked sections. Safety factors. Plastic analysis. Moment and shear bearing capacity in the ultimate limit state, also punching shear for plates. Balanced and minimum reinforcement. Ductility. Time dependent behaviour of concrete structures, creep and shrinkage. Anchorage and detailing of reinforcement, environmental conditions. Workshops: Exercises.

Aim: The course is an introductory course in steel structures. Its aim is to establish an understanding of the behaviour of steel structures and their components and how to apply the design codes in design. Contents: Steel production and main structural and material parameters of steel for use in construction. Behaviour and design of main structural steel members such as tension members, beams, columns and beam-columns. Buckling of steel members: Columns, beams, local buckling and the classification of cross sections. Connections in steel structures, behaviour and basis of design. Connections with welding and bolting and the design of simple connections. Project work: Analysis and design exercises.

Traffic volume, location, plan geometry and elevation of roads and airfields, sight distance, intersections, cross-sections. Foundation materials, drainage, compaction, stabilization, fills. Design of highway and airport pavements, load distribution, bases and sub-bases, rigid and flexible surfaces. Selection and design of concrete, asphalt concrete, asphalt emulsion, surface dressing and other materials used for pavement surfaces. Pavement management systems (PMS). Impact analysis. Methods used for testing road-building materials, pavement structures and surfaces. Tests carried out in the laboratory. Design exercises.

This is an introductory course in the collection and transportation of wastewater in urban areas. This class covers topics relating to the United Nations Sustainable Development goals nr. 6 (sanitation) and nr. 11 (sustainable cities).

Course contents: Chemical and biological characteristics of sewage and stormwater. Types and quantities of sanitary sewage.  Design of wastewater systems: Pipe flow calculations, allowable pipe slopes and water speeds, Manning´s equation. System components: Pipelines, manholes, pumping stations, combined sewer overflows. Construction, operation and rehabilitation of sewers. Rainwater quantity: Rainfall intensity, duration, frequency and run-off coefficients. Causes and characteristics of urban floods in Iceland. Climate adaptation with sustainable, blue-green stormwater management. Soil capacity to infiltrate water in cold climate. 

The course includes a design project of a wastewater system, data collection and analyses.

The aim of this course is to introduce water supply systems design and operation, and how to secure drinking water safety.  Also to introduce simple solutions for water supply in rural areas.

Course content: Legal framework for water supply. Drinking water quality requirement, threats to water quality and preventive management to secure public health. Water demand estimate for design. Water resources, water harnessing and water supply solutions.  Main elements of water treatment. Storage tanks and their design. Pumps and pumps selections. Design of supply network. Pipes, valves and hydrants.

The course includes design project of a small water supply from catchment to consumer, project in water safety planning including risk assessment and planning of preventive measures to secure water safety, and a field visit.

Aim: requirements to buildings and the effect of these on general design needs. Training in describing requirements of the buyer and how to use these to design the building and building parts. The course: Building physics of one dimensional thermal and moisture movements, air movements around buildings and in pressure difference over building components, ventilation of roofs and thermal losses of buildings. The climate of Iceland, weather and comfort of interior spaces. The building, form, interior plan and space requirements, health and safety of the inhabitants. Design of building parts and detailing. A short discussion on green buildings, LCA, LCC, building damages, refurbishment and maintenance.

The course gives the students training in applying fundamental knowledge in construction and project management in civil and environmental engineering. Introduction to the basics of project management and applying its methods of planning and managing projects.

Objectives: Students get an overview on the environmental state of the world and on the main environmental impacts arising from using and developing the human societies. Students are able to evaluate and compare the different urban forms and planning objectives from the perspective of their environmental impacts.

Topics: The course gives the students an overview of the current environmental problems both on global and local scales. The emphasis is on analyses and evaluation of the impacts of various types of land-use on the environment. Examples of such analyses are studied and potential planning solutions are searched for. Current planning policies with regard to preserving the environment are studied and evaluated.

Teaching: Lectures once a week, weekly assignments and a pair project. Lectures will cover the main themes which will then be covered in more detail in the assignments and in the pair project. At the lectures a lot of examples from academic studies will be presented. The students will also participate the lectures through discussions and small within-lecture pair and group assignments.

The course is project orientated; students work independently on projects under the guidance of the teacher. Guidance is primarily on technical and theoretical solutions from the geographical information system (GIS) point of view. Major part of the semester is focused on the students own projects, often in connection with their final thesis (BS). Student projects can come from any discipline but need to have a GIS perspective that needs to be solved.

Topics: Projections, geographical objects, attributes databases, topology, geographical fields, presentation of GIS data, 3D, Meta data, open source programmes.

There is no exam but evaluation of students is through final report and smaller projects during the semester. In the beginning of the semester students are required to have a description of their project along with an estimation of the geographical information (data) they need to solve it

Basic principles of organic chemistry with special reference to the medical disciplines. All main classes of organic compounds from alkanes to amines are covered together with their major reaction mechanisms. Structure and chemistry of biological compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and proteins with special reference to biochemistry, enzyme catalysed reaction and medicine in general.

This course focuses on the structure of the periodic table and properties of the elements based on their place in the periodic table. The students learn about the naturally occurring forms of the elements, isolation of the elements and common chemical reactions. Atomic theory is taught as a base for understanding the properties of the elements and their reactivity. Early theories of the structure of the hydrogen atome put forward by Bohr and their development to modern view of the atom structure are covered. The electronic structure of the atom is described, and theories describing formation of chemical bonds such as valence bond theory, VSEPR, and molecular orbital theory are used to determine structures and predict reactivity of molecules. Processes for purification of metals from their naturally occurring ores is covered as well as properties of metalloids and nonmetals. The transition metal elements, and the formation of coordination compounds with solubility, equilibria, ions and electron pair donors will be introduced. Radioactivity, formation and types of radioactive species, reactions and their applications will be introduced.

Teaching takes 12 weeks. Charge and electric field. Gauss' law. Electric potential. Capacitors and dielectrics. Electric currents and resistance. Circuits. Magnetic fields. The laws of Ampère and Faraday. Induction. Electric oscillation and alternating currents. Maxwell's equations. Electromagnetic waves. Reflection and refraction. Lenses and mirrors. Wave optics. Four laboratory exercises in optics and electromagnetism.

Non-parametric testing and contingency tables. Statistical quality control: Control charts for variables and attributes. Acceptance sampling, single and double. Operating characteristic curves. Variance analysis, factor analysis and experimental design. Regression, both linear and non-linear. Principal components.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.