The objective is for graduate students to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminar talks during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The course focuses on simple and multiple linear regression as well as analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and binomial regression. The course is a natural continuation of a typical introductory course in statistics taught in various departments of the university.

We will discuss methods for estimating parameters in linear models, how to construct confidence intervals and test hypotheses for the parameters, which assumptions need to hold for applying the models and what to do when they are not met.

Students will work on projects using the statistical software R.

Objectives:

To introduce the basic ideas and principles of foundation of structures, furthermore to give training in applying these principles to solve variety of problems within the field of structural design.

Course contents:

Shallow foundations, bearing capacity of soils, settlement calculations. Mat foundations. Lateral earth pressure, retaining walls and sheet piles. Deep foundations, pile foundations, pile bearing capacity, pile groups. Slope stability and analysis, method of slices. Reinforced earth pressure. Design assumptions. Design codes, EC7. Introduction to geosynthetics.

Objectives:

To provide the student with an introduction to the description and usage of rock as an engineering material and to the analysis and design techniques for common rock mechanics and underground problems. Further to provide the student with an introduction to the description of rock blasting techniques and how they are used in constructions.

Course content:

A: Rock mechanics. The nature of rocks. Subsurface explorations, in-situ tests, laboratory tests. Intact rock, joints. Rock mass. Strength and deformability. Rock mass classification. Underground openings, tunnels. Stresses and strains around excavations in rock, rock support and design. Water in rock mass. Stability of rock slopes. B: Blasting techniques. Properties and characteristics of various explosives, type of explosive, charges, blasting caps, delays. Drilling pattern. Surface, subsurface and underwater blasting operations. Construction vibrations.

The course is intended to introduce methodology to develop disaster risk scenarios.

Disaster risk scenarios are the basis for developing short and longterm disaster response plans. Without an understanding of what could happen in regards to type, scale, likelihood, and consequences, planning efforts will lack focus and context. Scenarios are based on scientific risk analysis.

A difference is made between a static disaster risk scenario and dynamic scenario. The former is a snapshot of a situaion, such as number of injured and damaged buildings at a given time, where as the latter is a timeline portraying chains of interconnected concequences.

Students learn to analyze earthquake risk, flood risk, and volcanic risk.

The course will explain how a disaster risk scenario is designed based on stakeholder perspectives. Stakeholders are devided into four: 1) the owner or party responsible for ensuring that the plan is made, 2) the writers of the plan, 3) the user of the plan, and 4) the beneficiaries of the implementation of the plan. Relevant stakeholders need to be determined before scenario development begins.

The course addresses how to present disaster risk scenarios. Examples of existing scenarios are given and students are encouraged to find new and improved approaches to present scenarios.

Students will work on projects to develop skills in creating scenario for different hazards and stakeholders.

Course content

1.     Disaster Risk Management

a.      Goals, objectives, and principles

b.      Definitions and literature

c.      Knowledge Institutions, websites

d.      Mitigation option analysis

e.      Types of disaster response plans: Impact, Rescue, Relief and Recovery operations.

2.     Engineering approach to disaster scenario development

a.      Loss estimation methodology

b.      Hazard analysis: earthquake, flood and volcanic.

c.      Exposure compilation

d.      Vulnerability modelling

e.      Disaster scenario presentation

3.     Stakeholder analysis

a.      Type: Owner, Developer, User, Beneficiary

b.      Stakeholder based exposure identification

4.      Disaster risk scenario projects for different hazards and stakeholders

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

A master’s project is a research and/or an engineering design project completed under supervision of a master’s committee. A master’s student selects a thesis topic in consultation with their assigned faculty supervisor, who is typically also the thesis advisor. There is a choice between a 30 or 60 credit master’s project (one or two semesters). In a 30-credit project the emphasis is on engineering design or research of interest to a local community. In a 60-credit project the objective is to provide a scientific contribution of international interest publishable in a peer-reviewed forum. The master’s student writes a thesis according to the School’s template and defends it in a master’s defense. An outside examiner and the master’s committee evaluate the master’s thesis, the project, and the defense for a grade according to the evaluation rubric of the Faculty on Ugla (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=3753). The student delivers a thesis and a project poster. The master’s committee may request that the student print the thesis and provide copies to the examiner and committee. Please familiarize yourself with the graduation checklist (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4500) and the regulation for master’s studies (https://english.hi.is/node/54553).

The objective is to train graduate students in presenting research and organizing a seminar, additionally to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminars during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Course description (subject matter - objective): The course focuses on various aspects of circularity applied to the construction sector and, eventually, aims to answer the question if the transition of the construction sector to circular is possible. The practical approach to this issue will be discussed, including environmental, legal, political, and economic aspects. The core concepts of circular construction (reusing and recycling materials, design-for-disassembly/adaptability, and space-sharing potential) will also be introduced based on real-life examples. The course will familiarise the students with the current challenges and possibilities related to circular construction in Icelandic, Nordic, and European contexts. Eventually, the existing ways of measuring the circularity of buildings will be critically discussed. Based on this knowledge and materials inventory from an existing building, the students will propose concrete solutions to increase the building's circularity.

ATTN: The class is intended for Masters students in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Environment & Natural Resources.

The objective is for graduate students to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminar talks during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The course focuses on the different perspectives of sustainability applied to cities and other human settlements, and ultimately to the question of what a sustainable city as a concept means. The concepts of one planet boundary and safe operating space are brought into city-level to depict the role of cities in the quest for sustainable living, and to show the conditions to be met for a city to be truly sustainable. The course familiarizes the students with the key items of the three areas of sustainability in the context of human settlements. What is ecological sustainability when it comes to cities and other human settlements? Social? Economic? How can we combine these three to create truly sustainable human settlements? Wellbeing, economic growth, direct and indirect ecological impacts, technological and societal solutions and the feedback loops between these are introduced and critically discussed.

Harbor structures are a cornerstone of Icelandic economy and society. Ports serve the fishing industry, enable the transport of people and goods in and out of the country. Coastal structures protect settlements from floods or erosion due to wind and wave action. The Department of Navigation at the Icelandic Road Administration is responsible for the planning, design and operations of  safe harbors and coastal structures in harmony with the environmental conditions in Iceland.

The goals of the class are (1) to provide students with an understanding of the main aspects of preparatory research and the design of harbors and coastal structures; (2) prepare students for thesis or professional work in coastal engineering. The course is a part of the Water Resources Engieering emphasis area and is suitable for both students pursuing a MS degree in environmental and civil engineering.

Topics: Students gain a basic understanding of linear wave theory; Wave shoaling, wave refraction, wave breaking and wave diffraction. Probability calculations for estimating the hydraulic load on coastal structures, including return period estimations of waves and sea level. The basic elements of port planning and the key design standards are covered, e.g. relating to design vessels, turning space, width and depth of seals. Basic elements in the design of breakwaters, e.g. types of breakwaters, rock size, and load conditions.

Teaching methods: This is a reading class with few lectures.  Emphasis is on self-study and independent project work. A mixture of in-class and teams meetings is planned. Students will have an opportunity to visit the Road Administration headquartrs and/or a harbor. The class is taught in English.

This course will introduce the student to decision and optimization models in operations research. On completing the course the student will be able to formulate, analyze, and solve mathematical models, which represent real-world problems, and critically interpret their results. The course will cover linear programming and the simplex algorithm, as well as related analytical topics. It will also introduce special types of mathematical models, including transportation, assignment, network, and integer programming models. The student will become familiar with a modeling language for linear programming.

Simulation techniques and system modelling find application in fields as diverse as physics, chemistry, biology, economics, medicine, computer science, and engineering. The purpose of this course is to introduce fundamental principles and concepts in the general area of systems modelling and simulation. Topics to be covered in this course are discrete event simulation, statistical modelling, and simulation modelling design, experimental design, model testing and interpretation of simulation results. The maximum likelihood estimation of probability distributions base on real data is presented. The course will also introduce the generation of random variates and testing. Fundamental programming of simulation models in C is covered and specialized simulation packages introduced. The students will complete a real world simulation project where the emphasis will be on manufacturing or service systems.

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.

Planning and design of large transportation facilities such as airports and airport terminals, highway grade separated intersections, weaving areas, ramps and ramp junctions and tunnels. Economic evaluation of transportation infrastructure projects. Impact assessment. Design exercises.

Aim: To present the main nature and characteristics of earthquakes and to present the methodology used to assess earthquake impacts. Subject: Seismicity and source models. Earthquake waves and wave propagation. Strong ground motion and attenuation models. Soil amplification. Linear and non-linear response spectra. Mapping of earthquake hazard. Projects and thesis work.

A master’s project is a research and/or an engineering design project completed under supervision of a master’s committee. A master’s student selects a thesis topic in consultation with their assigned faculty supervisor, who is typically also the thesis advisor. There is a choice between a 30 or 60 credit master’s project (one or two semesters). In a 30-credit project the emphasis is on engineering design or research of interest to a local community. In a 60-credit project the objective is to provide a scientific contribution of international interest publishable in a peer-reviewed forum. The master’s student writes a thesis according to the School’s template and defends it in a master’s defense. An outside examiner and the master’s committee evaluate the master’s thesis, the project, and the defense for a grade according to the evaluation rubric of the Faculty on Ugla (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=3753). The student delivers a thesis and a project poster. The master’s committee may request that the student print the thesis and provide copies to the examiner and committee. Please familiarize yourself with the graduation checklist (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4500) and the regulation for master’s studies (https://english.hi.is/node/54553).

The objective is to train graduate students in presenting research and organizing a seminar, additionally to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminars during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The objective is for graduate students to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminar talks during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Sustainable energy development requires a transition to low-carbon and environmentally benign energy resources.  This introductory course will;  i) provide an overview of the history energy use in the world and status of energy use today.  It in addition will provide an overview of various alternative energy futures derived from IEA scenarios, with focus on low-carbon energy resources and sustainability ii) provide an overview of conventional and alternative energy resources, such as hydropower, geothermal power, wave- , solar- and wind-power in addition to biomass with focus on physical and engineering perspectives, iii) given an introduction to electricity production iv) provide an overview over the environmental impact of energy use and v) provide an introduction to energy policy in the context of sustainable energy futures and other pressing issues such as climate change. 

The structure of the course consists of lectures and field trips.

The course is only open for students registered in the specialization renewable energy.

The course is split into two sessions:

Part 1: March 14^th – April 22^nd
Introduction of project, time- and project planning, data gathering, project work

Part 2: May 10th – 13th
Finalization of report and presentation

This is an independent project course for students within the Renewable Energy Graduate Program. The project is based on interdisciplinary collaboration involving the following topics and related faculties:

Geothermal Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
Hydroelectric Engineering (Environmental and Civil Engineering)
Electrical Power Engineering (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Geothermal Resources (Earth Sciences)
Energy Economics, Policy and Sustainability (Environment and Natural Resources

In the project, realistic scenarios are considered that involve the students in evaluating the use of a resource for energy production or direct utilization. Main points of emphasis are:

Resource estimation and sustainability assessment.
Assessment of the possible utilization processes and engineering design of the chosen energy process.
Business plan for the project including capital cost estimates and sensitivity analysis of cost data.
Environmental assessment and permits for utilization and construction.

Social and environmental impacts of the project.
Project management of interdisciplinary projects.

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.  

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.  

Objectives:

To introduce the basic ideas and principles of foundation of structures, furthermore to give training in applying these principles to solve variety of problems within the field of structural design.

Course contents:

Shallow foundations, bearing capacity of soils, settlement calculations. Mat foundations. Lateral earth pressure, retaining walls and sheet piles. Deep foundations, pile foundations, pile bearing capacity, pile groups. Slope stability and analysis, method of slices. Reinforced earth pressure. Design assumptions. Design codes, EC7. Introduction to geosynthetics.

Objectives:

To provide the student with an introduction to the description and usage of rock as an engineering material and to the analysis and design techniques for common rock mechanics and underground problems. Further to provide the student with an introduction to the description of rock blasting techniques and how they are used in constructions.

Course content:

A: Rock mechanics. The nature of rocks. Subsurface explorations, in-situ tests, laboratory tests. Intact rock, joints. Rock mass. Strength and deformability. Rock mass classification. Underground openings, tunnels. Stresses and strains around excavations in rock, rock support and design. Water in rock mass. Stability of rock slopes. B: Blasting techniques. Properties and characteristics of various explosives, type of explosive, charges, blasting caps, delays. Drilling pattern. Surface, subsurface and underwater blasting operations. Construction vibrations.

The course is intended to introduce methodology to develop disaster risk scenarios.

Disaster risk scenarios are the basis for developing short and longterm disaster response plans. Without an understanding of what could happen in regards to type, scale, likelihood, and consequences, planning efforts will lack focus and context. Scenarios are based on scientific risk analysis.

A difference is made between a static disaster risk scenario and dynamic scenario. The former is a snapshot of a situaion, such as number of injured and damaged buildings at a given time, where as the latter is a timeline portraying chains of interconnected concequences.

Students learn to analyze earthquake risk, flood risk, and volcanic risk.

The course will explain how a disaster risk scenario is designed based on stakeholder perspectives. Stakeholders are devided into four: 1) the owner or party responsible for ensuring that the plan is made, 2) the writers of the plan, 3) the user of the plan, and 4) the beneficiaries of the implementation of the plan. Relevant stakeholders need to be determined before scenario development begins.

The course addresses how to present disaster risk scenarios. Examples of existing scenarios are given and students are encouraged to find new and improved approaches to present scenarios.

Students will work on projects to develop skills in creating scenario for different hazards and stakeholders.

Course content

1.     Disaster Risk Management

a.      Goals, objectives, and principles

b.      Definitions and literature

c.      Knowledge Institutions, websites

d.      Mitigation option analysis

e.      Types of disaster response plans: Impact, Rescue, Relief and Recovery operations.

2.     Engineering approach to disaster scenario development

a.      Loss estimation methodology

b.      Hazard analysis: earthquake, flood and volcanic.

c.      Exposure compilation

d.      Vulnerability modelling

e.      Disaster scenario presentation

3.     Stakeholder analysis

a.      Type: Owner, Developer, User, Beneficiary

b.      Stakeholder based exposure identification

4.      Disaster risk scenario projects for different hazards and stakeholders

Objectives: Students understand the main environmental burdens arising from using and developing the built environment. Students are able to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) on a certain good or system and understand the complex interdependencies and rebound effects related to urban systems.

Topics: The course introduces the students to life cycle thinking and life cycle assessments enabling the students to understand the local and global environmental impacts of using and developing the built environment over time. The main methods for conducting an LCA are presented through examples and cases from the built environment. A lot of emphasis is given for understanding and evaluation of the complex interdependencies and rebound effects which tend to hinder the effectiveness of any efforts to reduce the environmental impacts; e.g. how increasing the energy efficiency of a certain good may result in an increase in the overall energy consumption, or how reducing private driving may lead to elevated greenhouse gas emissions through increased flying. As the overall outcome of the course, the students learn to design goods and systems which advance sustainability of the built environment taking into account the life cycle and systemic constraints. The course also familiarizes the students to reading academic studies and writing academic papers.

 Teaching: Lectures, individual home assignments and a group work. Lectures introduce the concepts of life cycle thinking and conducting an LCA on a good or a system in the context of the built environment. Students also read academic studies related to lecture topics and write reflective discussion writings along the course. At the lectures, reading academic papers and writing such are also taught, and the main graded output is an academic paper of an LCA of a chosen good or system conducted as a group work over the course. The best paper(s) may be offered for publication in an academic journal or a conference.

 The course is also suitable for students not specializing in Civil or Environmental Engineering, e.g. other Engineering fields, Environment and Natural Resources, Economics, other Environmental fields.

Special Comments
The course is only offered in English. The course is different from UAU215F and both courses can be taken to complement one another. In UMV119F the focus is mainly on assessing the environmental consequences of developing and using the built environment, and less on individual product or process assessments.

Objectives: This course is to provide an understanding of membrane technology applied in various industries, such as utilities (water and sewer), environmental industry, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, and chemical/biochemical industry. 

Topics: (1) Membrane technology as a solution in industries (separation and purification of food, pharmaceutical,  and chemical products) and in environments (water and wastewater treatment; air pollution control; nutrients recovery and reuse); (2) Membrane materials, chemical-based synthesis methods, modifications; (3) Membrane physical, chemical, and mechanical properties and characterization; (4) Transport phenomena in membrane processes; (5) Membrane fouling and fouling mitigation; (6) Membrane operation unit (such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, pressure retarded osmosis, membrane distillation, electrodialysis, gas separation) and their applications in industries; (7) Hybrid membrane processes and their applications in industries; (8) Membrane system design.

Teaching: Lectures (teaching lecture, tutorial lecture, lab lecture) and a group project. Teaching lectures introduce the fundamentals and advances of membrane technology, the application of membrane technology in industry. Tutorial lectures are provided to discuss calculation questions and solutions with students. Lab lecture is performed in the research lab to demonstrate selected membrane processes and allow students hands-on practice. In the group project, students review literatures of a selected topic relating to advanced membrane technology, write a report, and give an oral presentation. 

The course is also suitable for students specializing in other fields than Civil or Environmental Engineering, e.g., Chemical engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Food science.

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

A master’s project is a research and/or an engineering design project completed under supervision of a master’s committee. A master’s student selects a thesis topic in consultation with their assigned faculty supervisor, who is typically also the thesis advisor. There is a choice between a 30 or 60 credit master’s project (one or two semesters). In a 30-credit project the emphasis is on engineering design or research of interest to a local community. In a 60-credit project the objective is to provide a scientific contribution of international interest publishable in a peer-reviewed forum. The master’s student writes a thesis according to the School’s template and defends it in a master’s defense. An outside examiner and the master’s committee evaluate the master’s thesis, the project, and the defense for a grade according to the evaluation rubric of the Faculty on Ugla (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=3753). The student delivers a thesis and a project poster. The master’s committee may request that the student print the thesis and provide copies to the examiner and committee. Please familiarize yourself with the graduation checklist (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4500) and the regulation for master’s studies (https://english.hi.is/node/54553).

The objective is to train graduate students in presenting research and organizing a seminar, additionally to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminars during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Course description (subject matter - objective): The course focuses on various aspects of circularity applied to the construction sector and, eventually, aims to answer the question if the transition of the construction sector to circular is possible. The practical approach to this issue will be discussed, including environmental, legal, political, and economic aspects. The core concepts of circular construction (reusing and recycling materials, design-for-disassembly/adaptability, and space-sharing potential) will also be introduced based on real-life examples. The course will familiarise the students with the current challenges and possibilities related to circular construction in Icelandic, Nordic, and European contexts. Eventually, the existing ways of measuring the circularity of buildings will be critically discussed. Based on this knowledge and materials inventory from an existing building, the students will propose concrete solutions to increase the building's circularity.

ATTN: The class is intended for Masters students in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Environment & Natural Resources.

The objective is for graduate students to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminar talks during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The course focuses on the different perspectives of sustainability applied to cities and other human settlements, and ultimately to the question of what a sustainable city as a concept means. The concepts of one planet boundary and safe operating space are brought into city-level to depict the role of cities in the quest for sustainable living, and to show the conditions to be met for a city to be truly sustainable. The course familiarizes the students with the key items of the three areas of sustainability in the context of human settlements. What is ecological sustainability when it comes to cities and other human settlements? Social? Economic? How can we combine these three to create truly sustainable human settlements? Wellbeing, economic growth, direct and indirect ecological impacts, technological and societal solutions and the feedback loops between these are introduced and critically discussed.

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. 

Assessment

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

Teaching methods 

Emphasis is on self-study and independent project work. Weekly meetings, 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

The course goal is to provide insights into the design and construction of water systems and wastewater treatment plants.
Course contents: Water demand design parameters. Water supply and sizing of water storage tanks. Pumps and pumps selections. Design of supply network with Hazen Williams equation. Pipes, valves and hydrants. Legal framework for water supply. Drinking water quality requirement, threats to water quality and preventive measures to secure public health.
Chemical and biological characteristics of waste water. Types and quantities of sanitary sewage. Physical, biological and chemical treatment of municipal sewage. Design parameters and sizing considerations of treatment tanks. Research of novel methods to treat sewage in rural areas close to sensitive water recipients. The class includes group projects on the design of a small water system, laboratory measurements of sewage strength and wastewater plant treatment efficiency, a research project on wastewater solutions, and field visit(s).

Aim: To present the main nature and characteristics of earthquakes and to present the methodology used to assess earthquake impacts. Subject: Seismicity and source models. Earthquake waves and wave propagation. Strong ground motion and attenuation models. Soil amplification. Linear and non-linear response spectra. Mapping of earthquake hazard. Projects and thesis work.

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.

A master’s project is a research and/or an engineering design project completed under supervision of a master’s committee. A master’s student selects a thesis topic in consultation with their assigned faculty supervisor, who is typically also the thesis advisor. There is a choice between a 30 or 60 credit master’s project (one or two semesters). In a 30-credit project the emphasis is on engineering design or research of interest to a local community. In a 60-credit project the objective is to provide a scientific contribution of international interest publishable in a peer-reviewed forum. The master’s student writes a thesis according to the School’s template and defends it in a master’s defense. An outside examiner and the master’s committee evaluate the master’s thesis, the project, and the defense for a grade according to the evaluation rubric of the Faculty on Ugla (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=3753). The student delivers a thesis and a project poster. The master’s committee may request that the student print the thesis and provide copies to the examiner and committee. Please familiarize yourself with the graduation checklist (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4500) and the regulation for master’s studies (https://english.hi.is/node/54553).

The objective is to train graduate students in presenting research and organizing a seminar, additionally to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminars during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The objective is for graduate students to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminar talks during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Sustainable energy development requires a transition to low-carbon and environmentally benign energy resources.  This introductory course will;  i) provide an overview of the history energy use in the world and status of energy use today.  It in addition will provide an overview of various alternative energy futures derived from IEA scenarios, with focus on low-carbon energy resources and sustainability ii) provide an overview of conventional and alternative energy resources, such as hydropower, geothermal power, wave- , solar- and wind-power in addition to biomass with focus on physical and engineering perspectives, iii) given an introduction to electricity production iv) provide an overview over the environmental impact of energy use and v) provide an introduction to energy policy in the context of sustainable energy futures and other pressing issues such as climate change. 

The structure of the course consists of lectures and field trips.

The course is only open for students registered in the specialization renewable energy.

The course is split into two sessions:

Part 1: March 14^th – April 22^nd
Introduction of project, time- and project planning, data gathering, project work

Part 2: May 10th – 13th
Finalization of report and presentation

This is an independent project course for students within the Renewable Energy Graduate Program. The project is based on interdisciplinary collaboration involving the following topics and related faculties:

Geothermal Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
Hydroelectric Engineering (Environmental and Civil Engineering)
Electrical Power Engineering (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Geothermal Resources (Earth Sciences)
Energy Economics, Policy and Sustainability (Environment and Natural Resources

In the project, realistic scenarios are considered that involve the students in evaluating the use of a resource for energy production or direct utilization. Main points of emphasis are:

Resource estimation and sustainability assessment.
Assessment of the possible utilization processes and engineering design of the chosen energy process.
Business plan for the project including capital cost estimates and sensitivity analysis of cost data.
Environmental assessment and permits for utilization and construction.

Social and environmental impacts of the project.
Project management of interdisciplinary projects.

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.  

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.  

Objectives:

To introduce the basic ideas and principles of foundation of structures, furthermore to give training in applying these principles to solve variety of problems within the field of structural design.

Course contents:

Shallow foundations, bearing capacity of soils, settlement calculations. Mat foundations. Lateral earth pressure, retaining walls and sheet piles. Deep foundations, pile foundations, pile bearing capacity, pile groups. Slope stability and analysis, method of slices. Reinforced earth pressure. Design assumptions. Design codes, EC7. Introduction to geosynthetics.

Objectives:

To provide the student with an introduction to the description and usage of rock as an engineering material and to the analysis and design techniques for common rock mechanics and underground problems. Further to provide the student with an introduction to the description of rock blasting techniques and how they are used in constructions.

Course content:

A: Rock mechanics. The nature of rocks. Subsurface explorations, in-situ tests, laboratory tests. Intact rock, joints. Rock mass. Strength and deformability. Rock mass classification. Underground openings, tunnels. Stresses and strains around excavations in rock, rock support and design. Water in rock mass. Stability of rock slopes. B: Blasting techniques. Properties and characteristics of various explosives, type of explosive, charges, blasting caps, delays. Drilling pattern. Surface, subsurface and underwater blasting operations. Construction vibrations.

The course is intended to introduce methodology to develop disaster risk scenarios.

Disaster risk scenarios are the basis for developing short and longterm disaster response plans. Without an understanding of what could happen in regards to type, scale, likelihood, and consequences, planning efforts will lack focus and context. Scenarios are based on scientific risk analysis.

A difference is made between a static disaster risk scenario and dynamic scenario. The former is a snapshot of a situaion, such as number of injured and damaged buildings at a given time, where as the latter is a timeline portraying chains of interconnected concequences.

Students learn to analyze earthquake risk, flood risk, and volcanic risk.

The course will explain how a disaster risk scenario is designed based on stakeholder perspectives. Stakeholders are devided into four: 1) the owner or party responsible for ensuring that the plan is made, 2) the writers of the plan, 3) the user of the plan, and 4) the beneficiaries of the implementation of the plan. Relevant stakeholders need to be determined before scenario development begins.

The course addresses how to present disaster risk scenarios. Examples of existing scenarios are given and students are encouraged to find new and improved approaches to present scenarios.

Students will work on projects to develop skills in creating scenario for different hazards and stakeholders.

Course content

1.     Disaster Risk Management

a.      Goals, objectives, and principles

b.      Definitions and literature

c.      Knowledge Institutions, websites

d.      Mitigation option analysis

e.      Types of disaster response plans: Impact, Rescue, Relief and Recovery operations.

2.     Engineering approach to disaster scenario development

a.      Loss estimation methodology

b.      Hazard analysis: earthquake, flood and volcanic.

c.      Exposure compilation

d.      Vulnerability modelling

e.      Disaster scenario presentation

3.     Stakeholder analysis

a.      Type: Owner, Developer, User, Beneficiary

b.      Stakeholder based exposure identification

4.      Disaster risk scenario projects for different hazards and stakeholders

Objectives: Students understand the main environmental burdens arising from using and developing the built environment. Students are able to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) on a certain good or system and understand the complex interdependencies and rebound effects related to urban systems.

Topics: The course introduces the students to life cycle thinking and life cycle assessments enabling the students to understand the local and global environmental impacts of using and developing the built environment over time. The main methods for conducting an LCA are presented through examples and cases from the built environment. A lot of emphasis is given for understanding and evaluation of the complex interdependencies and rebound effects which tend to hinder the effectiveness of any efforts to reduce the environmental impacts; e.g. how increasing the energy efficiency of a certain good may result in an increase in the overall energy consumption, or how reducing private driving may lead to elevated greenhouse gas emissions through increased flying. As the overall outcome of the course, the students learn to design goods and systems which advance sustainability of the built environment taking into account the life cycle and systemic constraints. The course also familiarizes the students to reading academic studies and writing academic papers.

 Teaching: Lectures, individual home assignments and a group work. Lectures introduce the concepts of life cycle thinking and conducting an LCA on a good or a system in the context of the built environment. Students also read academic studies related to lecture topics and write reflective discussion writings along the course. At the lectures, reading academic papers and writing such are also taught, and the main graded output is an academic paper of an LCA of a chosen good or system conducted as a group work over the course. The best paper(s) may be offered for publication in an academic journal or a conference.

 The course is also suitable for students not specializing in Civil or Environmental Engineering, e.g. other Engineering fields, Environment and Natural Resources, Economics, other Environmental fields.

Special Comments
The course is only offered in English. The course is different from UAU215F and both courses can be taken to complement one another. In UMV119F the focus is mainly on assessing the environmental consequences of developing and using the built environment, and less on individual product or process assessments.

Objectives: This course is to provide an understanding of membrane technology applied in various industries, such as utilities (water and sewer), environmental industry, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, and chemical/biochemical industry. 

Topics: (1) Membrane technology as a solution in industries (separation and purification of food, pharmaceutical,  and chemical products) and in environments (water and wastewater treatment; air pollution control; nutrients recovery and reuse); (2) Membrane materials, chemical-based synthesis methods, modifications; (3) Membrane physical, chemical, and mechanical properties and characterization; (4) Transport phenomena in membrane processes; (5) Membrane fouling and fouling mitigation; (6) Membrane operation unit (such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, pressure retarded osmosis, membrane distillation, electrodialysis, gas separation) and their applications in industries; (7) Hybrid membrane processes and their applications in industries; (8) Membrane system design.

Teaching: Lectures (teaching lecture, tutorial lecture, lab lecture) and a group project. Teaching lectures introduce the fundamentals and advances of membrane technology, the application of membrane technology in industry. Tutorial lectures are provided to discuss calculation questions and solutions with students. Lab lecture is performed in the research lab to demonstrate selected membrane processes and allow students hands-on practice. In the group project, students review literatures of a selected topic relating to advanced membrane technology, write a report, and give an oral presentation. 

The course is also suitable for students specializing in other fields than Civil or Environmental Engineering, e.g., Chemical engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Food science.

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

A master’s project is a research and/or an engineering design project completed under supervision of a master’s committee. A master’s student selects a thesis topic in consultation with their assigned faculty supervisor, who is typically also the thesis advisor. There is a choice between a 30 or 60 credit master’s project (one or two semesters). In a 30-credit project the emphasis is on engineering design or research of interest to a local community. In a 60-credit project the objective is to provide a scientific contribution of international interest publishable in a peer-reviewed forum. The master’s student writes a thesis according to the School’s template and defends it in a master’s defense. An outside examiner and the master’s committee evaluate the master’s thesis, the project, and the defense for a grade according to the evaluation rubric of the Faculty on Ugla (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=3753). The student delivers a thesis and a project poster. The master’s committee may request that the student print the thesis and provide copies to the examiner and committee. Please familiarize yourself with the graduation checklist (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4500) and the regulation for master’s studies (https://english.hi.is/node/54553).

The objective is to train graduate students in presenting research and organizing a seminar, additionally to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminars during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Course description (subject matter - objective): The course focuses on various aspects of circularity applied to the construction sector and, eventually, aims to answer the question if the transition of the construction sector to circular is possible. The practical approach to this issue will be discussed, including environmental, legal, political, and economic aspects. The core concepts of circular construction (reusing and recycling materials, design-for-disassembly/adaptability, and space-sharing potential) will also be introduced based on real-life examples. The course will familiarise the students with the current challenges and possibilities related to circular construction in Icelandic, Nordic, and European contexts. Eventually, the existing ways of measuring the circularity of buildings will be critically discussed. Based on this knowledge and materials inventory from an existing building, the students will propose concrete solutions to increase the building's circularity.

ATTN: The class is intended for Masters students in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Environment & Natural Resources.

The objective is for graduate students to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminar talks during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The course focuses on the different perspectives of sustainability applied to cities and other human settlements, and ultimately to the question of what a sustainable city as a concept means. The concepts of one planet boundary and safe operating space are brought into city-level to depict the role of cities in the quest for sustainable living, and to show the conditions to be met for a city to be truly sustainable. The course familiarizes the students with the key items of the three areas of sustainability in the context of human settlements. What is ecological sustainability when it comes to cities and other human settlements? Social? Economic? How can we combine these three to create truly sustainable human settlements? Wellbeing, economic growth, direct and indirect ecological impacts, technological and societal solutions and the feedback loops between these are introduced and critically discussed.

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. 

Assessment

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

Teaching methods 

Emphasis is on self-study and independent project work. Weekly meetings, 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

The course goal is to provide insights into the design and construction of water systems and wastewater treatment plants.
Course contents: Water demand design parameters. Water supply and sizing of water storage tanks. Pumps and pumps selections. Design of supply network with Hazen Williams equation. Pipes, valves and hydrants. Legal framework for water supply. Drinking water quality requirement, threats to water quality and preventive measures to secure public health.
Chemical and biological characteristics of waste water. Types and quantities of sanitary sewage. Physical, biological and chemical treatment of municipal sewage. Design parameters and sizing considerations of treatment tanks. Research of novel methods to treat sewage in rural areas close to sensitive water recipients. The class includes group projects on the design of a small water system, laboratory measurements of sewage strength and wastewater plant treatment efficiency, a research project on wastewater solutions, and field visit(s).

Aim: To present the main nature and characteristics of earthquakes and to present the methodology used to assess earthquake impacts. Subject: Seismicity and source models. Earthquake waves and wave propagation. Strong ground motion and attenuation models. Soil amplification. Linear and non-linear response spectra. Mapping of earthquake hazard. Projects and thesis work.

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.

A master’s project is a research and/or an engineering design project completed under supervision of a master’s committee. A master’s student selects a thesis topic in consultation with their assigned faculty supervisor, who is typically also the thesis advisor. There is a choice between a 30 or 60 credit master’s project (one or two semesters). In a 30-credit project the emphasis is on engineering design or research of interest to a local community. In a 60-credit project the objective is to provide a scientific contribution of international interest publishable in a peer-reviewed forum. The master’s student writes a thesis according to the School’s template and defends it in a master’s defense. An outside examiner and the master’s committee evaluate the master’s thesis, the project, and the defense for a grade according to the evaluation rubric of the Faculty on Ugla (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=3753). The student delivers a thesis and a project poster. The master’s committee may request that the student print the thesis and provide copies to the examiner and committee. Please familiarize yourself with the graduation checklist (https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4500) and the regulation for master’s studies (https://english.hi.is/node/54553).

The objective is to train graduate students in presenting research and organizing a seminar, additionally to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminars during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The objective is for graduate students to be introduced to new research in the fields of the Faculty and to participate in discussion of research. Four seminar talks are planned in the fall semester and eight seminar talks are planned in the spring semester. Students can join seminar talks during both fall and spring semesters and can at most receive 3 ECTS for seminar courses (total of UMV036F and UMV037F), based on participation. The course is open to all graduate students who are working on research in collaboration with a member of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.