Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

To give the students fundamental knowledge of water and contaminant transport, sorption and degradation in soil, and the use of geostatistical methods in contaminated soil studies. The student should understand the links between the physical, chemical and biological processes in soil. The student should know the principles behind and how to apply relevant laboratory and field methods for measurement of water and solute transport in soil. Furthermore, the student should know the principles behind and the applicability of relevant physical- and biological-based remediation methods for contaminated soil sites, and be able to calculate one-dimensional water and solute transport in the soil vadose zone.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

• On fundamental soil physics.
• On soil texture and structure, physical and chemical phase distribution, pore-size distribution, water retention, hydraulic conductivity, soil-water sorptivity, unsaturated zone water transport, gas diffusion and chemical transport, sorption and biodegradation.
• On the basic principle of 1D analytical and numerical water and contaminant transport modeling.
• On evaluating the uncertainty of measured data and model results.

Skills

• To measure soil hydraulic properties in the laboratory.
• To apply parameter models for water retention, hydraulic conductivity, gas diffusion, and chemical dispersion to measured data or as predictive tools.
• To program and apply analytical and simple numerical water and solute transport models to measured data or in risk assessment.
• To apply relevant geostatistical methods to measured data in the soil and groundwater zones.

Competences

• To perform preliminary risk assessment and evaluate the conditions for on-site or in-situ clean-up methods for contaminated soil sites.
• To structure and produce technical documentation of complex problems, methods and results.
• To communicate problems, findings and solutions graphical as well as oral to the relevant target audience.

Type of instruction

Lectures, etc. supplemented with project work, workshops, presentation seminars, lab tests.

Extent and expected workload

The module is 5 ECTS which is corresponding to 150 hours of study.

Exam

Exams