GEOL 354 Geodynamics and Geohazards

This course focuses on the processes and impacts of geological hazards and how they impact on society. Some attention is given to techniques and strategies for hazard mitigation. Lectures on the tectonic evolution of New Zealand provide a framework for understanding contemporary earthquake, volcanic, and landslide hazards. Topics such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, liquefaction, rockfall, flooding, tsunamis, glacial hazards, will all be addressed. Case studies revealing how natural and human environments were impacted by these hazards, and how these hazards were successfully (or unsuccessfully) mitigated will be presented. Students taking this course will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of geological processes and impacts that will greatly benefit those wishing to do further tectonics and/or geohazards research.

Learning Outcomes

Students successfully completing this course will:

• Understand the fundamentals that govern geohazard behaviour in both time and space
• Understand the links between hazards (e.g., seismically-triggered landslides, volcanically-triggered debris flows)
• Know how to develop risk assessments from hazard behaviour
• Understand the links between hazard behaviour and societal risk
• Be able to develop rational hazard mitigation strategies