COURSE COORDINATOR AND LECTURER: ADJUNCT PROFESSOR JOHN CROWTHER

Room N106, Engineering North Building

Email john.crowther@adelaide.edu.au

Tel. (08) 8313 5454

Guest lecturers will be invited from time to time to present material on specific topics. Current guests are Ruth Beach (Environmental Lawyer), Peter Baghurst (Epidemiologist), Peter Berndt and David Tully (Consultants with Coffey Environments), Andrew Howes (Consultant with Golder Associates).

It is intended that by the end of this
course students will be able to:

1.    Demonstrate comprehension of the main
       scientific and engineering principles of soil and groundwater remediation;

2.    Demonstrate an understanding of the legal, planning and environmental health issues in
       relation  to redevelopment of contaminated sites;

3.    Design and plan a site investigation;

4.    To conduct a risk analysis of a contaminated site;

5.    To propose technically and economically feasible remedies for contaminated sites

Textbook: Bedient, P. B., Rifai, H. S. and Newell, C. J., “Ground Water Contamination: Transport and Remediation”, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA, 1999.

Textbook: Nathanail, C P, and Bardos, R P, “Reclamation of Contaminated Land”, J Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK, 2004

 

1.    Assessment and Reclamation of Contaminated Land, Harrison, R M and Hester, R E, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2001 (electronic resource)

2.    Use of Airborne, Surface, and Borehole Geophysical Techniques at Contaminated Sites. 
A Reference Guide.  September 1993.  EPA/625/R-92/007.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268

3.    Subsurface Characterization and Monitoring Techniques: a Desk Reference Guide. Volume I Solids and Ground Water, Appendices A and B, May 1993. EPA/625/R-93/003a. 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268

4.    South Australia.  Environment Protection Act 1993

5.    Adelaide City  Council, Contaminated Land Policy, ACC2008/150313, 2008. http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/adccwr/publications/policies_strategie/contaminated_land_policy.pdf
(accessed 15 February 2011)

6.    EPA Guidelines for Environmental Management of On-site Remediation. 
Environment Protection Authority, Adelaide, March 2006.

7.    EPA Guideline for Site Contamination, EPA 839/08.  Environment Protection Authority, Adelaide,
December 2008.

8.    EPA Guideline for Assessment of Underground Storage Systems, EPA 580/05. 
Environment Protection Authority, Adelaide, February 2005.

9.    EPA Guideline for Oil Bioremediation, EPA 589/05.  Environment Protection Authority, Adelaide,
November 2005.

10.  Clayton, C R I, Matthews, M C, and Simons, N E, Site Investigation. 2nd Edition, 2005.  Online Geoengineering Library. http://www.geoengineer.org.

11.  Domenico, P A and Schwartz, F W,Physical and Chemical Hydrogeology, 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1998.

12. King, H, Site Contamination: Guidelines for the assessment and remediation of groundwater
contamination, Environment protection Authority, Adelaide, SA, February 2009

1       http://www.crccare.com/

2       http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/

3       http://www.environment.gov.au/about/councils/nepc/index.html

4       http://www.nepc.gov.au/

5       http://www.clu-in.org/

6       http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

 

This course uses a number of different teaching and learning approaches, including:


·        Lectures

·        Problem-solving tutorials

·        Computer laboratories

·        Self-directed activities

·        Design exercise

·        Examination

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging
appropriately with the course requirements.

·        Lectures = 2 hours per week

·        Tutorials = 1 hour per week

·        Computer laboratory = 1 hour per week

·        Self-directed study = 4 hour per week

·        Design exercise = 4 hour per week

Week               Topic                                       Lecturers

1     Lecture 1: Introduction/Orientation              JMC
       Computer Lab 1                                            JMC                               
       Lecture 2: The Love Canal Disaster              JMC    
       Lecture 3: Oil, Natural Gas & Petrochem.      JMC

2     Lecture 4: Gas Manufacture                          JMC
       Computer Lab 2                                            JMC
       Tutorial 1                                                       JMC
        Lecture 5: The Port Pirie Smelter                  JMC

3     Lecture 6: Hazards to Health & the Env        JMC
       Computer Lab 3                                            JMC
       Tutorial 2                                                       JMC
       Lecture 7: Introduction to Epidemiology        PBa

4      Lecture 8: Epidemiological Case Study         PBa
        Computer Lab 4                                           JMC
        Tutorial 3                                                      JMC
        Lecture 9: Site Investigation (prelim)           JMC

5      Lecture 10: Site Investigation(detailed        JMC
        Computer Lab 5                                            JMC
        Tutorial 4                                                      JMC
        Lecture 11: Site Investigation (geophys)     JMC

6       Lecture 12: Risk Assessment                       JMC
         Computer Lab 6                                           JMC
         Tutorial 5                                                      JMC
         Lecture 13: Groundwater Modelling 1          JMC

7       Lecture 14: Legal  Aspects 1                        RB
         Computer Lab 7                                           JMC
         Tutorial 6                                                      JMC
         Lecture 15: Legal Aspects 2                         RB

8       Lecture 16: Physical Remediation                 JMC
         Computer Lab 8                                            JMC
         Tutorial 7                                                      JMC
         Lecture 17: Chemical Remediation                JMC

MID SEMESTER BREAK

9        Lecture 18: Biological Remediation               JMC
          Computer Lab 9                                            JMC
          Tutorial 8                                                      JMC
          Lecture 19: Coffey Environments 1               PBe

10       Lecture 20: Coffey Environments 2               DT
           Computer Lab 10                                          JMC
           Tutorial 9                                                       JMC
           Lecture 21: Groundwater Modelling 2           JMC

11        Lecture 22: Golder Associates 1                   AH
           Computer Lab 11                                           JMC
           Tutorial 10                                                     JMC
           Lecture 23: Golder Associates Lecture 2       AH

12        Lecture 24: Selection of Options                   JMC     
           Computer Lab 12                                           JMC
           Tutorial 11                                                      JMC
           Lecture 25: Health, Safety and the Public      JMC
 
 

                       RB = Ruth Beach            AH = Andrew Howes

                       PBe = Peter Berndt         DT = David Tully

                       JMC = John Crowther      PBa = Peter Baghurst

No specific requirements

Small groups of 4 to 6 students will be set a design study, which will represent 30% of the assessment for this course.  Usually this will involve a site assessment exercise for a real site in the Adelaide area.

Assessment Task	Start/Due	Type	Weight	Learning Objective
Tutorial Questions	Weekly	Summative	10%	1,2
Computer Exercises	Wk 1/Wk 7	Summative	10%	1,2
Design Project	Start Wk 4/Wk 12	Summative	30%	1,2,3,4,5,6
End of Semester Examination	During Exam Period	Summative	50%	1,2,3,4,5

 

Attendance at all lectures, tutorials and computer laboratories is regarded as essential
for a successful completion of this course.

Tutorials will be used flexibly to supplement and reinforce the lecture material.  Tutorial question sheets will be issued to allow students to test their understanding. The tutor will assist students as required with hints for solution and feedback.  Outline solutions will be available to students in the following tutorial for self evaluation.  One of the Tutorials will be assessed and represent 10% of the summative assessment of the course.

 
Computer laboratories will be used to introduce students to the main types of software
tools used in the soil and groundwater remediation area, as described in the lectures.  Demonstrators will assist the students with exercises designed to show the capabilities of the various software packages.  It is likely that the design project will require some computational input and students will be assisted to develop their own applications, as required. One of the computer
laboratories will be assessed and represent 10% of the summative assessment of the course.

 
The design project, which is 30% of the summative assessment, will involve realistic problem-solving of a case of contaminated land. Students will be required to submit a structured report with abstract, introduction, sections on methods, data analysis, conclusions and recommendations.


The end of semester examination will be of duration 2 hours with 10 minutes perusal and is
50% of the summative assessment.  The examination will be closed book with no materials permitted and students should attempt 4 questions out of a choice of 6.  Each question will be of equivalent weight and marks for sub-sections will be clearly indicated.  Questions will involve both descriptive answers and numerical calculations.  A standard, scientific calculator will be required but programmable calculators, computers and other electronic aids will not be permitted.  Students must enter their answers legibly by hand in the answer book provided.  The minimum mark for a pass will be 40% for this examination.

 

The design project is due in week 12. Students will be required to submit a report in hard copy plus an
electronic copy on a labelled CD-ROM attached to the inside rear cover of the report. The front cover of the report should be fully labelled with title, course and student details.  The report should be submitted by the due date (2 p.m. Friday of Week 12) to the office of the School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, located in Engineering North Building, room N136.  Late submission will in most cases receive a zero mark.  A late submission will be allowed only if a deferred deadline has been approved by the course coordinator prior to the due date because of medical or other extenuating circumstances.  Documentary evidence, such as medical certificate, will be required for deferral.