1 a survey on the teaching of geotechnics in italian universities giulia m.b. viggiani &...
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A SURVEY ON THE TEACHING OF GEOTECHNICS IN ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES
Giulia M.B. Viggiani & Francesca Casini
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor VergataGruppo Nazionale di Ingegneria Geotecnica
25th ALERT Workshop, Aussois, September 29, 2015How should we teach geomechanics?
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context
Laurea in Engineering (Civil or other)
5 year taught courses + thesis
mathematical analysis, physics, chemistry, mechanics…
continuum mechanics (solids, fluids), materials
applications (structures, hydraulics, roads, geotechnical)
before Bologna process (5 = 2+3) D.R. 1938 to 1999
“biennio”
“triennio”
problems: - duration of studies (>>5 years) - high number of drop outs
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context
Laurea (180 CFU)
after Bologna process (5 = 3+2) D.D.M.M. 1999 & 2004
Laurea Magistrale (120 CFU)
Dottorato (PhD)
I
II
III
1 CFU = 10 hours60 CFU = 1 year
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context
Laurea (180 CFU)
after Bologna process (3+2) D.D.M.M. 1999 & 2004
Laurea Magistrale (120 CFU)
Dottorato (PhD)
I
II
III
Master I livello (60 CFU)
Master II livello (>60 CFU)
1 CFU = 10 hours60 CFU = 1 year
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context
Laurea & Laurea Magistrale must belong to a classdenominations may differranges set for fundamental, characteristic and kindred subjects
relevant classesL-07: Civil and Environmental EngineeringLM-23: Civil EngineeringLM-35: Environmental and Land Management Engineering
(less) relevant classesL-23: Building EngineeringLM-24: Building EngineeringL-17: Building & Architectural Engineering (CU five years)
after Bologna process (5=3+2) D.D.M.M. 1999 & 2004
syllabus may differ significantlywithin same class
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context
mathematical analysis, physics, chemistry, mechanics…
mechanics of solids & fluids, materials, structures, geo, env
applications (structures, hydraulics, roads, geo, env)
after Bologna process (5=3+2) L-07, LM-23, LM-35
“triennio”
“biennio”4
5
1
2
3
junior charter (irrelevant?)
senior charterproblems only solved in part
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context
67 State28 Private (11 on-line)
29 not offering geotechnical courses
38 offering geotechnical courses
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objectives
- identify common core geotechnical subjects (Laurea and Laurea Magistrale)
- minimum and maximum number of geo CFUs
- compare teaching strategies (methods & contents)
cultural
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objectives
- identify common core geotechnical subjects (Laurea and Laurea Magistrale)
- minimum and maximum number of geo CFUs
- compare teaching strategies (methods & contents)
- identify “weak” areas
- promote geotechnics
- strengthen expansion policies
cultural
“political”
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the survey - method
promoted by GNIG for Academic Year 2012
Questionnaire prepared by Italian Members of ISSMGE TC306 Geo‐Engineering Education
2 sections:1 – synthetic description of syllabus
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the survey - method
promoted by GNIG for Academic Year 2012
Questionnaire prepared by Italian Members of ISSMGE TC306 Geo‐Engineering Education
2 sections:1 – synthetic description of syllabus2 – analytic description of each course
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the survey - response
responsible person (belonging to ICAR07/GNIG identified
response 97.3%(no information from on-line universities)
Universities with at least 1 Geotechnical course 38
total number of courses 326
total number of hours 20300
average number of hours per course 62.3
total number of students 15000 (1 student attends more than 1 course)
at least one GEO subject @
Laurea LaureaMagistrale
LaureaCU
MasterI livello
MasterII livello
results
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26.2%
36.1%
11.5% 14.8%
11.5%
(16) civil
(7)buildin
g
(7) other
(22)
(9)environmental
civil & environmental
total 61
Laurea: denominations
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Laurea: denominations of single subjects
GEOTECHNICS
ENVIRONMENTALGEOTECHNICS
FUNDAMENTALSOF GEOTECHNICS
ELEMENTSOF GEOTECHNICS
PRINCIPLESOF GEOTECHNICS SOIL MECHANICS
FOUNDATIONS
OTHER
15.3
1.2
4.7
1.2
7.1
9.4
2.4
58.8
geotechnics/soil mechanics = 81.2%environmental =1.2%foundations = 1.2%other = 15.3%
total 75
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Laurea
total number of courses 75
total number of CFUs 605
total number of hours 5862
average number of hours per course 78.2
total number of students 5862 (1 student attends more than 1 course)
MIN 4
students attending single course AVERAGE 81
MAX 282
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68.3%
27.2%
0.9%3.1%
theory
problem solving
laboratory
other
Laurea: methods
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32.1%
35.8%
4.9% 22.2%
total 81
Laurea Magistrale: denominations
3.7%
(26) civil
(4)buildin
g
(3) architectu
re (18)environmental
other (29)
(1) civil & environmental
1.2%
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Laurea Magistrale: other?????
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Laurea Magistrale: denominations of single subjects
total 81
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total number of Laurea Magistrale 81
total number of courses 197
total number of CFUs 1423
total number of hours 12262
average number of hours per course 62.2
total number of students 6337 (1 student attends more than 1 course)
MIN 8
students attending single course AVERAGE 38
MAX 160
Laurea Magistrale: summary
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70.1%
25.8%
0.9%3.3%
theory
problem solving
laboratory
other
Laurea Magistrale: methods
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fewer academicsExample Roma Tor VergataMaximise geotechnics done by ALL civil engineering students
Laurea Geotechnics (Soil Mechanics) 12 CFU
Laurea MagistraleFoundations 9 CFUEarth retaining structures 9 CFU
TOTAL 30 CFU
Geotechnical specialtyGeotechnical Earthquake Engineering 9 CFUSlope Stability 9 CFULand Management Geotechnics 9 CFU + 27 CFU
Laurea Magistrale: strategy #1
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Larger number of academicsExample Roma La SapienzaMaximise geotechnics done by geotechnical engineering students
Laurea Geotechnics (Soil Mechanics) 12 CFU
Laurea MagistraleFoundations & retaining structures 12 CFU
TOTAL 24 CFU
Geotechnical specialtyTunnels 6 CFUUrban Excavations 6 CFUSlope Stability 6 CFU 18 CFU+ earthquake geotechnical engineering6 CFU+ advanced soil mechanics 6 CFU+ rock mechanics 6 CFU +18 CFU
Laurea Magistrale: strategy #2
teaching strategies: contents (still in progress? not so easy)
identify threshold concepts (Meyer and Land, 2003) in geotechnics
i.e.: a point in understanding which, when grasped, enables further progress
threshold concept should be:
transformative (it opens up new areas of the subject/casts new light)
irreversible (you are unlikely to un-learn such a concept)
integrative (it usually helps to bring hitherto separate facts together)
particulate medium/effective stress
consolidation:
balance equations (fluid mass, solid mass, momentum), constitutive laws
prepare students for research
prepare students for a career as a practising professional engineers
prepare engineering/science/numerically literate citizens for society
provide an intellectually stimulating education
….
teaching strategies
identify motives for providing an education in civil (geo) engineering
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Calvello, M., Di Maio, C., Russo, G., Scarpelli, G. (2015) Geotechnical engineering education in Italy: a survey. Proc. XVI ECSMGE Edinburgh
more details