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Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Berhampur

EES 308 : Science of Sustainability: Methods and Processes  (4)

Learning Objectives:

This course is an expansion of EES 309. In this session, special emphasis will be placed on assessing the connections between economic activities, the natural environment, and our society. On completion of this course, the student will be able to understand and appreciate the complexity of the interaction between the industrial processes and earth resources, the concept of “systems” and industrial symbiosis. Additionally, the students will be able to formulate and apply equations to solve numerical problems to evaluate products, processes, and systems in their entire life-cycle, including materials flow analysis, design for environment, input-output analysis, and life-cycle assessment (LCA).

Course Contents:

Unit-1: Materials and the Environment: Adopting a systems perspective, defining system boundaries, life cycle of materials, definitions and terminology, assessing material and energy flows, eco-efficiency, pollution prevention principles, cradle to grave approach - waste and recycling, resource dissipation, and cradle to cradle approach; Case studies.

Unit-2: Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA): Introduction – History and definition of LCA, LCA stages – Definition of goal and scope, level of detail for boundaries, natural ecosystem boundaries, LCA inventories,input/output assessment, LCA impact and interpretation, identifying issues in the results, drawing conclusions and recommendations, prioritizing recommendations, comparative LCA modeling; Limitations of LCA; Case studies.

Unit-3: Industrial Ecosystems: Environmental impact assessment, policy implications, eco-industrial parks, development of industrial symbiosis, socio-economic dimensions of industrial symbiosis.

Suggested Readings :

1. Dahlem Workshop Reports, 2004, Earth System Analysis for Sustainability.
2. Graedel, T. E., and Allenby, B. R., 2003, Industrial Ecology, Pearson Education.
3. Ashby, M. F., 2009, Materials and the Environment: Eco-informed Material Choice, Elsevier.

EES 318 : Natural Hazards and their Mitigation-2   (4)

Learning Objectives:

This course is an expansion of EES 321

Course Contents:

Unit-1: Landslides and other Downslope Movements: Terminology and classification; rock falls; debris flows; shallow landslides; Stress conditions of unstable slopes; Slow rock slope creep, rapid rock slope failure; Causes of landslides, landslide monitoring using satellite remote sensing techniques, susceptibility and hazard mapping, risk assessment; Impact of climate change; Avalanche control measures; Localized hazard mitigation; Case studies.

Unit-2: Rivers and Flooding: Types of floods; Geography of floods in India; Flood control – levee systems and embankments; Flood risk assessment, warning, preparedness, and mitigation; Water logging; Annual floods in India; Case studies (Kedarnath 2013, Kosi 2008, Indus 2010).

Unit-3: Droughts: Causes of droughts; Agricultural droughts; Hydrological droughts; Case Studies.

Unit-4: Tropical Cyclones and Severe Weather: Global overview of extreme weather events; Tropical cyclones and their life cycle; Surface and upper air structure; Pressure, temperature, wind, humidity, and cloud fields; Energy aspects, formation of tropical storms, theories of formation, frequency, intensification and movement of tropical storms; Tropical atmosphere as a hurricane incubator; Thunderstorms; Forecasting tropical cyclones; Early warning and preparedness of Cyclones; Cloudbursts and extreme rainfall events; Case studies (Phailin, Hudhud, Ladakh).

Unit-5: Disaster Management - Policy and Economics Issues: Legislative framework in India; Assessment of economic repercussions, risk assessment, and insurance.

Suggested Readings :

1. Hyndman, D., and Hyndman, D., 2014, Natural Hazards and Disasters (4th Edition), Cengage Learning.
2. Keller, E. A., and DeVecchio, D. E., 2012, Natural Hazards; Earth’s Processes as Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes (3rd Edition), Pearson Prentice Hall.
3. Kapur, A., 2010, Vulnerable India – A Geographical Study of Disasters, SAGE Publications

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