49116 Contaminated Site and Waste Remediation

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Handbook description

There is an increasing need to remediate contaminated sites and manage hazardous wastes. It can be technically challenging due to complex biogeochemical interactions between waste, rocks, water and microbes in response to physical and chemical manipulation. There is a need for remediation practitioners to be able to conceptualise these systems and simulate the processes involved. This subject examines a range of contaminant remediation systems, important geochemical processes and contaminants. An integral part of the subject is the application of geochemical modelling codes to practical remediation problems.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the end of this subject students should be able to;

1. Identify key concepts and knowledge about inorganic/organic contaminants, their transformation/attenuation, distribution and transport in the subsurface environment
2. identify and quantify pollutant and site characteristics which impact upon subsurface contaminant fate and transport.
3. develop contaminated site conceptual models including water/rock/waste interactions
4. apply geochemical/contaminant fate and transport knowledge to predict contaminant transport and remediation system performance.

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

For Undergraduates: Stages 7 & 8 - Focus on becoming a reflective practitioner
Provide situations and resources for developing an awareness and facility for critically reflective practice.

• developing a critical awareness of the interdependence of different professions, academic disciplines, and community interests in relation to the practice of engineering. (Stage Foci 1) This is achieved through integrating socio-economic and regulatory dimensions into the project
• gaining skills and experience in an interdisciplinary practice of engineering (Stage Foci 2) This foci is not developed in the subject
• gaining experience in self-directed learning and research (Stage Foci 3). This is developed through an inquiry based project
• carrying out major engineering projects which require both theoretical and practical competencies (Stage Foci 4). This is achieved through the project with the requisite knowledge built during the quiz and assignment

The UTS Bachelor of Engineering has a set of graduate outcomes to be developed throughout the course. The following list highlights the graduate attributes particularly addressed through this subject and the learning outcomes expected.

Professional Formation

• Ability to plan and manage design projects (PF2)
• Ability to choose appropriate remediation system (PF2)
• Ability to critically evaluate and manage data uncertainty within remediation systems (PF3)
• Ability to develop a conceptual model of a remediation system and then simulate the remediation process. (PF3)

Personal Development

• Enhanced ability to think critically (PD1)
• Experience in assessing own and team abilities (PD1)

Academic Development

• Ability to represent engineering ideas mathematically and verbally (AD1)
• Ability to document engineering ideas in appropriate formats, eg. Reports. (AD1)
• Experience in identifying and securing knowledge and skills needs from a variety of sources (AD2)
• An ability to identify and formulate problems and propose possible engineering solutions (PF2)

For Postgraduate: It builds upon undergraduate course outcomes

Teaching and learning strategies

Student learning in the subject is facilitated through provision of distance education materials, online learning activities and individual consultation.
This subject includes three blocks of face to face teaching activities. These activities may include lectures, laboratories or project-based research. These activities are supported by a printed handbook of readings.
It is expected that students will have access to UTSOnline either privately or at UTS. UTSOnline will be used in the subject as a question and answer forum, quiz assessment and for the submission of assessment tasks. All students are expected to access this on a bi-weekly basis and one week before the scheduled block teaching periods.
As an indication, a typical 6cp subject would normally assume a total time commitment (including class time) of approximately 140 hours, for an average students aiming to pass the subject.

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: UTSOnline Quizzes

Assessment Item 2: Written assignments

Assessment Item 3: Final exam

Minimum requirements

In order to pass the subject, you must attempt, complete, and submit each of the Assessment tasks 1, 2, 3 and 4; and you must earn an overall total of 50 marks or more for the subject; and should receive 40% or more of the marks for each of Assessment tasks 2 and 3. Only in special circumstances will students who have failed an assessment item be eligible to pass the subject.

Required texts

There is a Learning Guide for the subject which contain key readings. This will be provided to students. A CD-ROM contains additional documents.

References

Further details of suggested reading will be placed on UTSOnline. These will be available as an e-book from UTS Library. Others are public domain.

Other resources

UTS Online - for announcement, assignment submissions and links to resources https://online.uts.edu.au/webapps/login/

For further information see the faculty’s Student Guide at:
http://my.feit.uts.edu.au/ modules/myfeit/downloads/ StudentGuide_Online.pdf