Risk Assessment & Environmental Systems

Contamination threatens both the environment and drinking water sources and is a big problem worldwide. To find solutions it is important to be able to assess risk and develop new methods for the sustainable usage of soil and water. To be able to understand the risks associated with drinking water production and distribution it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the whole drinking water system and skills to design and in detail analyse the raw water source, a treatment plant and a distribution network. Risk-based decision analysis methods and risk-cost-benefit decision analysis are tools for evaluating and designing alternative actions to reduce risk to humans, ecosystems and technical systems. The area of risk assessment and soil remediation considers the use of risk-based decision analysis as a basis for remedial action design at contaminated sites and for protection of drinking water resources. Different remediation and protection techniques for reducing risks are studied.

An MSc in Environmental Eng. with specialist skills in Risk Assessment & Env. Systems can:  

• Understand the scientific basis for estimating, evaluating and controlling risks in geo and water engineering projects
• Perform event tree and fault tree risk analysis based on system descriptions of geo and water engineering systems
• Evaluate risk controlling measures in geo and water engineering projects by using decision analysis methods, specifically cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and multi-criteria analysis (MCA).
• Analyse uncertainties in risk calculations and decision analysis outcomes, based on statistical inference methods and Monte Carlo simulation
• Demonstrate in project assignments the strengths and limitations of CBA and MCA for supporting decisions on risk control
• Apply software tools for decision analysis and risk control (Crystal Ball, Web-HIPRE, Precision tree)
• Give clear presentations in a technical report, presented orally and in written form, of the findings of the evaluation of risk-reduction measures
• Apply risk assessment principles to manage contaminated sites, soil and groundwater
• Analyze and design an entire sustainable technical drinking water system - from source to tap, including drinking water treatment plants and the distribution system
• Explain the connection of raw water quality, treatment requirements and distribution network to drinking water quality and consumer's health
• Identify and categorize risks and hazards in drinking water systems to consumer health
• Analyse drinking water network layout using computer models

Two options are available for this study track, depending on where you begin your degree:

Start at Chalmers, thesis at DTU

Start at DTU, thesis at Chalmers