Syllabus academic year 2011/2012
(Created 2011-09-01.)
RISK ASSESSMENTVBRN01
Credits: 8. Grading scale: TH. Cycle: A (Second Cycle). Main field: Technology. Language of instruction: The course will be given in English. VBRN01 overlaps following cours/es: VBR180. Compulsory for: MFST1. Course coordinator: Associate senior lecturer Henrik Hassel, Henrik.Hassel@brand.lth.se, Fire Safety Engineering. Prerequisites: Calculus in Several Variables, Statistics with Decision Theory or equivalent. The number of participants is limited to 40 Selection criteria: Student on the MFST programme or BSC exam or equivalent. Assessment: The examination represents a combination of results of a written examination and the project assignments undertaken. In addition, all home assignments shall be successfully completed. the examination consists of both questions on theory and questions of a problem solving nature. Parts: 2. Further information: Group assignments require active participation. Each group member must individually be able to account for the content of the assignment. If a group member does not fulfill the demands of the group or ignores hers/his commitment, she/he can be reassigned to another group or get a fail result. Home page: http://www.brand.lth.se/.

Aim
The aim of the course is that, in combination with earlier courses, the students gain the capability of utilizing tools for decision making in matters of risk management within the field of Fire Safety Engineering. Furthermore, the course is aimed at providing a foundation for continuing studies in the risk management field.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

Contents
The overriding elements in the course consist of: Introduction to the field of risk management and the concept of risk; Uncertainty Analysis, Risk Analysis Methodology within the field of fire safety engineering, including using methods for estimating the consequences of fires; Risk evaluation and risk perception; Decision making.

During the course, a number of home assignments, as well as a project assignment, are to be completed. The assignment can be completed either individually or in a group. The project assignment contain relevant problem issues associated to the engineering field. The project assignment is to be reported in written form and also orally.

Literature
Kolluru, R: Risk Assessment and Management Handbook. McGraw-Hill Inc. New York 1996. Sid 1.3 – 1.41.
IEC - Dependability management. Application Guide - Risk analysis of technological systems. International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Part 3, Sect 9 IEC600-3-9, 1995.
Morgan and Henrion: Uncertainty. Cambridge University Press 1990. Kap 4 och 8.
Paté-Cornell: Uncertainties in risk analysis – six levels of treatment. I Reliability Engineering and System Safety 54 1996. sid 95-111.
Abrahamsson, M: Uncertainty in Quantitative Risk Analysis - Characterisation and Methods of Treatment. Report 1024, Brandteknik, LTH, Lund 2002. sid 47-48
Center for Chemical Process safety of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, CCPS Guidelines for chemical process quantitative risk analysis. American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York 1989. Kap 4 och 8.1.
Lauridsen et al.: Assessing the uncertainties in the process of risk analysis of chemical establishments: Part I och Part II.
Kaplan, S: The words of risk analysis. Risk Analysis, Vol 17, No 4, 1997.
Kaplan, S and Garrick, B J: On the quantitative definition of risk. Risk Analysis, Vol 1, No 1, 1981.
Apostolakis, G: How useful is Quantitative risk assessment? Risk Analysis, Vol 24, No 3, 2004.
Evans, A and Verlander, N. What is wrong with criterion FN-lines for judging the tolerability of risk. Risk Analysis Vol 17, No 2, 1997
Literature on risk perception.
BS 7974. Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings - Code of practice. BSI, London 2001.
The SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, Ch 5, NFPA, Quincy, 2008.
Rasbash, D J, Ramachandran, G, Kandola, B, Watts J M and Law, M: Evaluation of fire safety. Wiley 2004.
Rasbash, D J: Criteria for acceptability for use with quantitative approaches to fire safety. Fire Safety Journal, Vol 8, 1984/85, pp 141-158.
Einarsson and Rausand: An approach to vulnerability analysis of complex industrial systems. Risk Analysis, Vol 18, No 5, 1998.
SFPE Engineering guide on fire risk assessment.
Staffansson, L: Selecting design fires. Report 7032, Department of Fire Safety Engineering and Systems Safety, Lund, 2010.

Parts

Code: 0111. Name: Risk Assessment.
Higher education credits: 4. Grading scale: TH. Assessment: Writen examination. Contents: The aim of the course is that, in combination with earlier courses, the students gain the capability of utilizing tools for decision making in matters of risk management within the field of Fire Safety Engineering,. Furthermore, the course is aimed at providing a foundation for continuing studies in the risk management field.

Code: 0211. Name: Project Assignments.
Higher education credits: 4. Grading scale: UG. Assessment: Successfully completed home assignments and project assignments. Contents: During the course, a number of home assignments, as well as three major project assignments, are to be completed. These assignments are to be completed either individually or in a group. For the project assignments, tutors are available for consultation. The project assignments are to be reported in written form, and in one case, also orally.