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Types of Rock Deformation Explained

This document defines key concepts in rock deformation, including stress, strain, ductile and brittle deformation, joints, faults, and folds. It discusses how tectonic plate movements create stress in rocks leading to changes in volume or shape. Compressional and tensional stresses are defined. Small deformations are elastic while larger plastic deformations form mountains and faults. Plastic deformation can result in folds of various sizes through compressional stress. Brittle deformation forms joints where rock sections do not move, and faults where they do move relative to each other. Different types of faults like strike-slip, dip-slip and oblique-slip are classified. Key terms like strike, dip, axial plane and fold axis are also defined

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152 views29 pages

Types of Rock Deformation Explained

This document defines key concepts in rock deformation, including stress, strain, ductile and brittle deformation, joints, faults, and folds. It discusses how tectonic plate movements create stress in rocks leading to changes in volume or shape. Compressional and tensional stresses are defined. Small deformations are elastic while larger plastic deformations form mountains and faults. Plastic deformation can result in folds of various sizes through compressional stress. Brittle deformation forms joints where rock sections do not move, and faults where they do move relative to each other. Different types of faults like strike-slip, dip-slip and oblique-slip are classified. Key terms like strike, dip, axial plane and fold axis are also defined

Uploaded by

joey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Rock deformation

Objectives

• Define stress and strain


• Discuss rock deformation (ductile, brittle)
• Discuss joints and faults
• Discuss the different types of faults and folds
Rock deformation

• Movements of Earth's tectonic plates create


stresses  rocks subject to stress will
deform (change in volume or shape of a
body of rock)
• Ways in which rocks deform are varied;
factors affecting rock strength: temperature,
confining pressure, rock type, time
Stress

• Force acting on a body; not applied uniformly in all


directions
Types of Stress
• Compressional -
rocks are squeezed
along the direction
of stress
• Tensional - rocks
are pulled apart
• Shear - cause
slippage and
translation within
the rock
Strain

% change in size or shape


Types of deformation

• Small deformations are elastic, meaning the


rock will return to its original shape when the
stress is removed. ELASTIC

• Larger deformations, the deformations that


produce mountains and faults, are permanent.
PLASTIC (DUCTILE & BRITTLE)
Types of deformation:
Measuring deformation in rocks

• Strike is the azimuth (degrees east of north) of the


line formed by the intersection of a layer interface or
bedding plane with the horizontal

• Dip is the angle between the layer interface or


bedding plane and the horizontal measured
perpendicular to the strike direction
Strike and dip
Plastic deformation
• Compressional stress may cause rocks to be
deformed into a series of wrinkles or folds (from
few inches to hundreds of kilometers across)
Parts of a fold
Axial plane as the imaginary
surface that divides a fold as
symmetrically as possible, one
limb on each side.

Fold axis is the line made by


the length-wise intersection of
the axial plane with beds in the
fold

Limbs correspond to the two


sides of an anticline or syncline
Fold nomenclature
Types of folds
Plunge

Symmetrical folds Asymmetrical folds Overturned folds


Brittle deformation
Joint = break in rock mass in which sections on each
side of the break DO NOT move relative to each
other
Brittle deformation
Fault = break in rock mass in which sections on
either side of the break move relative to each
other

Classification of faults:
• Strike-slip fault
• Dip-slip fault
• Oblique-slip fault
Nomenclature of fault
Stresses and faults
Types of Faults
Oblique-slip fault
What kind of fault?

Luzon 1991
What kind of fault?
What kind of fault?
What is an active
fault?

There is evidence
to show that it has
moved in the past
10,000 years.
Valley Fault System
A geologist’s way of telling the weather…

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