Fault Models

Teaching About Faulting and Plate Tectonics

Activity modified from L.W. Braile, Purdue University

Introduction Time: 5-30 Minutes

This short interactive activity has learners manipulate Audience: This can be done with most any novice
fault blocks to better understand different types of geoscience learning group. It can also work for
earthquake-generating faults in different tectonic informal education or public outreach venues as
regimes: extensional (divergent margins result in normal a demonstration or interactive.
faults), compressional (convergent margins form reverse Subject: Natural Hazards:Earthquakes,
faults), and horizontal shearing (strike-slip, or transform Geoscience, Tectonics
faults). See Table 1. Fault models aid in visualizing and
Materials : Fault models can be made from a
understanding faulting and plate motions because the variety of materials such as foam, sponges, or
educator and their learners can manipulate a 3-D model wood. For example, a 2” X 4” board can be cut
for a true hands-on experience. into 12” lengths. Two angled cuts are made to
These models represent Earth faulting and plate represent faults. Draw or color at least three
tectonic structures and motions. However, it should be horizontal layers on the model representing rock
appreciated that the spherical shape of the Earth, the layers will aid visualizing fault movement.
complexity of different rock types and rock properties,
and geological development over millions of years
result in complexity of actual fault systems and plate
tectonic boundaries.
Objectives
Learners will be able to
Figure 2: Prepare fault models as shown in this drawing.
• Understand the geometry of faults (normal,
reverse, and strike-slip) and fault displacements
using 3-D fault models
Relevant Media Resources
• Relate these geologic structures to different types
of plate motions (divergent, convergent, and Fault Types
transform) Video
• Demo (Fig.1) www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/video/54

Animations of fault types (see Figure 3)

• Strike-slip www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/53
• Normal www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/51
• Reverse www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/52
• Oblique www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/57

Plate Boundaries (see Appendix A)

• Animation www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/492
Figure 1: Dr. Robert Butler demonstrates fault • Video www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/video/106
models using large foam fault model.

NOTE: This activity has been modified to include descriptions used with permission from various sources for the ShakeAlert education program.

1
Table 1: Faults, Plate Boundaries and Relative Motions. Table used for Activity.

Fault
Names Tectonic Forces Plate Boundary Descriptions Related Tectonic and Geologic Features

Divergent (extensional, moving apart,

spreading, construction—because Rifts, grabens, sometimes volcanism, regional uplift
Normal Extension new lithosphere is generated in the but local downdropped fault blocks, shallow earth-
extended zone). quakes.

Convergent (compressional, colli-

Subduction zones typically has an ocean trench,
sion, subduction, moving together,
volcanoes on over-riding plate, shallow and
constructive [two continents collide],
Reverse or deep earthquakes in subducting plate; and
Compression destructive [where one plate dives, or
Thrust megathrust earthquakes between the plates.
“subducts” into the mantle beneath
Continental collision zones have reverse faults
the other platea less-dense plate].
with folded and uplifted mountain ranges.

Linear topographic features, offset

Transform (horizontal slip). On the
stream channels, sometimes lakes or
Strike-slip Shearing ocean floors, these connect segments
depressions in pull-apart basins or local uplifts
of spreading ridges to each other.
along constraining bends. Shallow earthquakes.

Figure 3. Types of faults and direction of offset. Links to animations on

the previous page..

2
Demonstrating Faulting and Plate
Boundaries A
1) Normal Faulting (Extension)
To demonstrate normal faulting, move the two outer
blocks apart as shown in Figure 4A. This procedure
Figure 4A. Normal faulting using the fault model. Red arrows
is best performed by holding the blocks “in the air” in represent extension.
front of you and supporting center block by the two
outer blocks. Note that, as the two outer blocks are
moved apart, the inner block drops down or “subsides.” B
This is called “normal faulting”. The down-dropped
valley is called a “graben”. Normal faulting is common 4B: Fast spreading,
in areas affected by extensional forces, like divergent mid-ocean ridge.
plate boundaries (Table 1). Examples of divergent plate
boundaries include:
• Mid-ocean ridges (the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and
the East-Pacific Rise) where seafloor spreading is
occurring. These comprise the longest mountain
range in the world. C
• The Basin and Range Province in the Western
U.S. displays the signature of normal faulting with
4C: Mid -continent
many down-dropped fault blocks (grabens) forming
extension creates
topographic basins and adjacent high areas (horsts) basin and range
forming topographic ranges. topography. Also
called horst and
• The East African Rift where extension over the past
graben topography.
30 million years has produced a concentration of
normal faults that are beginning to break apart the
African continent.

2) Reverse Faulting (Compression) A

To demonstrate reverse (also called thrust) faulting,
move the two outer blocks together as shown in
Figure 5. The inner block will be pushed (thrust)
upwards over the two outer blocks. It is called Figure 5A. Reverse faulting using the fault model. Red arrows
“reverse faulting” because the block above a fault represent compression.
moves up with respect to the block below the
fault. Reverse faulting is common in areas affected B
by compressional forces, like convergent plate
boundaries where two lithospheric plates are moving
together or colliding (Table 1). Convergent zones 5B. Subduction zone: megathrust
are associated with mountain ranges from collision earthquakes and volcanoes.
and compression, but also from volcanoes that form Ex. Cascadia in Pacific NW;
Andes in So. America.
where one plate dives beneath another. Examples of
convergent plate margins include:
• Cascadia, where the Juan de Fuca oceanic plate C
is subducting beneath the continental North
American Plate. (The Andes is similar.)
• The Himalayas where two continental plates
Collision zone: high mountains
have been colliding for about 50 million years. and plateaus.
Although it is the highest mountain range on Ex. Himalayas, Alps.
Earth, it is also one of the youngest.

3
3) Strike-slip or Horizontal-slip fault motion (shear)

Note: This does not require building another fault model. A

You can demonstrate strike-slip faulting by butting
together the ends of the two outer blocks from the
3-piece model as shown in Figure 6A. Strike-slip
faults are generally vertical faults.

To demonstrate horizontal-slip or strike-slip fault Figure 6A: View of a strike-slip fault made by butting together the
motion, prepare fault blocks as shown in Figure 6A. two outer blocks from the three-piece model.
Explain to learners that the line crossing the fault could
represent a fence or road built across the fault. Move
the blocks horizontally on a tabletop, to demonstrate
strike-slip fault motion (6B). Gigantic strike-slip faults
at the boundary between two tectonic plates are called
transform faults (Table 1). This type of strike-slip fault
accommodates the relative horizontal slip between other
tectonic elements.
Examples of strike-slip faults include:
• Ocean-floor transform faults that offset segments of
oceanic spreading ridges to produce a stair-stepped
appearance (Figure 6C).
6B: Block model viewed from above with red arrows showing the
• The San Andreas Fault Zone in Southern California, direction of shearing. After fault displacement, the half-arrows
is a system of strike-slip faults that forms a show the direction of relative motion across the fault.
transform plate boundary between the N. American
Plate and the Pacific Plate. It connects the East
Pacific Rise and the Juan de Fuca Plate (see map in
Appendix A).

6D Stress buildup and release along a strike-slip fault.

Stress deforms the ground until friction is overcome
6C: Mid ocean ridges have moved away from each other along and an earthquake causes the land to jump in a
a transform fault (blue line) process called “elastic rebound.”

4
 NAME: _______________________________________________

PERIOD: ________ DATE:_______________________________

Fault Models—Learner Worksheet

How Do Earthquakes Happen Along Plate Boundaries and Faults?

Using what you have discovered from the Fault Model activity, complete Table 1 below.

Table 1: Faults, Plate Boundaries and Relative Motions

Fault
Names Related Tectonic and
Tectonic Forces Plate Boundary Descriptions
Geologic Features

Normal

Reverse or
Thrust

Strike-slip

5
APPENDIX A—TECTONIC MAPS

Generalized map and images of tectonic setting

The west coast of the U.S. is seismically active! Scientists study identified
faults, as well as searching and identifying new faults as part of on-going
research, for potential seismic activity. The map on this page shows the
generalized tectonic regime. For more detail of the faults, see the next page.
ANIMATION: 3 fault types of the Pacific Northwest:
https://www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/376

Left: Photograph of features associated with convergent (Three Sisters, OR. USGS photo), divergent (Basin & Range; Marlee Miller photo), and transform
margins (Carrizo Plain, CA. USGS photo) . Right: Generalized tectonic map of the Western United States. (Image modified from: https://geomaps.
wr.usgs.gov/archive/socal/geology/geologic_history/san_andreas_history.html)

6
State fault maps
The faults on these maps of Washington, Oregon and
California include three different locations within or
between the tectonic plates, including:
• Shallow crustal
• Deep (aka, intraplate or intraslab)
• Megathrust (aka, subduction zone.)
Whereas particular faults are not all identified by type
(normal, reverse, strike-slip) or location, the prevalence of
faults across the region shows the dynamic potential for
earthquakes and the critical need for earthquake awareness
and preparedness.
Mapping faults is difficult, and scientists interpret where
faults are based on field work, map interpretation, or
more recently, on lidar images that can “see” through the
forests. Therefore, don’t be surprised if fault maps look
somewhat different.

Right below: Fault map of California ( (from USGS publication: ABOVE: Fault map of Washington and Oregon from the Pacific
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq3/) Northwest Seismic Network “Recent Events” map. To see
For an interactive map of California’s faults go here & zoom in: faults on the PNSN map, go to “Control Panel” and check the
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/hazards/qfaults/map/#qfaults faults box. https://pnsn.org/earthquakes/recent

Below: San Francisco Bay Area Faults show the width of the
San Andreas Fault ZONE
Bottom: Los Angeles area faults.

7
APPENDIX B—NGSS SCIENCE STANDARDS & 3 DIMENSIONAL LEARNING
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
MS-PS2-2 Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on
the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object. http://ngss.nsta.org/DisplayStandard.
aspx?view=pe&id=149

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations PS2.A: Forces and Motion Stability and Change
Planning and carrying out investigations to The motion of an object is determined by the Explanations of stability and change in
answer questions or test solutions to problems in sum of the forces acting on it; if the total force on natural or designed systems can be
6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and progresses to the object is not zero, its motion will change. The constructed by examining the changes over
include investigations that use multiple variables greater the mass of the object, the greater the
and provide evidence to support explanations or
time and forces at different scales.
force needed to achieve the same change in
design solutions. motion. For any given object, a larger force
causes a larger change in motion.
All positions of objects and the directions of
forces and motions must be described in an
arbitrarily chosen reference frame and arbitrarily
chosen units of size. In order to share information
with other people, these choices must also be
shared.

Earth’s Systems
MS-ESS2-2 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s
surface at varying time and spatial scales. http://ngss.nsta.org/DisplayStandard.aspx?view=pe&id=224

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Constructing Explanations and Designing ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
Solutions The planet’s systems interact over scales that Time, space, and energy phenomena can be
Constructing explanations and designing solutions range from microscopic to global in size, and observed at various scales using models to
in 6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and progresses to they operate over fractions of a second to billions study systems that are too large or too small.
include constructing explanations and designing of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s
solutions supported by multiple sources of evidence history and will determine its future.
consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and
theories.

HS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at
different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features. http://ngss.nsta.org/
DisplayStandard.aspx?view=pe&id=183

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Developing and Using Models ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems Stability and Change
Modeling in 9–12 builds on K–8 experiences and Earth’s systems, being dynamic and interacting, Change and rates of change can be quantified
progresses to using, synthesizing, and developing cause feedback effects that can increase or and modeled over very short or very long
models to predict and show relationships among decrease the original changes. periods of time. Some system changes are
variables between systems and their components irreversible.
in the natural and designed world(s)