Structural Geology

Structural Geology

1. Mechanics of fault formation and reactivation.

   • Sigma one is always acute.
     • In the development of faults shear stress promotes sliding failure and normal stress helps to inhibit that failure.

2. Criteria for the recognition of fault reactivation

   • Repeated changes in sediment package thickness across a fault
   • Repeated footwall uplift unconformities
   • Repeated syn-sedimentary deformation episodes
   • Fault/unconformity relationships

3. Fault reactivation case studies

   • Extensional reactivation of contractional faults
     • Variscan
     • Different tectonic regimes'.g extensional faults of areas affected by the Vatican
   • Contractional reactivation of extensional faults
     • Wessex basin Inversion tectonics
       • Local inversion along the Purbeck fault, fault expansion case study.
         • Controlled by reactivated extensional faults