structural Geology Techniques

Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

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Mathematical Notes

• Useful Geometrical Facts
• Trigonometry Refresher
• Calculus in Case You Forgot
• Rotations in Three Dimensions
• Best Fits to Lines, Great Circles and Small Circles
• Formulas for Circles and Spheres
• Constructing Ellipses
• More About Ellipses

Descriptive Geometry

Descriptive Geometry: Planes

• Plot structure Contours, Given Strike And Dip      Interactive - Draw structure Contours
• Find Strike And Dip, Given structure Contours      Interactive - Find Strike and Dip Given structure Contours
• Plot structure Contours, Given Three Points         Interactive - Find structure Contours Given Three Points
• Find Strike And Dip, Given Three Points                Interactive - Find Strike and Dip Given Three Points
• Use of Folded And Combined Constructions
• Find Strike And Dip Given structure Contour And One Other Point
• Find Strike And Dip From Topographic Data
• structure Contours on Non-planar Surfaces

Descriptive Geometry: Lines

• Plot Map Trace And Elevation, Given Trend And Plunge     Interactive - Plot Map Trace And Elevation
• Find Trend And Plunge, Given Map Trace And Elevation
• Find Intersection of Two Planes                                           Interactive - Find Intersection of Two Planes
• Find Apparent Dip of a Plane

Descriptive Geometry: Relations Between Lines And Planes

• Find a Plane Containing Two Given Lines
• Find True Attitude Given Two Apparent Dips
• Find Intersection of Three Planes
• Find Intersection of a Line And a Plane
• Find Trend And Plunge, Given Pitch
• Find Pitch, Given Attitude Data
• Find Intersection of Two Non-planar Surfaces

Descriptive Geometry: Simple Geologic structures

• Fault Offset: Subcrop of Offset Beds
• Fault Offset and Displacement
• Fold Axis: Limb Intersections
• Fold Axis: Bedding And Cleavage
• Vertical Boreholes
• Inclined Boreholes
• Find True Thickness from Map Data
• Interpret Geologic structures From Map Data
• Construct Simple Cross-section from Map Data

Intersections of structures With Topography

• Intersections of structure and Topography: Overview
• Contour Topographic Data
• Find Intersection of a Plane And a Simple Slope
• Find Intersection of a Plane And a Ridge or Valley
• Find Outcrop Pattern of Gently-dipping Plane
• Find Outcrop Pattern in Area of Complex Topography
• Find Outcrop Patterns Involving Inliers or Outliers
• Find Outcrop Patterns of Thick Rock Bodies
• Find Outcrop Patterns Involving Simple Faults
• Find Outcrop Patterns Involving Simple Folds
• Find Intersection of a Line With Topography
• Find Intersection of a Non-planar Surface With Topography

Stereonet Techniques

• About Spherical Projections
• Constructing The Stereographic Projection
• How Spherical Projections are Used
• Plotting structures on the Opposite Side of the Sphere
• Interactive Page for Drawing Stereonets
• Interactive Page for Drawing Equal Area nets

Stereonet Techniques: Planes

• Plot a Plane, Given Strike And Dip             Interactive - Plot a Plane on a Stereonet, Given Strike and Dip
• Find Strike And Dip of Plotted Plane               Interactive - Find Strike And Dip of Plotted Plane

Stereonet Techniques: Lines

• Plot a Line, Given Trend And Plunge               Interactive - Plot a Line Given its Trend and Plunge
• Find Trend And Plunge of a Plotted Line         Interactive - Find Trend and Plunge of a Line on a Stereonet
• Find Intersection of Two Planes              Interactive - Find the Intersection of Two Planes on a Stereonet
• Find Apparent Dip of a Plane                         Interactive - Find the Apparent Dip of a Plane
• Plot a Small Circle Given Its Center And Radius

Stereonet Techniques: Relations Between Lines And Planes

• Find Angle Between Two Lines
• Find a Plane Containing Two Given Lines
• Find True Attitude Given Two Apparent Dips
• Find Trend And Plunge, Given Pitch
• Find Pitch, Given Attitude Data
• Find the Strike and Dip of a Plane from Borehole Data

Stereonet Techniques: Constructions Using Poles to Planes

• Plot the Pole to a Plane, Given Strike And Dip          Interactive - Plot a Pole to a Plane on a Stereonet
• Find Strike And Dip of Plane, Given its Pole        
• Find Intersection of Two Planes   
• Find Angle Between Two Planes           
• Find Angle Between a Plane And a Line
• Find a Plane Containing Two Given Lines
• Find True Attitude Given Two Apparent Dips

  Rotations on The Stereonet

• Rotate Around a Vertical Axis
• Rotate Around Horizontal Axis
• Rotate Around an Arbitrary Axis (Vertical Method)
• Rotate Around an Arbitrary Axis (Horizontal Method)
• Rotations Beyond The Primitive Circle

Constructing Stereonets

• Construct a Polar Stereonet
• Construct an Equatorial Stereonet
• Construct an Oblique Stereonet

Simple structural Analysis on the Stereonet

• Bedding-cleavage Intersection
• Beta Diagrams
• Pi Diagrams
• Linear structures And Fold Axes

Contouring Stereonet Data

• Overlapping Circle Method
• Moving Window Method
• Kalsbeek Net
• Contouring Methods Compared
• Construct a Kalsbeek Net

Geometrical Analysis of Folds

• Interlimb Angles And Fold Shape
• Fold Asymmetry
• Complete Analysis of Folds
• Conical structures

Stress And Strain

• The Mohr Circle
• Plot Real-World Stress Data on a Mohr Circle
• Convert Stress from Mohr Circle to Real-World
• Failure Envelopes
• Mohr Circles in Three Dimensions
• Mohr Circles and Conic Sections
• Mohr Circles and Finite Strain
• Mohr Circles and Infinitesimal Strain

Analysis of Complex structures

• Construct a Fold Cross-Section Using the Arc (Busk) Method
• Construct a Fold Cross-Section Using the Kink Method
• Construct a Fold Cross-Section Using the Similar-Fold Method
• Construct a Down-Plunge Profile

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Created 28 December 1998, Last Update 12 June 2020