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Winter 2015 Winter 2015

Faults
FAULTS are caused by short-term stress on
rocks. They occur discontinuously along fault
planes, and are the cause of most
The line along earthquakes. Faulting results due to fracturing
in which the rock blocks move relative

which rocks displacement of each other.

Faults are classified in terms of the type of

break and move force causing the fault which determines the
direction of movement.

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There are many terms used in describing Causes of faults.

faults. These are shown in the diagram.

The strike is the horizontal

distance moved. The throw
- Permanent Strain
is the vertical distance and
the heave is the distance
moved perpendicular to the When stress exceeds the strength of the rock the rock
will break or fracture
fault.

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The Genetic Classification of Faults Normal Faults

Diagram Name Mode of Formation A normal fault drops rock on one side
of the fault down relative to the other
Normal Fault Extension (tension) side. The arrows indicating movement
of blocks. The right block is known as
foot wall The block on the other side
Reverse Fault (or of the fault is knows hanging wall
Compression
Thrust)
The foot wall stationary, gravity will
normally want to pull the hanging wall
Strike Slip Shear down, normally are called normal
faults!

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Reverse Faults Strike - slip Faults

Along a reverse fault one rocky Faults in which the displacement is
block is pushed up relative to rock parallel to the strike of the fault.
on the other side. Opposing forces cause rock to
The foot wall stationary, the hanging break and move horizontally each
wall will slide upwards, When other. This often happens when two
movement along a fault is the sections of the crust slide past one
reverse of what you would expect another without much vertical
with normal gravity they are known movement
as reverse faults!

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The Geometric Classification of Faults

Classification based Classification based on attitude
S.No on the rake of the of fault to attitude of adjacent
net slips formation

1 Strike slip Fault Bedding Fault

2 Dip slip Fault Longitudinal Fault

3 Diagonal slip Fault Transverse Fault

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Grabens and Horsts Grabens and Horsts

A graben is the result of a block of land being
downthrown producing a valley with a distinct scarp
on each side. Grabens often occur side-by-side with
horsts. Horst and graben structures are indicative of
Graben
tensional forces and crustal stretching. Horst

A horst is the raised fault block bounded by normal Horst

faults. The raised block is a portion of the Earth's crust
that has remained stationary while the land has sunk
on either side of it or has been crushed by a mountain

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Maharashtra builds dam in quake zone without permission. Date: Jul 31, 2011

foot wall
hanging wall there are at least 10 geological faults along the river basin in Thane (see map).

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JOINTS
Fracture along
hanging wall
which there has
been no relative
displacement in
foot wall
Rocks

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The Classification of Joints

Spatial Geometric Genetic
Geometrical Classification of Joints
Relationship Classification Classification

Systematic Joints Strike Joints Tension Joints

Dip Joints Rook

Formation
Non systematic Strike Joints
Shear Joints
Joints Dip Joints
Oblique Joints Oblique Joints

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Easy to excavate

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Bedding
plane
towards
roads Rock Joints
Many landslides and slope failures are directly related to the jointed nature
of the rocks

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Remedial Measures Retaining wall