SEDIMENTARY

STRUCTURES

SEDIMENTOLOGY
 3. SEDIMENTARY
STRUCTURES
A key to the interpretation of the
“Depositional Setting” of sedimentary
rocks

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 SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES
Primary Bedforms (formed DURING deposition)

Bed form 1. Internal Structures Variant :

1A-Plane Beds Planar laminations • Swaley
1B-Ripples Ripples cross-lamination & • Hummocky
Small-scale cross-lamination • Herringbone
1C-Dunes Large-scale cross-stratifications • Flaser-wavy-lenticular
(cross bedding)
1D Convolute lamination
1E Graded Bedding

2. Erosion Structures on 3. Erosion Structures on

the UNDER side the UPPER side
of beds (sole markings) of beds (sole markings)

2A-Flute casts 3A-Rill marks

2B-Tool Marks 3B-Wind erosion
Groove casts 3C-Raindrop imprints
Prod marks, bounce marks
Chevron marks
After Bjorlykke (1984)
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 SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES
Secondary Bedforms (formed AFTER deposition)

4. Water Escape 6. Cracks

4A Dish structures 6A-Dessication mudcraks
(immediately after deposition) 6B-Shrinkage cracks, synaeresis
4B Sandstone dykes 6C-Frost cracks (polygons)
4C Sand volcanoes

5. Load Structures 7. Deformation Structures

(inverse density gradient) (due to gravity)
5A-Load casts 7A-Slumping
5B-Ball & pillow structures Growth faults
5C-Clay diapirs

After Bjorlykke (1984)

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1.a. Primary Bedform:
Cross Stratification

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 Cross Stratification
Bedform Hierarchy
Cross lamination
/ ripple cross -lamination
/ small-scale cross-lamination

Cross lamination
= Mega ripples

Cross bedding
/ Large scale cross-stratification

Parallel lamination /
Parallel bedding

Cross bedding

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 Cross Stratification
Variant 1: Hummocky Cross Stratification

STORM SURGE

MEAN SEA LEVEL

FAIRWEATHER WAVE BASE
HUMMOCKY DEPOSITION
STORM WAVE BASE

TURBIDITE DEPOSITION
GRADED RHYTHMITE DEPOSITION
(SIMPLE FALLOUT)

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 Cross Stratification
Variant 1: Hummocky Cross Stratification

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 Cross Stratification
Variant 2: Swalle Cross Stratification

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 Cross Stratification
Variant 3: Herringbone

Tide ou
t
Tide in

‘Tide in’ and ‘Tide out’ are in opposite direction

 Wave & beach profile are in upright position

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 Cross Stratification
supratidal Variant 4: Structure caused by tidal (Flaser-
High tide level
T
I
D
A
supratidal
Wavy-Lenticular)
L
intertidal
R
A
N
SALT
G
MARSH
E
Low tide level
subtidal MUD
intertidal FLATS Roofed
muds
MIXED
High tide
FLATS
level Lenticular
subtidal
bedding
SAND
FLATS Wavy bedding

TIDAL
CHANNEL
Low tide
Lateral
level
accretion
bedding

Fioser
bedding

Location of Formation
• flaser bedding - commonly forms in relatively high energy environments (sand flats)
• wavy bedding - commonly forms in environments that alternate frequently from higher to lower energies
(mixed flats)
• lenticular bedding - commonly forms in relatively low energy environments (mud flats) 11
1.b. Primary Bedform:
Non-Cross Stratification

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 Traction Current
Bedforms – Parallel Structure

Note High Energy Planar Beds

Photo: G. Voulgaris
Beach Face - South Carolina Foreshore
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 Gravity Flow
Bouma Sequence: Graded Beds

Grain
Size
Fines
up

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2. Primary Bedform:
Erosion Structures on
the UNDER side
of beds (sole markings)

Flute casts, Tool Marks, Groove casts,

Crescent, Prod marks, bounce marks,
Chevron marks
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Erosion Structure on UNDER SIDE of BED
Sole Marking: Formation of Flute Cast

Erosion of bed Deposition Burial and

lithification

Tectonic Subaerial Tectonic Subaerial

tilting erosion overturning erosion

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Erosion Structure on UNDER SIDE of BED
Sole Marking: Flute Cast

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 Erosion Structure on UNDER SIDE of BED
Sole Marking: Groove Cast

Straight ridges the result of objects being dragged on surface

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Erosion Structure on UNDER SIDE of BED
Sole Marking: Crescent

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3. Primary Bedform:
Erosion Structures on
the UPPER side
of beds (sole markings)

Rill marks, Wind erosion,

Raindrop imprints

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Erosion Structure on the UPPER SIDE of BED
Sole Marking: Rain Drops

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4. Secondary Bedform:
Water Escape

Dish structures,
Sandstone dykes,
Sand volcanoes

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Secondary Structure
Water Escape: Dish Structure

Dish Structure - Ordovician - KTy 23

5. Secondary Bedform:
Load Structures

Load Casts,
Flame Structures,
Ball & Pillow Structures,
Clay Diapirs

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Secondary Structure
Load Structure: Load Cast

Carbonate Load Cast – Ordovician - Kty

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Secondary Structure
Load Structure: Flame Structure

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Secondary Structure
Load Structure: Ball & Pillow

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6. Secondary Bedform:
Cracks

Dessication mudcraks,
Shrinkage cracks, synaeresis
Frost cracks (polygons)

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 Secondary Structure
Cracks: Mud Cracks

Mud cracks demonstrate drying-out of a

thin layer of sediment fine enough to Product of desiccation &
have significant cohesion. Definite proof contraction of muddy sediments
of terrestrial setting or very shallow water
marginal marine.

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7. Secondary Bedform:
Deformation Structures

Slumping & Growth faults

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 Secondary Structure
Deformation Structures due to Gravity: Slumping

Bayah Formation, G. Walat

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 Secondary Structure
Deformation Structures due to Gravity: Growth Fault

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Terimakasih