University of Salahaddin-Hawler

College of Science Department of

geology 3rd Year- B.Sc Students

Meeting times:
Lecture: two hours in a week -Hall No. 14 Lab: 3 hours in aweek, Lab No.
5 (Structural geology Lab) Instructor: Dr. Abdalla Amir Omar
Assistant Professor in structural geology University of
Salahaddin College of Science-Geology department e-mail:
web page: http://www.uni-sci.org
Pravtical Assistant Lecture: Mr. Hassan Ghazi
Assistant lecture in structural geology (M.Sc)

Text:

van der Pluijm, Ben A. & Marshak, Stephen, 2004, Earth Structure: An
Introduction to Structural Geology and Tectonics, WCB/Mc GrawHill,656 p., ISBN: 0-393-92467-X

Recommended:

Physical geology, geomorphology, and a familiarity with basic

trigonometry.

Description:
Structural Geology provides an introduction to the theory and principles of rock
deformation and classifications of common geologic structures, two main crustal deformation
will be introduced first one structures formed due to ductile deformation, while the second part
concerning structures formed due to brittle deformation within the crust of the earths.
Conceptual, theoretical, and historical aspects of structural geology are covered in the lecture,
whereas the laboratory focuses on methods of analysis and problem solving. Topics are
discussed in the contexts of case studies and plate tectonics. This course is intended to be the
undergraduate student's first course in structural geology.

SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS AND READINGS:

Some other texts that students may find useful for this class are on reserve in Lupton
library. These include:
Billings, M. P., 1972, Structural Geology, Prentice-Hall, 606 p. ISBN 0-13-853846-8
This older text, once in very common use, remains an excellent reference for its
descriptive content and its laboratory exercises, which emphasize graphic constructions. Davis,
G. H., 1984, Structural Geology of Rocks and Regions, John Wiley & Sons, NY,
492 p. ISBN 0-471-09267-3 Ragan, D. M., Structural Geology, 1st (1968), 2nd
(1973), or 3rd (1985) editions, John
Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-08043-8 This laboratory manual does an excellent
job of explaining orthographic and spherical projections, and map patterns. 1st edition is on
reserve.
Ramsay, J. G. & Huber, M. I., 1983, The Techniques of Modern Structural Geology: Volume 1:
Strain Analysis, Academic Press, 307 p. ISBN 0-12576921-0 (or 0-12-576901-6) This laboratory
manual is commonly referenced for its excellent strain experiments and exercises on strain
analysis.
Spencer, E. W., 1988, Introduction to the Structure of the Earth, McGraw-Hill, 551 p.
ISBN 0-07-060198-4 2nd edition on reserve Suppe, John, 1985, Principles of Structural
Geology, Prentice-Hall, 537 p. ISBN 0-1310500-2 WEB RESOURCES The Structural
Geology Page
http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Geology/Structure_Resources/
Teaching Resources in Structural Geology
http://earth.leeds.ac.uk/learnstructure/index.htm Structural Geology Techniques
http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/STRUCTGE/LABMAN.HTM Stereonet
and other software by Rick Almendinger
http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/classes/RWA/GS_326/GEOL326.html#DL_Progr

GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division

http://rock.geosociety.org/sgt/index.html Structural
Geology Portal
http://www.structural-geology-portal.com/welcome_page.html
Structural Geology Course Resources on the Internet
http://www.uh.edu/~jbutler/anon/anoncoursestructure.html Visualizing
Structure
http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/visualstructure/
Teaching Structural Geology in the 21st Century
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/structure/index.html

PROBLEM SETS AND LABORATORY EXERCISES

Students will be required to complete several problem sets and laboratory exercises, which will
be graded. Averages of these scores will be considered in the final grade for the class, as
described above. Students are required to show their computational work and their graphic
constructions on these assignments.

EXAMS
Exams will be comprehensive, meaning that each exam will cover all material that precedes it.
The second exam and the final exam will emphasize the material covered since the previous
exam. For example, the second exam will emphasize chapters 6 through 9, Exams may include
questions of fill-in-the-blank, matching, and multiple-choice formats, and may require
computations like those made in class and on problem sets. Exams may also include a question
or two (or three) that requires short written answers (several well-composed sentences, plus
diagrams). Students are required to show their work for all computations on exams. Make-up
exams will be provided in only the most adverse circumstances (e.g. serious illness).
Documentation of the circumstance (e.g. doctor's note) may be required. Arrangements for a
make-up exam must be made with the instructor prior to the scheduled time of the regular exam.
In the event that a student is provided with a make-up exam, he or she should anticipate that it
will likely be different from the regular exam.

OTHER POLICIES
-Students are expected to attend class regularly. Attendance and participation will be
considered in the final grade. Students are expected to be punctual, attentive and prepared for
class.
-Students that arrive late for an exam may not be permitted to take the exam.
-Assignments are expected to be turned in on time. Late assignments will be accepted in
only the most adverse circumstances (e.g. serious illness or accident). Documentation of the
circumstance (e.g. doctor's note) may be required.

TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE

First Season
1- Structural geology:
- Definition
- Stages of structural geology
- Scale of the observation
- Classification of geologic structures.
- Relation of structural geology to other geological science.

_________
1 Week
------------

2- Mechanical principle:
- Forces, types of force
- Stress
- Two-dimensional stress. With Mohr circle application***
- Three-dimensional stress act on earth surface. With Mohr circle application***
- Strain, its types
- Stage of deformation
2 Weeks
- Types of material according to stress and strain.
- Factors controlling behavior of materials.
3- Ductile deformation processes. ***
- Introduction
- Cataclysmic flow
- Crystal defects

1 Weeks

4- Folds:

Definition, types, shape

Attitude of beds, which forming folds
Anatomy of folded surface.
Characteristics of Plunging and non-plunging fold.
Size of the fold measurement
Other structural features look like folds

2 Weeks
5- Fold
classific
ation:

Classification based on symmetry.

Classification based on interlimb and folding angle.
Classification according to shape of the fold
Classification according to shape of hinge line and
axial plane
- Ramsay fold classification
- Fleuty fold classification.
- Rickard fold classification
- Twiss and Moors fold classification
- Other new classification.***

6- Minor folds:
- definition, order, vergency
- Types of minor folds
- Relation between minor and major folds
- Superposed folding, and folding phases.***

2 Weeks

1 Week

6- Field study of the folds, and other structural features in the folded bed strain indicators.
1 Week
i

7- The mechanics of folding:

- passive folding
- active folding
- Biot-Ramberg equation

2 Week

8- Kinematic models of folding:

- Flexural folding
- Shear folding
- Minor structures associated with each types of folding models.

2 Weeks

9-Tectonic causes of folding:***

- Horizontal compression theory
- Vertical movement theory.

1 week

10-Fault related fold:***

- Fault-bend fold
- Fault propagation fold
- Detachement fold

1 Week

Total Weeks= 16 Weeks

Total hours= 32 hours
Second season
1 Week
11-Brittle deformation:
- introduction
- stress matrix
- brittle deformation from experiments and it is relation to Mohr circles 12Mechanics of fracturing:
- Extension fracturing
- State of stresses in extension, and tension fracturing
- Griffith cracks, theory and concentration***
- i
- Mode of cracking surface***
ntr
- Shear fracturing from exprements,
odu
- Importance of angle of fracturing
ctio
- Relation of fracturing to principle stress axes. 13n,
Joints:

join set,
joint system,
arrangement of joints
Joint spacing, joint frequency, density, length.
Attitude of joints in the field.

1 Weeks

1 Week
14- classification of joints:
- classification of joints with respect to bedding plane
- Geometrical classification of join
- Sterographicprojection of joint on Schmidt net.

1 Week

15- Distinguishing between extension and Shear joints

1 Week

16- Veins:
- defination
- Types of veins
- Use of veins in paleostress analysis.***
- Other micro structural features ( stylolitic joints,tension gash)
- Joint frequency within the rocks, importance and factors.
17- Faults:
- introduction
- parts of faults
- measuring attitude of faults
- Nature of movement on fault plane
- Fault separation
18- Faults classification:
- classification based on slip
- classification based on fault shape
- classification based on dip angle
- classification base on genetic
- classification based on rake angle

1 Week

1 Week

1 Week

19- Recognition of faults:

- features intrinsic to fault and fault surface.
- Effect of faulting on geologic and stratigraphic units
- Physiographic criteria of faulting

1 Week

20- Andersons Theory of faulting and Faults in Three-dimension.

1 Week

21- Normal faults:

- normal fault environments
- structures associated with normal faulting
- compatibility problem in normal faulting
- Kinematic models of normal faulting
- Determining extension associated with normal faulting

2 Weeks

22- Reverse and Thrust fault:

- Reverse and thrust fault environments
- Some basic terms in thrust zone
- Structure associated with thrust fault
- Geometry of thrust system
23- Strike slip faults:1
- strike slip fault environment
- types of strike slip faul
- geometry of strike slip faults

1New Topics introduced during course.

- some details are introduced within
subtopic
- The total hours must be exactly 62 hours
in order to gives complete syllabuses

1 Week

1 Week

24-Fault system and paleostress, and inversion of fault system.2

1 Week
Total Weeks= 15 Weeks
Total hours= 30 hours

Total weeks for all semester= 31 Total

hours for all semester = 62 hours

Note:

2New Topics introduced during course.

- some details are introduced within subtopic
- The total hours must be exactly 62 hours in order to gives
complete syllabuses

TENTATIVE LABORATORY SCHEDULE

No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Practical Topic
GEOMETRICAL PROJECTIONS
Geometrical projection part I
Geometrical projection Part II
Determination of attitude of beds from two apparent dip
Determination of apparent dip amount from true dip
Block diagrams for relation between outcrop pattern and valley shape
GEOLOGICAL MAPS AND CROSS SECTION CONSTRUCTION
Geological maps for Horizontal strata and uniformly dipping strata
Geological maps for symmetrical folded structures
Geological maps for Asymmetrical folded structures
Geological maps for Asymmetrical plunging folded structures
Geological maps in area containing vertical fault with horizontal and dipping beds
Geological maps in area containing inclined fault with horizontal and dipping beds
Geological maps in area containing unconformities
Combination structures maps( Fold, Fault, unconformities)
Ramsay Fold Classification
SPHERICAL PROJECTION (Stereographic projection
Concept of stereographic projection, Line projection
Plane projection & Pole to plane
Interlimb angle between two line, attitude of plane containing two lines
Interlimb angle between two plane & Plane containing a line
True dip determination from two apparent dip
Determination of apparent dip amount from true dip direction
Pi and Beta diagram in folding analysis
Determination of Max. inter. And Min. stress direction from conjugate joint system
Joint classification using stereographic projection
Rotation Techniques
Cross Section Balancing Technique & Application

Weeks
Week1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week15
Week16
Week17
Week18
Week19
Week20
Week21
Week22
Week 23
Week24
Week25