STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY

Map Skills (Summarised)

2012
KAMAL OMOSANYA, University of Glamorgan
OmosanyaKO@cardiff.ac.uk

Structure contours?
Topographic contours connect points of equal height above sea level
Structure contours (also known as strike lines because they can run parallel to
strike) connect points of equal elevation (height or depth) on a geological surface
(eg. bedding)
A plane with a consistent strike and dip has evenly spaced straight structure
contours
Steep dipping planes have closely spaced contours
Shallow dipping planes have widely spaced contours
Structure contours are used to:
Map the subsurface and anything related to it (cross section, depth, horizon
of interest)

Topographic Contours

Topographic contours
join all points of equal
elevation
Hills have closed
contours
Widely spaced
contours - shallow
slopes
Closely spaced
contours steep
slopes

Topographic
maps

Hills have closed

contours
Widely spaced contours
- shallow slopes
Closely spaced contours
steep slopes
Streams and rivers

Calculating dip
A

400 m
A
N

300 m

550 m

200 m

300 m

550 m

Horizontal distance
from map scale
Vertical distance
from struct cont
spacing
= Tan-1 (300/550)

100 m B
200 m

= 28.6o
= 29o S

Calculating strike

400 m
N

300 m
200 m
100 m
200 m

Structure contours are

parallel to strike (they
are also known as
strike lines). To
measure strike find
north and measure
round clockwise. In
this case, the plane
strikes east-west, so a
strike of 090o
Strike and dip of the
plane is 090/29S
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Calculating apparent dip from structure

contour spacing
m
0
40

m
0
0
3

Apparent dip
angle

m
0
20

Y
m
0
10
7

Calculating apparent dip

X
400 m

A
= Tan-1 (300/800)

300 m

N
200 m

80
0

= 20.6o in direction
135o

200 m
100 m

300 m

800 m

XY > AB

Y
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To calculate the true thickness T between

boundaries A and B
Method 1- Cross section

Tv

Method 2-Map

1. Measure vertical thickness Tv

from structure contours

2. Calculate dip from struct. cont. spacing

3. This angle is also
4. cos = T/Tv

T = Tvcos
9

How to draw
a cross
section: Part
1Topography

20
0

30
0

40
0

50
0

60
0

70
0

10
0

40
0

50
0
60
0

B
70
0

500
m

10

How to draw
a cross
section: Part
2 - Geology

30
0

40
0

50
0

20
0

60
0

70
0

27o

27o

10
0

27o

27

40
0

27o
50
0

A
60
0
70
0

500
m

27o
27

27o

27o

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True scale vs vertical exaggeration

500
m

500
m

500
m

True Scale:
Horizontal and
vertical scales are the
same
Directly measure
angles and
Vertical
thicknesses
Exaggeration:

500m

Horizontal and
vertical thicknesses
are different usually
vertical scale is
greater than the
horizontal

Always use true scale cross

sections (unless instructed
otherwise) as these give the best
indication of the structure

Steepens angles
and increases
thicknesses
Can be used in
areas of subdued12
topography or to

Outcrop Pattern(finding the dip

direction)
Veeing in valleys
Dipping beds

V in the
direction of dip

Dip?
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Geological history.

All geological histories start and finish the same way:

First: The oldest layers in the sequence were deposited
Last: Uplift and erosion to the present day
Include, where possible, information on sedimentary environments, metamorphic
conditions, stresses (direction of compression/extension) etc
My way (EROPTE)
E- Environment (Basement/Sedimentary/ contact)
R- Rock types
O-Order (order of deposition of rock/ emplacement/ unconformities)
P- Processes involved (Traction, Saltation, Bed load, condition of sea level etc)
T- Tectonism (Faulting, Folding, others)
E- Erosion (Till now, erosion carved the area into the present topography)

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3D diagram
Seeing cross section as a volume
My Way:

Initial 2D, Cross Section

Now! a 3D!!!!!

15

Thanks to
Structural Geology group
(University of Leeds)
Google earth

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