EOSC 323 · Structural Geology I

Sedimentary layers in the Grand Canyon

The analysis and interpretation of structural deformation. 

Pre-requisites for this course are both EOSC 221 and EOSC 223, and one of EOSC 220 or EOSC 222

Course Topic(s):
Geological Science

Syllabus

Week

Lecture

TopicLab
Note Chapters are 4th Ed
Reading Fossen*Reading Pluijm and Marshak

1  

Sept 2

1

Labour Day

Introduction  

NO LABS

2

Sept 9

2

3

Primary Structures 

Stress I 

1. Structures in Hand Sample 1

Chap 1

Chap 4

Chap 1

Chap 2

3

Sept 16

4

5

Stress II – Mohr 

Strain analysis I 

2. #^Structure contours, bed thickness and attitudes

(Ch. 2  – manual)

Chap 5

Chap 21

Chap 2

Chap 6

4

Sept 23

6

7

Strain analysis II 

Strain analysis III 

3. #^Stereonets 
(Ch. 3 – manual)

 
Chap 3Chap 6

5

Sept 30

8

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Rheology  

NO LABS 
Take home problem set 

Chap 6

Chap 10

6

Oct 7

9

10

Deformation Mechanisms I 

Deformation Mechanisms II 

4. #^Bree Creek Project I

Strat. and x-sections

Chap 11

Chap 3

Chap 7

7

Oct 14

Thanksgiving Day

Midterm Exam (Oct 16)

NO LABS

Take home problem set

8

Oct 21

11

12

Fold I – geometry 

Folds II 

5. ^Fold lab

(Ch. 4 and 5 manual)

Chap 12

Chap 12

Chap 8

9

Oct 28

13

14

Folds III 

Foliations/lineations  

6.Bree Creek Project 2

Folds

Chap 12

Chap 13 & 14

Chap 8

Chap 9

10

Nov 4

15

16

Faults Intro

Brittle Failure I – Joints

7. #Bree Creek Project 3 

Faults (Ch. 12 manual)

Chap 92

Chap 7 & 8

Chap 3&5

Chap 4

11

Nov 11

Mid-Semester Break

Mid-Semester Break

NO LABS

12

Nov 18

17

18

Brittle Failure II 

Thrust faults 

8. Structures in Hand Sample 2 

Chap 10

Chap 17

Chap 11

Chap 13

13

Nov 25

19

20

Normal faults 

Strike slip faults 

 

Lab Exam 

Chap 18

Chap 19

Chap 12

Chap 14

14

Dec 2

21

22

Shear Zones

Review  

Chap 16Chap 5

Course Content

Structural geology involves the analysis and interpretation of natural deformation. Students should be able to:

  • Describe the relationship between stress and strain, and measure strain in rocks that have undergone deformation
  • Identify and describe geological structures representing both brittle and ductile deformation at a variety of scales
  • Evaluate geological data (maps and structural measurements) to determine the geological history of an area
  • Create cross-sections from map data to investigate structures in the third dimension

Appreciate the complexities of geological structures resulting from tectonic processes