Materials Science For Structural Geology

This book sets out the basic materials science needed for understanding the plastic deformation of rocks and minerals. Although at atmospheric pressure or at relatively low environmental pressures, these materials tend to be brittle, that is, to fracture with little prior plastic deformation when non-hydrostatically stressed, they can undergo substantial permanent strain when stressed under environmental conditions of high confining pressure and high temperature, such as occur geologically in the Earth’s crust and upper mantle. Thus the plastic deformation of rocks and minerals is of fundamental interest in structural geology and geodynamics. In mountain-building processes and during convective stirring in the Earth’s mantle, rocks can undergo very large amounts of plastic flow, accompanied by substantial changes in microstructure. These changes in microstructure remain in the rocks as evidence of the past deformation history. There are a number of types of physical processes whereby rock and minerals can undergo deformation under geological conditions. The physics of these processes is set out in this book.

Current Topics in Structural Geology is a collection of invited papers on particular topics of interest in structural geology, from field-based problems on the scale of terranes to microstructures in nature and experiment. Contributors also explore earthquake faulting; S-C mylonites; tectonics and hydrogeology of accretionary prisms; deformation mechanisms; transparent polycrystals; shape and lattice preferred orientations; and mushroom-shaped diapirs. This text is comprised of 13 chapters; the first of which introduces the reader to shallow crustal earthquakes and the structural geology of fault zones. The first chapter also emphasizes the seismogenic regime, strike-slip earthquake rupture processes, structural questions posed by seismology, and mesothermal gold-quartz lodes hosted in steeply inclined shear zones of mixed 'brittle-ductile' character. Discussion then turns to normal faulting in the upper continental crust, along with the application of a method based primarily on fault slip data analysis to determine paleostress in terms of orientation and magnitude. The mechanical behavior and deformation textures of simulated halite shear zones are considered, with special regard to the internal structures of S-C mylonites and their mechanical implications. The remaining chapters examine the role of decollement zone in the tectonics and hydrogeology of accretionary prisms; synkinematic microscopy of transparent polycrystals; and the origin of metamorphic core complexes and detachment faults formed during Tertiary continental extension in the northern Colorado River region. This book is intended primarily for students and practitioners of structural geology.

Current Topics in Structural Geology...

This second edition of Atlas of Structural Geology features a broad and inclusive range of high-quality mesoscale and microscale full-color photographs, descriptions, and captions related to the deformation of rocks and geologic structures. It is a multicontributed, comprehensive reference that includes submissions from many of the world’s leading structural geologists, making it one of the most thorough and comprehensive references available to the geoscience community. All types of structures are featured, including those related to ductile and brittle shear zones, sigma and delta structures, mineral fish, duplexes and trapezoids, shear-related folds, and flanking structures in the mesoscale and microscale. This second edition features new and expanded coverage, including seismic-image interpretation, landslide deformations, flowing glacial structures, and more than 150 new full-color images to illustrate the geologic features. A stunning collection of the world’s most beautiful and arresting geologic structures, this book is the ideal resource to illustrate key concepts in geology. Presents more than 400 top-quality, full-color photographs contributed by the world’s most respected structural geologists Features a broad range of morphological variations of geologic structures, making it the most up-to-date and inclusive reference of its kind Aids researchers in developing mathematical and analogue models on the peculiarity and uniqueness of the world’s most iconic structures

From the reviews: "...one of the charms of this book is that it is different from both structural geology text books and mechanics texts. Bayly has brought these two fields together admirably, with great intelligence, imagination and originality. For this reason alone, I think all active structural geologists, whether in research or teaching, and particularly those concerned with theory, should read this book." (Journal of Structural Geology)

Since the first edition was published in 1983, this highly-regarded introductory textbook has been used by many generations of students worldwide. It is specifically tailored to the requirements of first or second year geology undergraduates. The third edition has been extensively revised and updated to include many new sections and over 50 new or redrawn illustrations. There are now over 220 illustrations, many incorporating a second colour to highlight essential features. The format has been changed to enhance the visual attractiveness of the book. The tripartite organization of the first and second editions has been modified by combining the purely descriptive or factual aspects of fault and fold structure in the earlier chapters with a simple treatment of mechanisms, leaving the more geometrically complex treatment until after the relevant sections on stress and strain, as before. Some subjects are introduced for the first time, e.g. inversion and orogen collapse, and others have been extensively modified, e.g. the chapter on gravity controlled structures now emphasises modern work on salt tectonics. The last third of the book is devoted to the wider context of geological structures and how they relate to plate tectonics. The final two chapters have been considerably expanded and give examples of various types of geological structures in their plate tectonic settings in both modern and ancient orogenic belts.

Structural Geology is a groundbreaking reference that introduces you to the concepts of nonlinear solid mechanics and non-equilibrium thermodynamics in metamorphic geology, offering a fresh perspective on rock structure and its potential for new interpretations of geological evolution. This book stands alone in unifying deformation and metamorphism and the development of the mineralogical fabrics and the structures that we see in the field. This reflects the thermodynamics of systems not at equilibrium within the framework of modern nonlinear solid mechanics. The thermodynamic approach enables the various mechanical, thermal, hydrological and chemical processes to be rigorously coupled through the second law of thermodynamics, invariably leading to nonlinear behavior. The book also differs from others in emphasizing the implications of this nonlinear behavior with respect to the development of the diverse, complex, even fractal, range of structures in deformed metamorphic rocks. Building on the fundamentals of structural geology by discussing the nonlinear processes that operate during the deformation and metamorphism of rocks in the Earth's crust, the book's concepts help geoscientists and graduate-level students understand how these processes control or influence the structures and metamorphic fabrics—providing applications in hydrocarbon exploration, ore mineral exploration, and architectural engineering. Authored by two of the world's foremost experts in structural geology, representing more than 70 years of experience in research and instruction Nearly 300 figures, illustrations, working examples, and photographs reinforce key concepts and underscore major advances in structural geology

A pioneering single-semester undergraduate textbook that balances descriptive and quantitative analysis of geological structures.