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Contents
Introduction to
Structural Geology
Workbook 3 Geological Maps
BGS
Contents
Introduction to geological maps
2. Cross sections 16
3. Structure contours 22
Acknowledgements and references
45
2
BGS
Figure 1a: Geological map of the Snowdon area, Wales, UK. ( British Geological Survey).
5
Figure 1b (left): Key to the Snowdon map. Figure 1c (right): Cross section and stratigraphic columns on the Snowdon geological map ( British Geological Survey).
6
20
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00
m
Dipping strata
0m
30
0m
0m
Figure 4: Geological map of the Isle of Wight, southern England, UK. See text for details. British Geological Survey.
9
Faults on maps
Faults can occur at any angle with respect to
bedding and so the outcrop patterns produced
are not unique to any one fault type. Figure 5a
and 5b show two potential outcrop patterns for a
normal fault.
a)
b)
c)
10
Normal
fault
Strike-slip
fault
Antiform
Synform
Thrust
fault
Figure 6: Geological map of Keswick, northwest England, showing different types of faults and folds. See text for details. British Geological Survey.
11
Fold on maps
a)
b)
c)
d)
12
Figure 8: Geological map and cross section of Pembroke, southwest Wales, UK. See text for details. British Geological Survey.
13
Unconformities
Unconformities represent a break in deposition
and a period of uplift and erosion. They can cover
tens or hundreds of millions of years and tens or
hundreds of metres of strata may be removed.
Onlap:
An unconformity where the younger series of rocks
progressively onlap the older members of the
a)
b)
Figure 10: Geological map of Bristol, southwest England, UK. See text for details. British Geological Survey.
15
Figure 11: Cross section through the Keswick map in figure 6. British Geological Survey.
16
14
Step 1:
Determine the line along which to draw the section.
The line of section should be representative of
the study area, be perpendicular to the major
structural feature of the area (e.g. large scale
folds or faults), cross as many structural features
as possible and run through areas with the most
data readings.
300
25
14
20
150
Step 2:
Draw axes of an appropriate scale with the
topographic values. Unless there is a reason to
do otherwise, draw a true-scale section.
10
0m
14
20
25
15
14
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
100m
100m
0m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
14
Step 3:
Transfer the topographic information from the
map to the section. Project the height of each
topographic contour, where it crosses the line
of section, on to the section and draw in the
topography.
300
25
14
20
150
10
0m
14
20
25
15
14
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
100m
100m
0m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
14
Step 4:
Transfer the lithological boundaries, faults etc on
to the cross section in the same way.
300
25
14
20
150
0
15
10
20
14
14
25
Step 5:
Transfer bedding readings on to the section,
correcting for apparent dip if necessary (see figure
12). Plot the readings at the height at which they
occur, so where a reading is extrapolated from
a greater or lesser height than the topography
of the cross section plot it above or below the
topography as appropriate.
0m
500m
400m
400m
300m
200m
14
14
14
100m
0m
14
300m
200m
100m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
14
Step 6:
Using the bedding readings as a guide, draw
in the lithological boundaries both above and
below the surface. Geology extended above
the topography is shown by dashed lines. When
drawing the section always consider what is
geologically reasonable behaviour for the layers
e.g. sudden changes in a units thickness or dip
should be justifiable.
14
20
Step 7:
Stand back and admire your work.
300
25
150
10
20
14
25
15
14
0m
500m
400m
400m
300m
200m
14
14
14
100m
0m
14
300m
200m
100m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
Apparent dip:
Where a sequence of rocks are cut by a section
which is not parallel to the maximum dip of the
beds, then the amount of dip will appear to be
less.
ap
vi
ew
Be
dd
C
sero
s
p ct s
a io
to ra n
st lle
ri l
ke
ing
su
rfa
ce
Map view
are
n
dip t
Apparent
dip
n
ctio
e
s
ip
ss
Cro llel to d
a
par rection
di
e
Tru
dip
App
Figure 12: Apparent dip illustrated as a block diagram and in map view.
21
a)
b)
N
m
400
400m
400m
m
300
300m
200m
300m
200m
200
100m
100m
100
c)
d)
N
400m
400
400m
300
300m
200m
200
300m
100m
100
200m
100m
Figure 13: Structure contours on a simple bedding plane and the map view of the bedding plane.
22
300
25
20
10
0m
20
25
15
150
500m
23
300
25
20
0
20
10
25
15
150
A
250m
0m
500m
24
300
25
20
0
20
10
25
15
150
0m
100m
150m
200m
250m
300m
350m
400m
450m
500m
25
300
25
20
0
20
10
25
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150
0m
100m
150m
200m
250m
300m
350m
400m
450m
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
100m
100m
0m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
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25
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0
10
0m
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25
15
150
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
100m
100m
0m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
300
25
20
0
10
0m
20
25
15
150
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
100m
100m
0m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
500m
400
400m
300
300m
200m
200
300m
100m
100
400m
dip = tan-1(300/500) = 31
300m
500m
200m
100m
100m
300
25
B.
20
A.
150
15
10
20
25
0
C.
0m
500m
30
300
25
B.
20
0
15
10
20
25
0
A.
150
C.
0m
500m
200m
31
300
25
B.
20
0
15
20
10
25
0
A.
150
0m
350m
C.
300m
250m
200m
150m
100m
50m
500m
32
300
25
B.
20
0
15
20
10
25
0
A.
150
0m
350m
C.
300m
250m
200m
150m
100m
50m
500m
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300
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0m
500m
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0m
500m
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0m
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150
500m
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300m
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200m
100m
100m
0m
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-100m
-200m
-200m
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25
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0m
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150
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
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Contents
300
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20
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25
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150
0m
350m
300m
250m
200m
150m
100m
50m
500m
38
b)
100m
200m
300m
400m
500m
600m
700m
a)
800m
700m
800m
600m
400m
700m
500m
600m
500m
300m
200
m
100m
400m
300m
200
100
100m
200m
300m
400m
500m
600m
700m
800m
Figure 15: a) Block model of a fold pair. b) Map view of the same fold pair.
39
300
25
20
0
10
20
25
15
150
0m
500m
40
300
25
20
0
10
20
25
15
150
0m
500m
41
300
25
20
0
10
0m
20
25
15
150
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
100m
100m
0m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
300
25
20
0
10
0m
20
25
15
150
500m
400m
400m
300m
300m
200m
200m
100m
100m
0m
0m
-100m
-100m
-200m
-200m
300
25
20
m
250
200
m
200
m
150
m
m
100
100
m
0m
150
m
10
25
20
250
m
15
plunge = tan-1(vertical/horizontal)
150
500m
44
Bibliography:
Bennison, G.M. and Moseley, K.A., 2011. An
introduction to geological structures and maps: a
practical guide. Eighth edition, Hodder education.
45