Geol342-Structural Geology

Today
Geometry of • Deformation
– Rigid Body Deformation
Deformation • Translation
• Rotation
• Displacement Vectors- Strain paths
– Non Rigid Body Deformation (Distortion)
• Dilation- change in volume
• Distortion- change in shape

Deformation Deformation
• Change in shape, volume, or position of a • Translation
body [due to an applied stress]. • Rotation Rigid Body

• Distortion
– Dilation
Non- Rigid Body
– Coaxial Strain
– Non-Coaxial Strain

Dike Intrusion
Rigid Body Translation
Define frame of reference

Yo+n

Yo m
Displacement
vector

Xo Xo+m X

1
Dike Intrusion Dike Intrusion

Finite Displacement
Displacement
Vectors
Path
vs.
Displacement
Vectors

Fault Striations- Last recorded motion

Fixed
Southern California GPS Velocity Field

Velocity
Relative to
North
America
Fault=displacement discontinuity

2
 Rigid Body Rotation All Plate Motions are Rotations
Define frame of reference

(Xo,Yo)

Displacement
W path

(X1,Y1)
X
Rotation X1=(CosW)Xo+(SinW)Yo
v= ω ri sin Θ
Axis Y1=-(SinW)Xo+(CosW)Yo Motion with respect to what?

Non-Rigid Body Deformation

Distortion (Strain)
•Change in Volume (Dilation)
•Change in Shape

Homogeneous
vs.
Heterogeneous
Deformation

3
 Strain Ellipse

Principal Strain Axes

Undeformed Deformed

Coaxial Strain
Non-Coaxial and Coaxial Strain

Non-Coaxial Strain

4
 Summary
Non-Coaxial
•Like a deck of cards
•Long axis of ellipse rotates
•Lines parallel to shear plane
do not change length
•Simple displacement field
•No volume change
•Square to parallelogram
Coaxial
•Like sitting on a balloon
•No rotation long axis
•All lines change length
(almost)
•Complex displacement field
•No volume change
•Square to rectangle

Quantification of Coaxial Strain 1

Strain Field in a Shear Zone
Longitudinal Strain = Elongation = e = (l1-lo)/ lo
Change in length over initial length
Values –1 to 1, often as a %
Shortening –
Extension +

From Ramsay and Hubert, 1983

Quantification of Coaxial Strain 2

Stretch = s = l1/lo
Final length over initial length
Values 0 to Infinity
Shortening <1
Extension >1

5
 Quantification of Non-Coaxial
Strain
e=-0.04 or -4% Ψ=Angle of shear
6 km

γ= Shear Strain = tan Ψ

e=-0.23 or -23%
32 km
(non dimensional)

Strain Markers Strain Markers- Oolites

From Ramsay and Hubert, 1983

Strain Markers- Fossils Strain Ellipsoid

Strained Trilobite S2

S1

S3

Strain Axes= S1> S2 > S3

Major Minor axis
From Ramsay and Hubert, 1983

6
 3D Strain No strain along 3rd
Rock Fabrics and 3D Strain
dimension

Constriction
Cigars

Foliation
S1/S2 S1=S2>S3 Lineation

Flattening
S1>S2=S3

Prolate Pancakes
S2/S3 Oblate
From Ramsay and Hubert, 1983