LABORATOY OF INTODUCTION TO FEILD METHODS

02 – STRIKE, DIP AND DIP DIRECTION

Micaela Villarroel

Objectives
Today's activity aims to get students to know the dip elements of geological structures, as well as,
their graphic representation and the different notations used to write them. It is also important that
they learn to measure them correctly in the field and to transfer them to the maps.

Strike, dip, and dip direction

Strike, in geology, direction of the line formed by the intersection of a fault, bed, or other planar
feature and a horizontal plane. Dip is the angle at which a planar feature is inclined to the horizontal
plane; it is measured in a vertical plane perpendicular to the strike of the feature. The dip direction
marks to where the plane is tilted, or the horizontal projection of the line of maximum slope. See
figure 1.

Figure 1. Schematic representation of strike, dip and dip direction

In fieldworks, we take many measures to determine the special orientation of geological elements
(faults, folds, joints, strata, intrusive bodies, etc.) that can only be defined when we plot these
elements on a geological map. This is how we understand the regional structures that control the
geology of a region.

Next, we are going to carry out an exercise in which we will have to represent geological elements
using the different notations that we know. We will also read and annotate the spatial orientation
of the elements represented on the map.
EXERCISE 1. - Record the orientation of the geologic elements corresponding to the symbols
represented on the following map (Fig. 2).

*Write in European notation: a, b, c, ñ, and d

*Write in American notation: e, f, g, n, and h

*Write in Dip Direction notation: i, j, k, m, and L

a:000/10E b:035/07SE c:020/55NW d:090/90 e: N45W/57SW

f:000/00 g:N05W/80SW h:N43W/33NE i:180/77 j:275/05
k:325/18 l:40/90 m:57/39 n:N33W/00 ñ:146/40SW
 LABORATOY OF INTODUCTION TO FEILD METHODS

Figure 2. Schematic representation of the special orientation of geologic elements.

 LABORATOY OF INTODUCTION TO FEILD METHODS

EXERCISE 2. – Convert the notations each other from exercise 1:

1- The elements in Dip Direction into European notation

i=090/77S; j=005/05NW;k=055/018NW;m=147/039NE;L=130/90
2- The elements in American notation into European
e=135/57SW; f=000/00 ;g=175/80SW;n=147/00 ;h=137/33NE
 LABORATOY OF INTODUCTION TO FEILD METHODS

EXERCISE 3. - Draw on the map figure 3 the symbols corresponding to the following elements.

a: 008/05 NW, b: 000/10 E, c: 000/00, d: N15E;33NW, e: 090/77 S, f: 000/90, g: N35E;07SE, h:

175/80, i: 020/55, j: 135/57, k: N45W;16SW, l: 197/33, m: 320/10, n: N65E;54SE, ñ: N70W; 08NE

10
05

33
16

57 33
77

54

55
80
08

07

Figure 3. Scheme with the position of different geologic elements.

EXERCISE 4. – Convert the notations each other from exercise 3:

1- The elements in European notation into American
a= N08E/05NW; b=000/10E; e=N90E/77S
2-The elements in American notation into Dip Direction
d= 285/33; g= 125/07; k=225/16; n=155/54; ñ= 020/08

Support Materials

Coe, A.L. (2010). Geological Field Techniques. Wiley-Blackwell, 337 pp

http://ocw.innova.uned.es/cartografia/indice_general.htm

http://www.geovirtual2.cl/Geoestructural/gestr01b.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvF86IhyFjk

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+measure+bearing+with+a+protractor&rlz=1C1GCEU_
esEC820EC820&oq=how+to+measure+bearing+with+&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l6.27007j0j7&sourc
eid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_wK3CXt_0LoPj_Aad4q6AAg41