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SOEE 1680 - Maps & Strat Week 5: Structure Contours

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR WEEK 5

By the end of Week 4 you should be able to:

 understand the concept & significance of structure contours;
 draw structure contours from outcrop information on topographic maps;
 draw cross-sections from structure contour information;
 use structure contours to calculate true thickness from vertical thickness & dip angle;
 use structure contours to recognise unconformities on maps & draw cross-sections
involving unconformable sequences;
 use structure contours to establish geological history from earliest to latest events

STRUCTURE CONTOURS

What are structure contours?

• Topographic contours connect points of equal height above sea level.
• Structure contours connect points of equal elevation (i.e. height or depth) on a
geological surface (e.g. bedding).
• A plane with a consistent strike & dip has evenly spaced straight structure contours.
• Structure contours are also known as strike lines because they can run parallel to strike.
Why use structure contours?
• Mapping the subsurface to identify geology at depth
• Contouring horizons of interest
• They are important in: petroleum exploration; mining; engineering geology;
hydrogeology; waste containment management; etc.

How are structure contours constructed?

• Consider a block diagram with a
dipping coal seam (black) - see
figure right.
• Plot topographic contours onto
the coal seam.
• Next project coal seam
topographic contours upwards
onto the map plane.
• These are the structure contours
for each height plotted onto a
map surface
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• Looking down onto the top of the block,

the structure contour pattern appears
as it would on a map:

How are structure contours

measured?
• Structure contours are parallel to the
strike.
• To measure the strike, find north &
measure clockwise.
• What is the strike?
______________________________
• The dip direction is normal to the
strike in the direction of decreasing
structure contour value, which is?
______________________________
• But what is the amount of dip?

Calculating dip from structure contours -

basic trigonometry
• Firstly, it is useful to recall some
trigonometric relationships that help
to calculate dips & stratigraphic thicknesses in map work, specifically regarding right

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angle triangles:

• Next, if two things are known about a right-angled triangle (e.g. length of one side plus
size of one angle, or lengths of two sides), everything else can be calculated (n.b.

Geometry of parallel lines Geometry of similar triangles

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exception: if only two angles known, the size of the triangle will not be known), as
follows:

Calculating dip from structure contours

• Recall the block diagram of the dipping coal seam:

• Define dip = ___________________________________

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• Next, recall the structure contours (map) view of the dipping coal seam:
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STRUCTURE CONTOURS ON GEOLOGICAL MAPS (SEE MAP NEXT PAGE)

• Effects of weathering mean that the Earth’s surface is irregular – i.e. topographic.
• Planar features (e.g. beds, dykes, faults, etc.) have irregular outcrop patterns.
• Already used these patterns to determine the orientations of planes (e.g. ‘V-ing’
relationships in valleys).
• Where a topographic contour cuts the contact between two rock types it defines the
height of the structure contour for the contact at that point.
• Where a topographic contour cuts back & forth across a contact it gives several points
at the same height.
• Allows the structure contour for that height to be drawn onto the map.
• Draw in the remaining structure contours for both coal seams (hint: use different colours
for each seam).
• What are the strikes & dips of the two coal seams?

CS1: _______________ CS2: ________________

Structure contours & cross-sections

• To draw a cross section along the line QP:
• First, draw a topographic cross-section along the ling QP.
• Next, use the structure contours to locate the positions of the two coal seams at
different heights along the cross-section (use different colours for each seam).
• Finally, join the points to draw the geological cross-section for the two coal seams.
• NOTE:
1. cross-section is drawn normal to strike (i.e. dip-section);
2. coal seams shown in ‘subcrop’ (solid lines) & projected above outcrop (broken lines);
3. structure contours through A give vertical separation (n.b. vertical less than real!).

Calculation of vertical & true thicknesses from structure contours

 Vertical thickness:
Structure contours can be used to calculate vertical distances: e.g. what is the vertical thickness between
the 2 coal seams in the previous example?
Structure contours were drawn (as shown) for both seams (n.b. these could represent also the top &
bottom of a rock unit, from which the vertical unit
thickness can be derived).
The (different) structure contours for both seams
coincide: – e.g. at Point A, the 210m seam 1 & 150m
seam 2 structure contours coincide.
Calculate the vertical separation (Tv) of the seams:
_______________________________________
How does this appear in cross-section?
However, Tv is NOT the true separation (T) between
the 2 seams!
Can we calculate T, and if so, how?
Yes – via trigonometry
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Space below for your cross-section

 True thickness:
measure vertical thickness (Tv) from structure contours;
calculate the dip () also from structure contours
define the true thickness (T) from similar triangles by
recognising another angle equal to the dip, ;
thus, from trigonometry, define the true thickness (T):

______________________________________________
When are T & Tv equal?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________
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:  A reminder

Exercise 1 Using structure contours MAP 1

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Exercises for Map 1:

a) Inspect Map 1 and deduce the approximate direction of strike and dip using outcrop pattern
reading only, write your answer below:

b) If the rocks are the right way up, which rock is older, the clay or the sandstone?

c) Draw structure contours on the clay-sandstone contact, and deduce the angle of dip of the
contact.

d) Boreholes are being drilled at locations W, X, Y and Z. Deduce how far below the surface
you will need to drill before you hit the clay-sandstone contact for each:

W= X= Y= Z=

e) IN the space below, Draw two true-scale cross-sections, one along line A-B, and
another along the 300m structure contour line. Use the scale on the map to define the
vertical scale in your cross-section.
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Exercise 2: Calculation of thicknesses

Map 2 below shows 6 beds. Structure contours can be drawn on all boundaries between the units.
Do this in order to find the VERTICAL and TRUE thicknesses for beds Q, R, S, T
1. What are the vertical thicknesses of beds Q-T?
Q = _________ R = _________ S = _________ T = _________

2. What are the true thicknesses of beds Q – T?

Q = _________ R = _________ S = _________ T = _________

3. Draw a true-scale cross-section along AB, which is normal to strike (i.e. A dip section).
4. Can the vertical &/or true thicknesses of beds P & U be determined? If no, why not?
_______________________________________________________________________
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Draw your cross section for Map 2 here.

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Exercise 3 - Structure Contour Problem Map – Extra Practice!

 Draw structure contours on the geological boundaries present, and clearly label each with the
boundaries and heights (remember, there may be more than one boundary and height per contour,
as there are different heights for contours superimposed).
 Calculate the dips of the beds (they should all be the same!).
 Calculate vertical thicknesses and true thicknesses of beds B, C and D.
 Using structure contours, draw the cross section Y-Z, using the profile on the next page.
 Identify the “inlier” and “outlier” on the map.
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