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EESC252
Geology for Engineers 1
WINTER 2021
MIDTERM PRACTICAL EXAMINATION REPLACEMENT EXERCISE

Time Allowed: From 13:30pm 16th February 2021 to 16:30pm 16th February 2021
Total Number of Questions: 3
Total Number of Pages (incl. this page): 11

DIRECTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1. Total marks: 100%
2. Part A: Answer ALL questions. Exercise 1 is worth 33% Exercise 2 is worth 45%
Exercise 3 is worth 22%
3. The total for Part A is 100% marks.
4. This Assessment is worth 25% of your final marks for EESC252.

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 Basic maps (Midterm Assessment 2021)

This exercise teaches you about the interaction of surfaces, which is one of the key aspects of geology.
There are many kinds of surfaces such as topographic surfaces (the shape of the land), stratigraphic
boundary surfaces (marking changes in the rock type e.g. limestone-sandstone), hydrological surfaces
(the level of water in an aquifer), etc. The most useful aspect to identify is the interaction of geological
boundaries with the ground surface. This is used to create geological maps.

Topography
Topographic contours are a two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional land surface. Each
contour represents a height (above mean sea level), and every point along the contour line is at the
same height (Figure 1). Topography is the
first surface that geologists are interested in;
the shape of the land often indicates the
rocks which are beneath the surface. For
example the hardest rocks will often form
the highest peaks.

Geological layers
The vast majority of rocks in the near
surface environment are sedimentary rocks.
These form in the near surface environment
and are often laid down in layers. Each layer
represents changes in the depositional
environment. For example, as the energy of
the environment decreases, the grain size of
the material being deposited may also
decrease. Or as the temperature of the
environment increases, certain chemicals
Figure 1 topographic contour maps produced from the three-
dimensional land surface such as calcium carbonate (calcite) may be
precipitated (especially due to biological
activity), in this case producing a type of limestone. If the sea into which water is flowing becomes
isolated or entrapped, such that the only exit for water from the sea is by evaporation, then elements
will build up to high concentrations within the water and salts such as gypsum and halite may
precipitate. In all of these cases the rocks tend to form layers. If a geological boundary is horizontal, then
on a map, its outcrop pattern will follow topographic contours. With time, the layers may be deformed
by geological processes, which may change their orientation, or may fold them or may fault them.
Geological boundaries which are orientated vertically will have a straight line outcrop pattern and they
will not be influenced by topography. Geological boundaries which are dipping at an angle are discussed
later.

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Exercise One
The simplest interaction found in geological maps is between the land surface and horizontally bedded
rocks. This map is designed to teach you how to identify horizontally bedded strata.

Use the map and cross-section below to answer the questions on the following page.

Topography in metres

Scale Ratio____________ This section is Expanded/Compressed

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 A borehole at point A 1035m above sea level identifies the following geological sequence:

85m Sand

100m Limestone

150m Clay

200m Silt

400m Rounded Gravel

Q1
Assuming that the strata are horizontally bedded, draw on the map where the geological layers will
intersect with the ground surface.

Q2
A table of commonly used lithology symbols is on the last page of this exercise sheet. Use the correct
symbol to shade the regions where each geological unit “crops out” on the map.

Q3
Complete the key on the geological map with the youngest geological formation at the top of the key
and the oldest at the bottom.

Q4
Geological cross sections are commonly used to identify the location of geological formations below
ground level. Place the edge of a blank page along the line B-C and use a pencil to mark the locations of
B and C and any of the topographic contours (record the height of the topographic contours). Place this
paper along the geological cross section, B on the left, C on the right. Mark a dot on the cross-section for
each topographic contour mark (at the correct height). Connect the dots to complete a topographic
section.

Q5
Draw the geological contacts on your cross-section.

Q6
Calculate the ratio of vertical to horizontal scale and write it on the line provided.

Q7
Identify whether the vertical scale on the cross section is expanded or compressed by crossing out the
incorrect word.

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Figure 2 intersection of two planes. By identifying locations where the planes are at the same height (in plan view) the line of
intersection between two planes can be located.

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 Uniformly dipping strata
If rocks have been subject to tectonic forces then they may deform. The simplest type of deformation is
tilting. This will result in uniformly dipping strata. One of the most useful things a geologist can do is
identify where a dipping strata will interact with topography. In the same way that a contour map can be
used to show the height of the ground surface, a contour map can also be produced for the surface of a
geological layer. On imagine that plane 1 is the land surface topography and plane 2 is the geological
layer. When the two contour maps are placed on top of each other a series of points can be identified
where both surfaces are at the same height in the same location. If the points are connected together
then the line of intersection between the two planes can be identified . This line of intersection shows
where the geological layer is at the ground surface.

Stratigraphic contour rules

In order for the correct line of intersection to be drawn, the following rules must be obeyed:

1. For uniformly dipping strata, stratigraphic contours must be parallel and equally spaced.
2. A line of intersection may only cross an intersection between stratigraphic and topographic
contours. They cannot cross any line where there is no intersection.
3. A line of intersection must terminate either at the edge of the map, or at a numbered? line of
intersection

Follow these rules and your lines of intersection will be correct.

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Three point problems
Although geological units are normally deposited horizontally, these layers can often be tilted
during tectonic deformation. The simplest version of tilted strata is uniformly dipping layers. In
uniformly dipping strata, the entire geological outcrop can be constructed from three boreholes
using the three point problem process (Figure 3)

Figure 3 Three point problems are commonly found in site investigation data where boreholes at three different locations
detect the boundary between two different rock types at different depths. The height contours on the boundary between
the two rock types can be found using the process shown in the figure. This process can be carried out using any three
depths at any three locations.

The height contours for geological materials are known as strike lines, stratum contours or stratigraphic
contours. Wherever a stratigraphic contour of a specific height touches a topographic contour of the
same height, the geological boundary is at ground level. By identifying all of the locations where the two
sets of contours are the same height across the map, the plan of where the geology is at the ground
surface can be drawn.

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Exercise Two
Use the following information to answer the questions below: The base of a well sorted sand layer has
been identified at ground level at points A, B and C on the map.

Q1
Use the three point problem method to construct stratigraphic contours across the map and draw the
outcrop pattern of the base of the sand.
Q2
Identify the following:
The direction of dip _____________ The angle of dip_____________
Q3
identify the depth at which a borehole sunk at point D will encounter the base of the well sorted sand
layer. ___________________________
Q4
The thickness of the sand is 100m. Create stratigraphic contours for the top of the sand layer (note: the
layer will be parallel, 100m higher). Then:

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 A. draw its outcrop pattern. and
B. Shade in the region occupied by sand.

Thickness of strata

Figure 4 The calculation of thickness T from angle of dip φ and vertical distance between layers V

Stratigraphic contours can be constructed for both the top and bottom of a geological unit (Figure 4). By
comparing the heights of stratigraphic contours on the top and bottom of a geological unit, where the
two contours are in the same x-y location the vertical thickness (V) of the geological unit can be
calculated. The thickness T of the unit can be calculated through simple trigonometry.

T =V ×Cosϕ

Rule of Vs
This simple method is used to make the initial
assessment of the direction of dip of a geological
succession. In a simple statement: the direction of
dip can be determined by whether a geological
boundary dips, or “Vs” into or out of a
topographical valley. If the geological boundary
curves into a valley, then it is most likely that the
geological succession dips towards the top of the
valley. If the geological boundary curves out of the
valley, then it is most likely that the geological
succession dips towards the base of the valley.

Although this works in many cases, it becomes less

indicative as the valley slope becomes greater.
When the valley slope becomes greater than the
angle of dip, geological boundaries will dip in the
opposite direction to that indicated by the rule of
Figure 5 Where geological boundaries interact with Vs.
valleys the direction the “V” can indicate the direction of
dip of the geological unit

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Exercise Three
Where the outcrop pattern is known, stratigraphic contours can be constructed to identify the dip and
thickness of geological units.

Q1
Before constructing strike lines, use the fact that the outcrop patterns “V” up the valley to circle the
correct direction of the dip. East/West
Q2
Construct strike lines to determine the angle of dip_____________
Q3
By comparing strike lines between different boundaries determine the thickness of units:
B________________ C_________________ D______________ E______________ F______________

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Q4
Explain why you cannot identify the thicknesses of units A and G
_______________________________________________________________________

Figure 6 Example patterns for different rock types to be used for the answer to Exercise One

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