Attitude of Beds

Presented by: BERMEJO, T.M.

01 02
ATTITUDE OF BEDS ATTITUDES OF LINEAR
STRUCTURE

03 04
ATTITUDE OF PLANAR DIPPING
STRUCTURES SEDIMENTARY BEDS
 01
ATTITUDE OF
BEDS
ATTITUDE OF BEDS
Attitude: A general term for the orientation
of a line or plane. Attitude refers to the
three dimensional orientation of planar and
linear features such as a bed, a joint, a
hornblende neddle or a fold. The attitude of
planar features, such as beds or joints, is
defined by their strike and dip.
 02
ATTITUDE OF
LINEAR
STRUCTURES
ATTITUDE OF LINEAR
• TheSTRUCTURES
attitude of linear structures is defined by the trend &
plunge (together they define a vector)
• Trend is the bearing of the line & Plunge is the inclination
of the line.
• Linear structure are also defined by their pitch / rake on a
given plane: Pitch / Rake is the acute angle between the
line and the strike of the plane on which the line lies.
EXAMPLE OF LINEAR STRUCTURES:
• Fold axis
• Hinge line
• intersection of two planes
• stretched pebbles
• Slickenside
• other lineation.
 03
ATTITUDE OF
PLANAR
STRUCTURES
ATTITUDE OF PLANAR
STRUCTURES
• The attitude of planar structures is defined by the strike
and dip
• Strike and dip describe the orientation of a plane in space.
1. Strike is the bearing of a horizontal line on the plane
(a scalar). Example for Strike: N400E
2. Dip is the inclination of the plane measured down.
Dip is a vector; it gives the direction and amount of
dip of the plane. Example for dip: 800N. 80 degrees is
the amount, N is the direction.
EXAMPLE OF PLANAR STRUCTURES:
• Bedding
• Fault
• fold axial plane
• layering in lava
• cleavage & schistosity.
STRIKE
Strike is the direction of a line formed by the intersection of the
bedding plane with the horizontal plane. Strike is the bearing of a
horizontal line on the inclined plane (a scalar). If a plane is
immersed in a water, the strike line will be the water-line.

Generally expressed as an angle relative to north. i.e. N370E,

N120W
 DIP
It is the direction along which a bed dips and is perpendicular to
DIRECTION
the strike line.

The dip direction is the direction that a drop of water will flow down
the plane.
DIP
The dip of a bed is the angle between the bedding and horizontal
plane, Example: the amount of inclination with respect to
horizontal.

It is measured in a vertical plane at right angle to the strike of the

bedding. It is expressed in degrees (450), or in gradient (1 in 1), or
in percentage (50%).
DIP
 04
DIPPING
SEDIMENTARY
BEDS
 Cockscomb Ridge, S. Utah
sawtooth-like hogback ridges of the Cockscomb, in Grand
Staircase Escalante National Monument of southern Utah.
These ridges were created by tectonic folding along the East
Kaibab Monocline.
 TWO TYPES OF DIP
TRUE DIP
The angle between a bed and a
horizontal plane measured in a
vertical plane lying at right angles to
the strike of the bedding. It is the
maximum vertical angle of an
inclined structural plane. It is
denoted by d
APPARENT DIP
Apparent dip is the angle measured
in any direction other than the true
dip direction. The amount is always
less than the true dip. It is denoted
by r
Geologic Map and Cross Section
Maps and X- Sections
Geologic Maps – strike & dip (angle, direction),
geologic cross-sections