Faults

Definition:
These are well defined cracks or ruptures
along which the rock masses on either side
have suffered relative displacement
Displacement may occur in any direction
due to translation or rotational movements
of the fractured blocks.
Magnitude varies in wide limits.
Attitude is conveniently defined in terms of
dip & strike

the fracture occurs

Fault Terminology
Fault Plane The surface along which
the fracture occurs in the rock mass &
along which the movement of rock blocks
take place is called the fault plane
Hanging Wall Block In an inclined fault
plane the upper surface of the fault plane
i.e. one which appears to be resting on
the fault plane is called hanging wall.

 Footwall Block In an inclined fault the

lower block below the fault plane is called
as the hanging wall.
Strike of the fault It refers to the trend of
the horizontal line in the plane of the fault.
Dip of the fault: It is the angle between the
horizontal surface & the plane of the fault

 Hade- It is the angle between the fault plane

and the vertical plane that strikes parallel to
the fault
Throw The term is used for measuring
relative displacement of the formerly
adjacent points on the opposite sides of the
fault & is measured in the fault surface
Heave Horizontal component of dip
separation

Hanging vs. Foot

The footwall of a fault is always under the
fault
The hanging wall of a fault is always
above the fault

Types of Faults

Normal Faults
Reverse Faults
Strike-Slip Faults
Dip-slip Faults
Oblique-slip Faults

Normal Faults
Caused by tensional forces
The fault is at an angle
One block lies above the fault (hanging
wall)
The other block lies below the fault
(footwall)
When movement occurs along a normal
fault, the hanging wall slips downward

 An inclined fault is described as a normal

fault when the hanging wall side appears
to have moved relatively downwards in
comparison with the foot wall side

Normal Faults

Normal Fault

Footwall
Hanging Wall

Normal Faults

Normal Faults

Normal Faults

Reverse Faults
Caused by compression forces
Has the same structure as a normal fault,
but blocks move in opposite direction
One side lies at an angle above the other
Where the hanging wall is displaced
upward relative to the footwall
OR where the footwall appears to have
been shifted downwards relative to the
hanging wall

Reverse Fault

Reverse Fault

Hanging Wall

Footwall

Reverse Fault

Reverse Fault

Reverse Fault

Strike-Slip Fault
Created by shearing along transform
boundaries
Rocks on either side of fault slip past each
other sideways with little up-or-down
motion
Vertical or inclined fault sticking parallel to
the strike of the country rocks

Strike-Slip Faults

Strike-Slip Fault

Strike-Slip Fault

Strike-Slip Fault

Strike-Slip Fault

Step Fault
Side
View

Birds-eye
View

Whose Fault?
Side
View

Whose Fault?
Side
View

Whose Fault?
Birds-eye
View

Whose Fault?
Side
View