Fundamentals of Structural Geology

A modern quantitative approach to structural geology and tectonics for advanced students and researchers.

David D. Pollard (Author), Raymond C. Fletcher (Author)

9780521839273, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 1 September 2005

514 pages, 350 b/w illus.
25.2 x 18.9 x 2.9 cm, 1.26 kg

'I appreciate the detailed, comprehensive quantitative treatment of structural geology processes and research methods in this textbook.' Elizabeth Madden, San Jose State University

Fundamentals of Structural Geology provides a new framework for the investigation of geological structures by integrating field mapping and mechanical analysis. Assuming a basic knowledge of physical geology, introductory calculus and physics, it emphasizes the observational data, modern mapping technology, principles of continuum mechanics, and the mathematical and computational skills, necessary to quantitatively map, describe, model, and explain deformation in Earth's lithosphere. By starting from the fundamental conservation laws of mass and momentum, the constitutive laws of material behavior, and the kinematic relationships for strain and rate of deformation, the authors demonstrate the relevance of solid and fluid mechanics to structural geology. This book offers a modern quantitative approach to structural geology for advanced students and researchers in structural geology and tectonics. It is supported by a website hosting images from the book, additional colour images, student exercises and MATLAB scripts. Solutions to the exercises are available to instructors.

1. Motivations and opportunities
2. Structural mapping techniques and tools
3. Characterizing structures using differential geometry
4. Physical quantities, fields, dimensions and scaling
5. Deformation and flow
6. Force, traction and stress
7. Conservation of mass and momentum
8. Elastic deformation
9. Brittle behavior
10. Viscous flow
11. Rheological behavior
12. Model development and methodology
Index.

Subject Areas: Historical geology [RBGF], Geological surface processes [geomorphology RBGD], Geology & the lithosphere [RBG], Earth sciences [RB]