GEOLOGY 306 - FALL '03

STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY

Meg Thompson, Science Center 201, x3029

 

                                                                                                                                           Reading in

Date                 Topic                                                                                                        Twiss & Moores*

Sept.    4          Getting oriented                                                                                         Ch.1, 2 through 2.4

           4L         3 point problems due 9/11 

            8         Joints                                                                                                         Ch.3

            11+L   Field trip to Hewitts Cove, Hingham:  notes + summary due 9/18

            15        Fold geometry                                                                                          Ch. 11

            18+L   Field trip to Hewitts Cove:  notes + summary due 9/25      

            22        Fold kinematics:  flexural and passive folding                                              Ch. 12.1-12.5

            25        Fold kinematics:  kink and fault bend folding                                              Ch. 12.6-12.7

            25L      Introduction to stereographic projection:  Hewitts Cove analysis due 10/6

            29        Foliation and lineation                                                                               Ch. 13

Oct.      2          Definitions of strain                                                                                   handout

            2L        The strain ellipse                                                                                       handout

            6          Calculating finite strain

            9+L     Field trip to Marlboro Formation:  notes & summary due 10/16

            13        NO CLASS -- FALL BREAK

           16+L     Finite strain in rocks           due 10/20                                                  p. 336-340 left column

            20        Strain through time                                                                                   Ch. 15.4 to end

            23        Introduction to Faulting                                                                            Ch. 4

            23L      Hour Exam

            27        Determining fault displacements                                                                Ch. 4.3

            30        Fault kinematics                                                                                       Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch.7

            30L      Structural Analysis of Braintree Weymouth Tunnel  due 11/13

Nov.      3         Discussion + working session

             6         Braintree Weymouth Presentations

            6L        Force, traction and stress                                                                         Ch. 8 to p. 134

            10        Stress at a point                                                                                       Box 8.3

            13        Mohr circle for stress:  problems due 11/20                                            Ch. 8.5

            13L      Special states of stress                                                                             Ch. 8.6

            17        Brittle failure in theory and experiment                                                      Ch. 9

            20+L    Stress in the Earth:  spread sheet calculation due 12/1                          Ch. 10 to p. 198

            24        Rheology:  relationships between stress & strain                                        Ch. 18

            27+L   HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Dec.     1          Geology and nuclear waste                                                                       TBA

            4+L     Structural relationships around Yucca Mountain:  Cross section due 12/8

            8         Presentations on tectonic history of Yucca Mountain area                           Scott, 1990

 

Readings

Scott, R.B., 1990, Tectonic setting of Yucca Mountain, p. 251-279 in Wernicke, B.P., ed., Basin and Range extensional tectonics near the latitude of Las Vegas, Nevada:  Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Memoir 176.

*Twiss, R.J., and Moores, E.M., 1992, Structural Geology:  W.H. Freeman and Company, 532 p.

General Information

There will be a mid-term and a final exam in this course, as well as 10 assignments (in bold type) to be handed in on the indicated dates.  Final grades will be computed as follows:  assignments 65%, mid-term 10%, final 20%, class participation 5%.  Office Hours: Monday 9-11and 12:30-2:30; also appointment.