Types of Faults

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Types of Faults
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What is a fault?

• A fault is a break in the Earths crust/plate.
• Faults occur because of the movement along plate
  boundaries.
• Stress from the plate movement causes the crust
  to break.
• The direction of plate boundary movement
  determines the fault type.

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GEOLOGICAL CONCEPTSTYPES OF FAULTFootwall/Hangin
g wall from Mining geology
Miners put their lamps on the hanging wall and
walk on the foot wall.
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Three major Faults
Normal
Reverse
Strike-slip
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1. Normal Fault
Plate above fault line drops.
This fault is caused by tension stress.
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Normal Fault
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Normal Fault
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Normal Fault
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2. Reverse Fault
Plate above fault line rises up.
This fault is caused by compression stress.
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Reverse Fault
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Reverse Fault
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Reverse Fault
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3. Strike-Slip Fault
Plates move past each other.
This fault is caused by shearing stress.
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Strike-Slip Fault
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Strike-Slip Fault
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Strike-Slip Fault
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Types of Fault Stress

• Tension to stretch
• Compression to squeeze together