Fundamentals of Structural Geology David D. Pollard

Book Description

Fundamentals of Structural Geology provides a new framework for the investigation of geological structures by integrating field mapping and mechanical analysis. It emphasizes the observational data, modern mapping technology, principles of continuum mechanics, and the mathematical and computational skills, necessary to map, describe, model, and explain deformation in the Earth’s lithosphere quantitatively.

Assuming a basic knowledge of physical geology, introductory calculus, and physics, this advanced textbook builds on more traditional courses that emphasize descriptive terminology, geometric techniques, and kinematics. In a significant departure from conventional textbooks on the subject, differential geometry is introduced and applied to quantify descriptions of geological structures.

Differential geometry integrates the spatial information conventionally found on maps with orientation data from stereograms to provide reproducible descriptions of geological structures.

Content :

• Motivations and opportunities
• Structural mapping techniques and tools
• Characterizing structures using differential geometry
• Physical quantities, fields, dimensions, and scaling
• Deformation and flow
• Force, traction, and stress
• Conservation of mass and momentum
• Elastic deformation
• Brittle behavior
• Viscous flow
• Rheological behavior
• Model development and methodology