Faults - some lessons from little ones

Part of The Shear Zone Channel. Faults are key components of the geological world and interpreting them in the subsurface carries inherent uncertainties. Follow Rob as he looks a small-scale examples of faults found in some real rocks to explore the natural variability of faults - an important step for evaluating uncertainty when interpreting structures in the subsurface. These examples are preserved in boulders used as sea-defences at the port village of Ullapool in NW Scotland - and show it's always worth looking in unlikely places when seeking inspiration...
#tectonics #geology #interpretation #structuralgeology #faults #subsurface

[@gregorycooper1335]

As a structural geologist working in mines in Canada, I realised that very small structures can show what is happening on the large scale (fractals). Once in a lunch room at the Holt Gold mine I saw a small set of breaks and stuctures which beautifully mimicked what was hapening on a much larger, ore body scale.

[@Intact9]

Enjoyed watching the video so...... much. Thank you

[@Geohunden]

Great little lesson there, Rob - thank you! Took me quite a bit of time, when I started my PhD project, to realize how complex some structures, indicated as just one linear fault in maps, really were…

[@xyzct]

The complexity of faulting is scale invariant over an enormous range.

[@keeksputels1851]

So essentially, its very unpredictable? Its all alot more fluid than most would like to think. Very interesting video. Not that Ill ever be engineering deep infrastructure, but fascinating none-the-less

[@cribbsprojects]

The micro elements in the emergent macro structures. Worth using ones eyes and imagination on any outcrop and aproaching it with an open mind...

[@NBWoodsman]

More great content, thanks very much for posting. Could some of those soft-linked faults also be hard-linked in or out of the plane of section?

[@robbutler2095]

Thanks. Yes of course - likely that geometries change along lengths of faults/fault zones but difficult to demonstrate in outcrops/boulders. Better seen in mine or multiple-surveyed working quarries for directly observable fault geometries....

[@justmenotyou3151]

The faults dear Rob, is not in our stars, but in the rocks. Nice video.

[@geolyn]

My brain hurts. But great video.