Folds and faults are the results of stresses that are constantly shaping the Earth. An understanding of these is key to our safe existence on, and responsible management of, the planet. Careful analysis of such geologic structures informs many crucial human endeavours including the design and implementation of major engineering projects, development and management of vital resources, and recognition and mitigation of hazards. You will develop proficiency in the extraction of information from geologic maps used to analyse and illustrate geologic structures in the subsurface, and gain understanding of the stresses under which they formed. A wide variety of techniques used to conduct such analyses will be introduced and practiced. The importance to modern society of understanding structures and stresses will be discussed, and some useful analytical software will be introduced.
As a core requirement of the Earth Science major, knowledge gained here contributes to field and Stage 3 courses in the Earth Sciences, along with higher level vocational pathways (e.g., engineering geology, exploration geology, mining, construction, field geology, academic research in geology).