The educational target of the course is to offer to the Master’s students an in-depth coverage of the different aspects of the Structural Geology and its application to various fields from the scientific research to the engineering geology, mining, mineral exploration and others. Focus is on the study of structures dominated by brittle deformation mechanisms from the outcrop scale to the microscale and the use of common tecniques of investigation for Structural Geology.
The attendance and active participation to lessons and practical activities will allow the student to acquire the basic knowledge of the methods of structural geology and their application in different fields of the geologist profession and scientific research.
The aims of this course are:
The students are assumed to know the topics covered by the courses of Geology, Mineralogy, Petrography, Field Geology and Geological Maps, Engineering Geology acquired during the Bachelor studies.
The course consists of lectures and laboratory activities indoor and outdoor. Since activities are planned to develop data analysis skills and to apply the acquired knowledge during practical and methodological activities, attendance at lessons and lab activity is strongly recommended.
Lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations.
The lab activities are aimed at the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during the lectures and also represent a self-assessment test.
- Definition of structural geology and tectonics - Types of foliation, classification and application to rock samples - Types of lineation, classification and application to rock samples - Microscale deformation mechanisms and structural levels - Structural analysis of polydeformed areas and applications - Relationships Deformation-metamorphism - Microstructural analysis and investigation methods - Natural and induced fractures: definition and classification - Joints: description, formation and analysis - Fractures in porous rocks and "deformation bands" - Veins: typology, formation and analysis - Fracture analysis and structural characterization of rock mass - Fault zones - Fault rocks: classification fro crystalline rocks and for silicoclastic rocks - Seismotectonics and applications to peleoseismological research - Methods for the representation of structural data - In situ Stress analysis and analysis of paleostress with applications - Structural analysis of drill cores (and tunnels) - Shear zones and kinematic indicators - Geo-structural maps - Applications of structural geology in the field
Slides and exercises proposed during the lessons will be available on AulaWeb at the end of each cycle of lessons / laboratory exercises. National and international geological maps that are available online . The suggested books are referred to as supporting texts, but students can still use other university level texts. Some textbooks recommended:
Fossen H. (2016) - Structural Geology, Cambridge University Press, 524 pp. ; Passchier C.W. & Trow R.A.J. -2005- Microtectonics - Springer 2nd edition; Van Der Pluijm B.A. & Marshak S. - 2004 - Earth Structure - Norton and Company Ltd. - 656 pp.
Ricevimento: contact directly the professor to arrange an appointment.
LAURA CRISPINI (President)
PAOLA CIANFARRA
LAURA FEDERICO
MICHELE PIAZZA
For lessons start and timetable please go to the following link: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/
Students will be evaluated by an oral examination. The exam consists of a 20-30 min.oral test concerning the different topics discussed in the course. The oral test consists of questions related to the topics discussed during frontal lectures and during practical exercises in laboratory or in the field. The oral examination also includes the recognition and interpretation of structures and microstructures on rock samples.
For students who did not attend excercises and/or field practice, an additional practical test will be required.
The purpose of the oral examination will be to verify if the student has acquired an adequate level of knowledge (theory and practice) of the arguments of the course. The ability to apply theoretical knowledge will also be monitored during field exercises. The ability of the student to discuss properly the arguments and to use an appropriate terminology will also be evaluated.
Although attending the module is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to join both classes and practical activities.
