DIP SLIP FAULTS
Inclined faults separates two fault blocks: the hanging wall block (block above the fault) and the footwall block (block underneath the fault). In dip slip faults, the motion of the hanging wall blocks relative to the footwall block occurs in a direction parallel to the dip of the fault plane. There are two types of inclined dip slip faults. In Normal faults the hanging wall in moving downward relatively to the footwall. Normal faults accommodate extensional deformation. In reverse faults, the hanging wall in moving upward relatively to the footwall. Reverse faults accommodate contractional deformation. A detachment is a shallow dipping normal fault, a thrust is a shallow dipping reverse fault. |
STRIKE SLIP FAULTS
The concept of Hanging and footwall block does not apply to vertical faults. In strike slip faults the motion of a pair of block relatively to each others occurs in a direction parallel to the strike line of the fault plane. The strike slip is dextral when the motion of one block relatively to the other is toward the right, and sinistral when the relative motion is to the left. |
