University of South Alabama



University of South Alabama Course SyllabusCourse Information Term: Spring 2022GY403, section 101, Structural Geology (4 semester credits)Course Format: Web-enhancedClass days and time: Lecture: MWF, 9:05-9:55; Lab: Th 2:00-4:30Building/Room number: LSCB 316/LSCB337 (Lecture/ Lab) Instructor InformationDavid T. Allison, Ph.D. 460-6381 (Earth Sciences main office)dallison@southalabama.edu Office hours: (updated each term)Life Sciences Bld. #49B Course Description GY403(4 semester credits) Study of the application of deforming forces to earth materials and the structures resulting from that deformation. Prerequisites: GY301, PH114 or permission of instructor.Course Lecture Topical Outline:WEEK 1:Introduction; Descriptive Analysis (Jan 10-15)WEEK 2:?Descriptive Analysis: Base maps and mapping procedures (Jan 18-21)WEEK 3:Primary contact relationships (Jan 24 – 28)WEEK 4:Secondary contact relationships (Jan 31- Feb 4)WEEK 5:Geologic time and measurement (Feb 7-11); Exam #1 Feb 11WEEK 6:Kinematic Analysis (Feb 14- 18)WEEK 7:Kinematic Analysis continued (Feb 21-25)WEEK 8:Spring Break (Feb 28 – March 4)WEEK 9:Dynamic Analysis (March 7- 11)WEEK 10:Dynamic Analysis continued (March 14-18)WEEK 11:Faults (March 21 - 25); Exam #2 March 25WEEK 12:Folds (March 28 – April 1)WEEK 13:Tectonite Fabrics: Cleavage, Lineation & Foliation (April 4 - 8)WEEK 14:Structural Statistical Methods, Ductile Shear Zones (April 11 - 15)WEEK 15:Review of Field Geology Mapping Sites (April 18- 22)WEEK 16:Student Presentations and Final Exam Review (April 25 – 29)Last Day ClassFriday April 29Final ExamWed May 4 8:00AM Room ELSB 316Course Lab Topical Outline:WEEK 1:Geological Attitudes & 3D Block Diagram Interpretation (Jan 13)WEEK 2:Orthographic Apparent Dip and Three-Point Problems (Jan 20)WEEK 3:Stereographic Projection Problems I: App dips & Geometry (Jan 27)WEEK 4:?Stereographic Projection Problems II: Rotations (Feb 3)WEEK 5:Contoured Stereonets (Feb 10)WEEK 6:Strike & Dip Models Geologic Map Exercise (Feb 17)WEEK 7:Outcrop Prediction (Feb 24)WEEK 8:Spring Break (March 3)WEEK 9:Strain Analysis (March 10)WEEK 10:Fault Net Slip (March 17)WEEK 11:Stress Analysis (March 24)WEEK 12:High Fall Branch Trip Meeting; (Exercise April 2-3 at High Fall Branch, Ashland AL) (March 31)WEEK 13:Geostatistical Analysis of Structural Orientation Data (April 7)WEEK 14:Geological Cross-Sections (April 14)WEEK 15:Lab Final Practical Review; Help Session for cross-section (April 21)WEEK 16:Lab Final Practical (April 28)Course Goals and ObjectivesThe objective of this course will be to introduce the fundamentals of structural analysis including kinematic and dynamic analytical techniques. Plate tectonics and its many relationships with structural analysis will also be covered throughout. The important relationship of geologic time with structural geology is covered within the context of radiometric dating techniques. The student will learn to recognize and classify geologic structures associated with folding and fracturing of the lithosphere. Geological contacts and primary structures are covered in detail at the beginning of the course. Fault movement analysis will be covered in lecture and lab. Meso- and micro-fabric elements associated with igneous and metamorphic processes are covered in the latter portion of the lecture. The laboratory portion will be devoted to field and office techniques used in measuring and describing geological structures, including analysis of structures with the stereonet. The student will be introduced to structural analysis with computer software. Field trips will be made to the southern Appalachian geologic province for the purpose of conducting field mapping exercises and observing mesoscopic structures. The Appalachian trip is mandatory because lab 7 is conducted at the camping site.I plan to spend approximately two weeks per topic during the semester. Some topics will span less than two weeks. The student will need a working knowledge of trigonometry in lab, therefore, a review of basic trigonometric functions (sin, cos, tan, etc.) early in the course is puter Skills: students will be required to download lecture and lab assignments from the instructor’s web site. In addition, a significant proportion of the laboratory and lecture assignments will need to be verified with the use of spreadsheet templates made available by the instructor on designated workstations in the department student computer lab. The stereographic projection application NETPROG is used extensively in over half of the lab assignments for plotting structure data and analyzing statistical trends. Students who have a background in CAD and/or GIS software are encouraged to use the GIS lab workstations to complete geologic map projects, and orthographic solutions to apparent dip and three-point problems.GY480 Field Geology Special Note:Geology majors should take GY403 Structural Geology the semester before taking GY480 Field Geology. In many regards GY480 is a continuation of GY403 therefore a significant time “gap” between these 2 courses can be very difficult for students to handle. Because of the physical demands of GY480, during the spring semester before GY480 students should be spent getting in the best possible physical fitness for the long-distance hiking done at high altitudes in the latter half of GY480. The USA student recreation center contains a multitude of facilities and expertise that can help students attain this goal. The GY403 instructor may recommend specific meetings with campus recreation personnel for training- it is highly recommended that students take advantage of this resource.Course Pre-requisites / Co-requisitesPrerequisites: GY301, PH114 or permission of instructor.Recommended Course Reference Materials:Davis, George H., and Reynolds, Stephen J., 1996, Structural Geology of Rocks and Regions, 2nd edition: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, New York, 776p.Class Attendance Policy Students who complete less than 50% of assignments/exams will be assigned an F* grade. Students are expected to have access to an internet-connected computer and be familiar with office productivity applications (spreadsheets, web browser, PDF browser, etc.). Some projects may require QGIS software applications that are available to students in the LSCB 333/ LSCB 146 GIS labs. QGIS is open source and can be downloaded and installed on computers with sufficient processing power. See the instructor for door code and computer logon password.Late arrivals (> 10 minutes after class begins) will be counted as absent. Attendance is 10% of final grade.You may wish to review the ‘Attendance and Absences Policy’, in the Undergraduate Academic Policies and Procedures section of the Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletin for attendance and absences policyImportant Dates Last day to add/change to audit: Jan 15Last day to drop a course: April 1Holidays: See above weekly scheduleAssessmentsMake-up exams will be given only in the case of a valid, documented emergency There is a weekly lab assignmentLate work is not accepted and will be assigned 0 credit You will be required to obtain certain materials to complete the laboratory assignments. A list of required material will be included in a separate syllabus for the laboratory.LECTURE Test 1: 10% Test 2: 10% Final:? 15% Presentation: 15%LABORATORY Average of lab assignments: 25%Lab Practical exam: 25% NOTE: Participation in SouthFit and the Mobile Regional Science & Engineering Fair may result in extra credit on final grade.The lecture final exam will be cumulative over lecture material. The lecture exams will be composed primarily of essay type questions, with minor portions of multiple choice or true/false questions. The laboratory grade will be composed of weekly exercises, a lab participation component, and a final laboratory practical examination. The laboratory final will be cumulative over the laboratory exercises. Final grade calculation for lecture and laboratory is adjusted to a numerical median of 72 if the median is below that value. The lab participation component will consist of students working lab problem assignments on the class blackboard/whiteboard or overhead projector. I will randomly pick students to work previously assigned lab problems at the beginning of lab as part of the process of going over the answers to the lab assignment.? Changes in Course Requirements Not all classes progress at the same rate thus course requirements might have to be modified as circumstances dictate. You will be given written notice if the course requirements need to be changed.Academic Disruption PolicyThe University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Academic Disruption is found in The Lowdown, the student handbook. : Disruptive academic behavior is defined as individual or group conduct that interrupts or interferes with any educational activity or environment, infringes upon the rights and privileges of others, results in or threatens the destruction of property and/or is otherwise prejudicial to the maintenance of order in an academic environment. At all times students to be cordial, courteous and respectful of faculty members and fellow students.Cell phones, laptops, videotaping and other electronic devices are not allowed in lecture or labStudent Academic Conduct Policy The University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Student Academic Conduct Policy is found in The Lowdown : The University of South Alabama is a community of scholars in which the ideals of freedom of inquiry, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of the individual are sustained. The University is committed to supporting the exercise of any right guaranteed to individuals by the Constitution and the Code of Alabama and to educating students relative to their responsibilities.Violation of academic conduct policy may result in receiving 0 credit for the affected exam/assignment. Students enrolled in online courses are expected to adhere to the Academic Conduct Policy. In particular, students are expected to complete their own coursework and not provide unauthorized information or materials to another student. Policy on plagiarism software.Students may learn about the meaning of plagiarism and how to avoid it at the following link: . Students with DisabilitiesIn accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with bona fide disabilities will be afforded reasonable accommodations. The Office of Special Student Services (OSSS) will certify a disability and advise faculty members of reasonable accommodations. If you have a specific disability that qualifies you for academic accommodations, please notify the instructor/professor and provide certification from the Office of Special Student Services. OSSS is located at 5828 Old Shell Road at Jaguar Drive, (251-460-7212). Office of Student Disability Services will be located at 320 Alumni Circle, Faculty Court West. The entrance, Suite 19, is on the west side of the building, near the parking area. We are building 40 on USA's campus map.Course and Teacher Evaluation Student input for course improvement and instructor evaluations are taken seriously and do effect change. Course Supplements Additional Requirements and RecommendationsOnline Writing SupportThe University of South Alabama provides online writing tutoring services through SMARTHINKING, an online tutoring service. SMARTHINKING is available at . Students may enter the site by logging on with their Jag number and using the last four digits of the social security number as the password. For log-on problems, technical questions and/or on-campus writing assistance, contact the USA Writing Center at 251-460-6480 or e-mail csaint-paul@usouthal.edu.?Information about the University Writing Center and Online Writing Lab can be found online at . Smart Phone ApplicationsStarting with the Spring 2014 semester a variety of smart phone apps will be utilized in lecture and lab for a variety of purposes. The below list contains Android OS apps, however, there are usually equivalent apps for the iPhone OS:Rocklogger v 1.82: this app will measure planar or linear attitudes with a smart phone or tablet. It can store this data and the GPS coordinates in an Excel-compatible format (.csv). In addition it will plot the structure symbols on a Google-type map, and allows selection of specific data types (bedding, S1, L1, etc.) and records notes. The app can also plot measured data from a traverse on a stereographic projection, and it displays a dynamic representation of the attitude being measured on a stereonet. For more information see the web site: Topo Maps ver. 1.1: the extremely useful app has the ability to stream any 1:250K, 1:100K, or 1:24K U.S. Geological Survey topographic map to your phone or tablet, and display your current location using the GPS on the device. You can save waypoints and navigate to the waypoints, and save travel courses. If you purchase the Pro version ($11) you can download the maps for specific areas so that you can use them off-line. This gives the user the ability to navigate with the smart phone app even when no cell phone data connectivity is available (a common occurrence in remote areas). When this app is used on a tablet it essentially replaces a paper map. For more information see the web site at: Policies?While on campus, students are required to follow all USA COVID-19 policies and practices. These policies can be found at?. Be advised that policies may change during the semester, and students should check the University's Coronavirus Update page regularly.??Last Update: 1/9/2022 ................
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