Objectives

This course presents the principles and application of stereographic projections, illustrated by numerous interactive figures. The course is divided into three parts.

Part 1 - Geological Structures introduces the concept of orientation of geological structures.

Part 2 - Stereographic Projections demonstrates the principles of projecting the relative orientation of geological features onto a stereonet.

Part 3 - Types of Failure shows the methodology of plotting, processing and interpretation of structural geology data for the purpose of stability analysis of rock slopes and underground excavations.

Course Content

The course consists of 10 short sessions averaging about 30 minutes duration each, supported by numerous interactive figures and exercises, plus three interactive reviews that confirm the viewer's achievement of learning outcomes. The total duration of the course is approximately five hours.

Please note that some of the examples in this course require the Adobe Flash Player plugin, and the Adobe Shockwave Player plugin.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify and record strike and dip using the Right Hand Rule. 
2. Differentiate between polar and equatorial projections.
3. Plot poles and planes representing geological structures on stereonets.
4. Plot strike, dip and dip direction of rock slopes on stereonets.
5. Identify and analyse three types of rock slope failures in an open pit.

Duration: 5 Hours

Category: Geotechnics

Level: Advanced