GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

66006

Academic Year of enrolment:

2020

Year of supply:

2022/2023

Type of Course:

Characterising

Degree:

Course of 1st Cycle Degree in GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Disciplinary Sector:

Structural Geology

Language:

Italian

Location:

CHIETI

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

BROZZETTI Francesco

Cycle:

Second semester

Hours of classroom activity:

120

Individual study hours:

180

Prerequisites:

Having attended the courses 1) Fundamentals of Geology and, 2) Geology and Fieldwork.
Recommended: Having attended the courses of Sedimentary Geology, Paleontology, Geomorphology

Objectives

Acquisition of field techniques which, in the stratigraphic framework of the central-northern Apennines, make the student able to elaborate an
individual geological survey project, variously aimed, starting from the collection of georeferenced lithological, stratigraphic, and structural data, to reach their cartographic synthesis

Contents

The development of the course takes place according to two parallel but interconnected didactic lines. The first, organized in lectures and
exercises, has the aim to explane how a Geological Survey is organized, the stratimetric techniques and the fundamental paleontological,
stratigraphic, sedimentological and tectonic notions of practical use in the field; the second mainly concerns the filedwork and leads the student to
familiarize with the lithotypes (mainly of the Apennines area), the main stratigraphic units and the structures (sedimentary and tectonic) in the
field and to carry out accurate outcrop description and mapping projects on 1: 10,000 scale.

Extended Syllabus

1. - INTRODUCTION TO FIELD MAPPING
Aims and scopes of the field mapping: practical-economic and research
purposes, basic geological mapping. The Survey of the Carta Geologica
d’Italia and the CARG Program.
2. - RECALL OF BASIC GEOLOGICAL l.s. NOTIONS
Expeditious criteria of rock classification for the most common
lithotypes.
The main types of stratigraphic Units and their rank. The concept of UBSU
and their field of application.
Analysis of the main sedimentary (in carbonatic and terrigenous rocks)
and tectonic structures (meso-and Macro-schopic).
Recognition of the widespread and useful Mesozoic-tertiary micro-and
macro-fossils of frequent use in the field practice in the Tethyan Apenninic domain
3. - The preparatory phases of a geological mapping project
collection of the previous surface and subsurface data (from literature,
technical reports, etc.); bibliographic research, organization of the
field book.Elaboration of the "preliminary Legend" of the stratigraphic
units.
Analysis of the various types of cartographic bases and criteria to choose
the more suitable one for the project.
Preliminary photo-geological analysis of the study area.
4. - FIELD TECHNIQUES
4.1. - Fundamentals
Expeditious methodologies of orientation and topographic positioning
of the outcrops using the geological compass; hints at the use of GPS
and GPS-aided digital mapping systems.
The Geological Compass as a tool for the structural geological survey:
measurement of linear and planar structures (bedding, cross-bedding,
fault planes and associated kinematic indicators, cleavages, joints, hinges
and axial planes of folds etc.).
The survey, analysis, and mapping of outcrops and different types of
boundaries within the rock volumes; their description and cartographic
representation. Mapping outcrops from a panoramic view
Way-up criteria in different sedimentary rock types and folded and
cleaved slates and argillites. Collection of data on tractive structures;
determination of paleocurrents, statistical elaboration of data, and
cartographic representation.
Drawing the Field Map and progressive updating of the legend.
Methods aimed at the expeditious study of stratigraphic succession: sections
measurement and logging; a collection of samples for biostratigraphic and
petrographic purposes.
Drawing the scheme of stratigraphic relationships between the surveyed
units
4.2. - Mapping Techniques in the different geological contexts
Mapping criteria for carbonate platform and margin, slope, pelagic basin,
turbiditic systems and siliciclastic shelf.
Stratigraphy of type-successions of central Apennines (Umbria-Marche and
Latium-Abruzzo domain) in the light of the recent CARG projects.
Basic criteria for the geological mapping and structural analysis in highly
deformed areas (Fold and Thrust belts and metamorphic areas).
Representation of structural dataset through stereo plots.
5. - TECHNIQUES OF DATA INTERPOLATION AND STRATIGRAPHIC
BOUNDARY RECONSTRUCTION
5.1.Stratimetric and geometric methods for tracing geological boundaries
(stratigraphic and tectonic); structure contours and slope triangle;
determining the attitude of a planar surface from the elevation of three
not aligned points; determining the attitude of a planar surface from two
apparent dip; assessment of a bed-depth knowing its attitude;
evaluating the attitude of a stratigraphic boundary based on its
surface trace
5.2. - Stereonet reconstructions useful for geological Survey Representation and determination of attitudes using the stereonet; rotation of linear and planar features. Apparent and real attitudes; simple cases of palinspastic restorations to determine the attitudes of paleocurrents and syn- sedimentary faults before tectonic tilting.
5.3. Synthesis of data
Interpretation and synthesis of field data to draw the final geological
map, geological sections, stratigraphic columns, and other tables.
Integration of field data with subsurface data and laboratory analysis;
Elaboration of the final release of the Legend

Recommended Bibliography

Coe A. - Geological Field Techniques - Wiley-Blackwell
Bolton T. Geological Maps- Their solution and interpretation
Tucker M. E. - The Field description of Sedimentary Rocks. Geol. Soc.
London (Handbook series) M.H. de Freitas Ed.
McClay K. - The Mapping of Geological Structures. Geological Society of
London handbook series. Wiley & Sons
Carta geologica d’Italia, Fogli in scala 1: 50.000 359-L’Aquila, 360-Torre
de Passeri, 368-Avezzano, 369-Sulmona – Note illustrative, Ist. Poligr. E
Zecca dello Stato, Roma

Recommended
Bosellini A.: introduzione allo studio delle rocce carbonatiche, Italo
Bovolenta Editore, Ferrara; 1991.
Bosellini A., Mutti E. & Ricci Lucchi F.: Rocce e successioni sedimentarie,
UTET, Torino 1989.
Sartorio D. & Venturini S.: Southern Tethys biofacies. AGIP Ed. Arti
grafiche A. Pizzi, Cinisello Balsamo (Milano).

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

In addition to about 60 hours of frontal teaching (dealing with the fieldwork methods, the stratigraphy of the Apennine area, and exercises
on graphic methodologies), the course includes guided and group activities in the field (5 daily excursions + 5 days of final didactic field).
The course ends with individual fieldwork aimed at surveying an area whose location and extension must be agreed upon with the teacher.
The map surveyed by the student, the accompanying elaborations (Legend, geological sections, stratigraphic schemes), and the final report
are aimed at taking the oral exam.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

1) Graphic test on stratimetric subjects, use of stereonets and/or map interpretation
2) Oral exam with critical discussion of the map produced during the individual survey, followed by assessment of learning of the basic notions given during the course

Contacts/More Information

During the development of the course, the teacher will provide lecture notes in .ppt format and further bibliographical information for in-depth study of specific topics

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree