Disciplines

Structural Geology

Branch of Geology

Citation Formats

General Reference

Earth and Environment Atlas. "Structural Geology." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://earth.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/structural-geology.

APA Style

Earth and Environment Atlas. (n.d.). Structural Geology. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://earth.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/structural-geology

BibTeX

@misc{earthandenvironmentatlas-structural-geology,
  author = {Earth and Environment Atlas},
  title = {Structural Geology},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://earth.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/structural-geology},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

The study of the three dimensional distribution of rock units in relation to their deformational histories. It uses measurements of present-day rock geometries to reconstruct the history of strain in rocks, and from that to infer the stress fields that produced the observed geometries, underpinning understanding of how regions of crust evolved structurally over time.

Facts

Central Question

Structural geology is a subject of geology specializing in the study of the three-dimensional distribution of rock units and their deformational histories, in order to understand the stress and strain fields that shaped them. 1

Scope

Structural geology studies the geometry, distribution and origin of rock deformation, including folds, faults and fractures produced by tectonic stress. 1

Significance

Structural geology maps the faults responsible for earthquake hazard and the folded, fractured rock that traps oil, gas and ore. 1

Cross-Tradition Connections