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I teach "Structural Geology" every spring and the information below is just meant to give a general course overview. This is not an up-to-date syllabus for any particular semester. All current information for the semester can be found on eCollege at:

www.tcuglobal.edu

Instructor: Dr. Helge Alsleben
Office: SWR 219
Phone: (817) 257-5545 (TCU office)
Email: click here
eCollege: http://www.tcuglobal.edu/

Text
Required text for lecture: The required text may be purchased at the TCU bookstore.
Van der Pluijm, B. A., and Marshak, S., 2004, Earth Structure - An introduction to structural geology and tectonics: New York, N.Y., W.W. Norton & Company, 656 p.

Course Description Geol 30423 Structural Geology
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Three hours of lecture and three hours of lab period per week. An introductory study of deformation of Earth's crust. Field trips, project and presentation required.

Course Objectives

• Develop a general understanding of deformation of Earth’s crust
• Understand rock deformation on various scales and how deformation operates according to a complex interplay of time, environment, and material.
• Be able to:
  1. communicate in terms of geometry, kinematics, strain, and stress
  2. predict expected outcomes of materials deformed in various contexts and conditions
  3. critically observe deformed rocks in natural settings

Teaching Philosophy & Instructor’s Responsibilities

• I love sharing my enthusiasm for geology, while trying to maintain a comfortable learning environment.
• Understanding how the dynamic Earth works and changes are complicated subject matters, which are best conveyed in a series of lecture presentations that form the basis of this class.
• I encourage students to challenge my statements and ask questions when clarification is needed and think that these interactions make the classroom experience more fun and more satisfying.
• Reading the assigned textbook and putting the obtained knowledge to work in ‘hands-on’ lab sessions are fundamental for a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
• Students can expect me to be punctual, prepared, and consistent in my assessment of their performance.

Course Policies

Disability Services at TCU
Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. No otherwise qualified individual shall be denied access to or participation in the services, programs and activities of TCU solely on the basis of a disability. The University shall provide reasonable accommodations for each eligible student who (a) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, (b) has a record or history of such an impairment, or (c) is regarded as having such an impairment.
Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services located in Sadler Hall 11. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations. Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at (817) 257-7486.

Academic Misconduct (Sec. 3.4 from the Student Handbook)
Any act that violates the academic integrity of the institution is considered academic misconduct. The procedures used to resolve suspected acts of academic misconduct are available in the offices of Academic Deans and the Office of Campus Life. Specific examples include, but are not limited to:

Cheating: (1) Copying from another student’s test paper, laboratory report, other report, or computer files and listings; (2) Using, during any academic exercise, material and/or devices not authorized by the person in charge of the test; (3) Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test or laboratory without permission; (4) Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety or in part, the contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release; (5) Substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for oneself.

Plagiarism: The appropriation, theft, purchase or obtaining by any means another’s work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one’s own offered for credit. Appropriation includes the quoting or paraphrasing of another’s work without giving credit therefore.

Collusion: The unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing work offered for credit.
Should any academic misconduct be detected, the action to be taken is at the discretion of the instructor. If you are caught cheating on an exam in Geology 30423 (lecture or lab), at the very least, you will be given a zero on that exam.

Cell Phones
Cellular phones of all types should be turned off and you should never use your phone during class, laboratory, and field trip activities. Any use of cellular phones or other electronic device during any testing is considered a form of cheating. Cellular phones must remain turned off and put away during class times. Violations of this rule can result in your removal from the classroom. In general please be considerate of your colleagues and their learning environment.

TCU Campus Resources for Students
Many resources exist on the TCU campus that may be helpful to students: Mary Couts Burnet Library (257-7117); Center for Academic Services (257-7486, Sadler Hall. 11); the William L. Adams Writing Center (257-7221, Rickel Bldg. 244); Student Development Services (257-7855, Student Center Rm. 220); and University Ministries (257-7830, Student Center Rm. 111).

Email Notification
Only the official TCU student e-mail address will be used for all course notification. It is your responsibility to check your TCU e-mail on a regular basis.

Course Requirements

Grading
Lecture                                                                                                       45%
   [2 Lecture Exams (12.5% each)                         25%]
   [Lecture Final Exam (Comprehensive)                20%]
Lab                                                                                                            40%
   [Pre-labs/homework                                            5%]
   [Labs assignments                                             15%]
   [2 Lab Exams (10% each)                                 20%]
Other                                                                                                          15%
   [Term paper or Poster                                       10%]
   [Field Trips & Reports                                         5%]                                    
Total                                                                                                     100%

• No extra credit is given.
• Your class grade is based on your performance, NOT simply on effort and does not reflect what I think of you as an individual.
• If you are performing below your own expectations, come and see me.
• Your final grade will be based on the results of the above grade breakdown.
• Letter grades are assigned only at the end of the course approximately as follows:

Exams

• Exams will contain a variety of sketching, calculations, short answer, and/or short essay questions.
• For every exam I will provide the grade distribution. This will give you some idea of your performance compared to the rest of the class.
• There are no make-up exams, unless you missed an exam and have a valid, verifiable excuse.
• Students who have university excuses to miss labs or exams must notify me at least one week in advance of the absence.
• Make-up exams will be different from the exam that was given and may have an essay or oral format.

Class Attendance, Participation, and Behavior

• Attendance will be taken and in small classes like these absences are particularly obvious.
• You are strongly encouraged to ask questions during class by raising your hand or ask immediately after class. You can also obtain help from me or the graduate assistant (Sarah Madsen) outside of class.
• I will assume that you have done the proper reading assignment prior to each lecture and that you are acquainted with the basic terminology and concepts.
• Tardiness and disruption of the class are not appreciated. I expect you to refrain from sleeping, eating, drinking, reading newspapers (etc.) or talking with other students during lectures as this is extremely inconsiderate.

Dropping
By University policy you have up to six (6) weeks to drop a class. After that time you must consult a Dean about dropping a class.
Check the academic calendar for other important dates including those regarding dropping a course.

• Your lab grade (exercises, exams, etc.) is 40% of your total course grade
• I will have pre-labs/homework assignments the week before we actually complete a lab exercise.
• Pre-labs/homework constitute 5% of your total grade
• You will have to complete and hand-in these assignments at the beginning of lab.
• You should be familiar with the pre-lab material at the beginning of lab.

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory for all labs.

Laboratory Assignments

• Laboratory assignments are mostly designed independently of lecture topics.
• I will give an introduction or instructions at the beginning of the lab period. Be on time!
• Lab assignments count 15% towards your total course grade.
• Grading will be based on accuracy, neatness, and organization of your work.
• All lab assignments are due at the beginning of the next lab.
• I will accept late labs, but for reduced grades using the following rules:
• The score of assignments submitted up to one day past the specified due date and time will be decreased 25%, and 50% for two days past due.
• Work submitted after 2 days past due will receive a zero grade, but I will ‘correct’ the assignment if requested.

Lab Make-up Policy
You will not be allowed to make-up missed labs! You are eligible to make up labs only if you are covered by a University notice or have another valid excuse. Lab make-ups must be arranged with me at least a week in advance. You can only make up labs prior to the next lab exam.

Lab Exams

• Two lab exams (see Lab Schedule) will be given during the semester.
• Exams will test your knowledge of material covered in the lab.
• Each Exam will count 10% towards your final course grade.

Cheating

• Cheating is any attempt to represent someone else’s work as your own and is a serious offense (see syllabus above).
• You are free and even encouraged to discuss ideas with other people in the lab but the answers that you write down must be in your own words and reflect your own work. This will be strongly enforced.
• If I find that your work duplicates another student's work, the action to be taken is at my discretion.

Equipment
Always bring pens, pencils (including a few colored pencils), eraser, basic scientific calculator, tracing and graph (metric if possible) paper, protractor and ruler to lab.

General

• This course requires participation in two field trips because observing relationships in the field is an essential part of learning geology. I will provide more details on the trips in the next few weeks.
• These trips provide both a “hands on” experience with geologic structures necessary to reinforce the understanding and retention of difficult classroom topics, and an opportunity to learn fundamental methods of structural analysis, including field sketches, technical note taking, and data collection and interpretation.
• Transportation will be provided in University vehicles.

Attendance: Participation in the field trips is required

Field trip #1 (Day trip)
Location: Arbuckle Mountains, OK

Field trip #2 (Weekend trip)
Location: Slick Hills, OK

Report
You will receive short field trip handouts that will give an overview of the trip. I expect you to take notes, make sketches when appropriate, and collect data, which should be plotted on a map in the field. After the field trip, I will collect both your notes and maps and will grade them based on accuracy. Field trips will count 5% towards your final course grade. I’ll give more details once we approach the trips.

Suggested Field Trip Supplies

• Camping Gear (Tent, tarp, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow)
• Bring your own cup, plate, silverware
• Water bottles
• Field clothes: neat, comfortable, synthetics are good
• Cold weather clothes / Rain Gear
• Boots or shoes with sturdy soles (make sure they are well broken-in)
• Hat (you may want one with a wide brim) & sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Field backpack & notebook (hardbound), pens, pencils, ruler, protractor
• Hammer; Hand lens (10 power); Pocket knife

You are required to prepare a term paper or poster. The topic is a major geologic structure (e.g., San Andreas Fault, CA) or process (e.g., folding) of your choice. Guidelines will be given early in the semester.

Lecture and Lab Schedule - Geology 30423
Structural Geology

Lecture Schedule

Week 1: Primary and non-tectonic structures (Chapter 2)
Week 2: Brittle Structures: Fractures, joints, & veins (Chapter 6 & 7)
Week 3 & 4 : Brittle Structures: Faults (Chapter 8)
Week 5: Ductile Structures: Folds (Chapter 10)
Week 6: Ductile Structures: Foliations & Lineations (Chapter 11)
Week 7: Ductile structures: Shear zones and Kinematic indicators (Chapter 12)
Week 8: Kinematic analyses: Translation & rotation (incl. fold models) (Chapters 1 & 10)
Week 9: SPRING BREAK
Week 10 & 11: Kinematic analyses: Strain (Chapter 4)
Week 12 & 13: Mechanical analyses: Stress (Chapter 3)
Week 14 & 15: Mechanical analyses: Fracturing/Faulting and stress (Chapter 6 & 8)
Week 16: Rheology (Chapter 5)

Tentative Lab Schedule

Lab 1: Attitudes of lines and planes
Lab 2: Geologic compass & Measuring and plotting lines and planes
Lab 3: Outcrop patterns & Structure contours
Lab 4: Interpreting geologic maps and sections
Lab 5: Basic stereonets
Lab 6: Advanced stereonets
Lab 7: Faults and faulted rocks
Lab 8: Folds and folded rocks
Lab 9: Foliated & lineated rocks
Lab 10: Strain, ductile rocks and kinematic indicators
Lab 11: Stress and fracture analyses (Use of Mohr circle)
Lab 12: Finish Field trip map

Final Exam
It is not possible to take the final exam earlier. However, no student is required to take more than two final exams within twenty-four (24) hours. It is the student's choice as to which exam is changed and the new time must be mutually agreeable to the student and the professor and must fall within the final exam period. Arrangements must be made prior to the beginning of the last week of regular class sessions before final examinations begin.

Additional References

Structural Geology textbooks
Davis, G. H., and Reynolds, S. J., 1996, Structural geology of rocks and regions: John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, United States, 776 p.
Hobbs, B.E., Means, W.D., and Williams, P.F., 1976, An outline of structural geology: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y., United States.
Means, W. D., 1976, Stress and strain; basic concepts of continuum mechanics for geologists: Springer-Verlag, New York, N.Y., United States.
Park, R.G., 1988, Geological structures and moving plates: Blackie, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Pollard, D. D., and Fletcher, R. C., 2005, Fundamentals of Structural Geology: Cambridge University Press, New York, N.Y., 512 p.
Ramsay, J.G., 1967, Folding and fracturing of rocks: McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, N.Y., United States.
Ramsay, J. G., and Huber, M. I., 1983, The techniques of modern structural geology; Volume 1: Strain analysis: Academic Press, London, United Kingdom.
Ramsay, J.G., and Huber, M.I., 1987, The techniques of modern structural geology; Volume 2; Folds and fractures: Academic Press, London, United Kingdom.
Ramsay, J.G., and Lisle, R., 2000, The techniques of modern structural geology; Volume 3, Applications of continuum mechanics in structural geology: Academic Press, London, United Kingdom.
Suppe, J., 1985, Principles of Structural Geology: Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, United States.
Twiss, R.J., and Moores, E.M., 2006, Structural geology: W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, NY, United States.
Van der Pluijm, B.A., and Marshak, S., 2003, Earth Structure: An Introduction to Structural Geology and Tectonics, 2nd Edition: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, NY, United States.

Lab Manuals
Marshak, S. and Mitra, G., 1988, Basic Methods of Structural Geology: Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, United States.
Rowland, S. M., Duebendorfer, E. M., and Schiefelbein, I. M., 2007, Structural analysis and synthesis; a laboratory course in structural geology: Blackwell Scientific Publications, Malden, MA, United States.

Other helpful books
Compton, R.R., 1985, Geology in the Field: John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY, United States.
Moores, E.M. and Twiss, R.J., 1995, Tectonics: W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, NY, United States.

Journals
Journal of Structural Geology (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01918141)

Databases/Library resources
Georef (http://lib.tcu.edu/resguides/resguide.asp?ID=37)