Initial Publication Date: July 1, 2004
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Applications of structural geology to other disciplines

Mineral exploration, exploitation

What tectonic/structural environments are structurally favorable for mineral deposit formation?
What types of dilatant openings can form to host ore?
How can we recognize ore deposits that have been disrupted by deformation?
How do structures control the distribution of alteration assemblages locally and regionally?
How to characterize the strength and failure potential of mined slopes and openings?

What tectonic/structural environments are structurally favorable for hydrocarbon deposit formation?
What structural traps are possible in petroleum systems?
How can 4-way closure be determined in the subsurface?
How can subsurface structure be inferred from surface structure?
How can we predict the occurrence and structural character of fractured reservoirs?
How do the presence and geometry of various structures (fractures, stylolites, etc.) affect hydrocarbon (fluid) production?
How does rock fabric effect drilling efficiency?

How can we determine and characterize the effect of fractures on fluid flow in the subsurface?
How can we determine and characterize the effect of fractures and anisotropy on rock strength?
What structural studies are important in characterizing nuclear and other waste sites, and construction sites?
How do structures control the dispersion of chemicals in the surface and subsurface environment?
How do structures control the occurrence and distribution of water resources?

What are tectonic/structural controls on volcanic and seismic hazards?
What structural data are important in hazard assessment?
How can we predict the effects of structure on slope stability?
What are the effects of structure (and related fluid pressure) on the occurrence of induced seismicity and slope failure?

How can we assess the effects of climate on structure (such as the growth of mountain belts and strain rates of fault slip)?
How can we assess the effects of structure on climate (such as orographic effects)?

What are the effects of structure on paleo-societies, and on the distribution and character of archeological sites?

What can we learn about the structure of terrestrial and icy planets and applications to the study of Earth history?

How does structure control the architecture and stratigraphic nature of growth packages (fault and/or fold growth structure)?
How can structure affect the distribution of sedimentary facies, such as string sands which may form in structurally-controlled bathymetric lows?
What rheological and kinematic characteristics can be inferred from study of soft-sediment structures (folds, faults, cleavages, etc.)?

How can focal mechanism studies be used to infer plate motions and interactions?
What is the relation of faults and folds to uplift and denudation, and the development of tectonic geomorphology

How can we use studies of ice deformation to infer the rheological behavior of rocks undergoing deformation
How does bedrock structure affect the development of glaciers and ice sheets?