This course aims at developing a general knowledge of the geometrical structure and mechanics of mountainous regions formed by the horizontal contraction of un-metamorphosed sediments, above major flatthrusts, and known as fold-and-thrust belts, and accretionary prisms. These aerial or marine regions form the majority of terrestrial reliefs and are the locus of complex interactions between very large tectonic deformation, surface transport, and pore fluids. The course will focus on the mechanical analysis and numerical and physical modelling of the growth of these belts, with practical demonstrations of the growth of small (classroom) scale mountain belts.
Contents:
I. Kinematics of folding and thrusting : Geological introduction with examples from several natural belts
(among which Western Foothills of Taiwan, and Nankai accretionary prism (Japan), and Pyrénées
(France)) with illustrations of erosion and sedimentation records.
II. Mechanics of thrust belts: Review of the critical prism theory, introduction to the limit analysis and
application to thrusting sequences.
III. Physical modelling of thrust belts : Review of analogue modelling theory, techniques and results.
Practical application to a typical thrusting sequence in an experimental box using dry sand.
Pr. Bertrand Maillot,
Dépt. Géosciences et Environnement, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, France.
