Type of fault

A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock, where the blocks have moved relative to each other. The main types of faults are:

• Normal Fault: Occurs when the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall, typically due to tensional forces (pulling apart).
• Reverse Fault: Occurs when the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall, typically due to compressional forces (pushing together). A low-angle reverse fault is called a Thrust Fault.
• Strike-Slip Fault: Occurs when blocks of rock slide past each other horizontally, parallel to the strike of the fault, due to shearing forces. These can be right-lateral or left-lateral.