ASBOG Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Normal faults are a type of fault characterized by the vertical movement of rock layers as a result of extensional stress. In geological terms, the dip angle of a normal fault typically falls within the range of 30 degrees to 60 degrees. This angle represents the orientation of the fault plane, which allows the hanging wall to move down relative to the footwall.

The 30 to 60-degree range is significant because it reflects the typical conditions under which normal faults develop, particularly in tectonic settings where crustal extension occurs, such as at divergent plate boundaries or continental rift zones.

Faults with dips less than 30 degrees are generally considered to be low-angle faults or detachment faults, which exhibit different mechanical behaviors. On the other hand, dips greater than 60 degrees might be associated with high-angle normal faults or other fault types, where the mechanisms and stress states differ from those typical of normal faults.

Understanding the behavior and formation of normal faults within this specific dip angle range is crucial for geologists when analyzing tectonic activity and assessing geohazards in various regions.