Growth Fault Growth Fault: In geology, a growth fault is a strike-slip fault or dip-slip fault that moves contemporaneously with deposition. This causes the throw (amount of vertical displacement) to increase with depth and the strata to be thicker on the downthrown side as compared to the upthrown side.

Design Methane Pressure (Soil Formation Pressure) Design Methane Pressure or Soil Formation Pressure: As per the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) Methane Code, Ordinance Number 175790, Design Methane Pressure means the highest observed measurement of soil formation pressure during the methane testing process. In fact, a Design Methane Pressure measurement that is…

Body-Wave Magnitude Body-Wave Magnitude: A method for determining earthquake size from the amplitude of body waves. The body-wave magnitude focuses on P-waves and S-waves, which travel faster through the Earth’s crust and mantle.

Effective Stress (σ’) “Effective Stress” (σ’) is a geotechnical engineering term. Effective Stress is a function of “total stress,” and is due to the solid particles of soil. Effective stress represents an excess of stress above pore-water pressure (or neutral stress). Effective Stress Formula Effective Stress = Total Stress – Pore-Water Pressure.

Aphanitic Definition Aphanitic: In geology, the term aphanitic describes the texture of plutonic or volcanic igneous rocks, with grains that are not visible to the naked eye. In fact, an aphanitic texture is usually the result of faster cooling and solidification of liquid magma.

Topple Definition Topple – Slope movement due to forces that cause an overturning moment about a pivot point below the center of gravity of the unit.