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Joint identification and geology

A fracture in rock along which there has been no measurable displacement, distinguishing it from a fault. Joints form in response to stress tectonic, thermal contraction, unloading and are typically planar, occurring in systematic sets with regular spacing and orientation. Joint sets control groundwater flow, weathering patterns, slope stability, and the orientation of quarried stone blocks. Field: structural geology. Example: Systematic joint sets in the sandstones of Arches National Park, Utah, controlled the formation of the natural arches by focusing weathering and erosion along parallel fracture planes.. Related terms: Fault, Fracture, Columnar jointing, Sheeting joint.

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.027557+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Joint mean in geology?
A fracture in rock along which there has been no measurable displacement, distinguishing it from a fault. Joints form in response to stress tectonic, thermal contraction, unloading and are typically planar, occurring in systematic sets with regular spacing and orientation. Joint sets control groundwater flow, weathering patterns, slope stability, and the orientation of quarried stone blocks.
What is an example of Joint?
Systematic joint sets in the sandstones of Arches National Park, Utah, controlled the formation of the natural arches by focusing weathering and erosion along parallel fracture planes.
Which earth-science field uses the term Joint?
Joint is used in structural geology.
Which terms are related to Joint?
Related terms in this reference are Fault, Fracture, Columnar jointing, Sheeting joint.

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