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Reverse fault identification and geology

A dip-slip fault in which the hanging wall has moved upward relative to the footwall, driven by compressional tectonic stress. Reverse faults accommodate crustal shortening and thickening. When the fault plane dips at less than 45°, the structure is specifically called a thrust fault. Reverse and thrust faults are characteristic of convergent plate boundaries and mountain-building events. Field: structural geology. Example: The McConnell Thrust in the Canadian Rocky Mountains is a major low-angle reverse fault that transported Cambrian limestone over Cretaceous sandstone, placing approximately 500-million-year-old rock on top of 100-million-year-old rock.. Related terms: Normal fault, Thrust fault, Compression, Hanging wall.

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
2026-03-30T15:19:42.055955+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 Reverse fault mean in geology?
A dip-slip fault in which the hanging wall has moved upward relative to the footwall, driven by compressional tectonic stress. Reverse faults accommodate crustal shortening and thickening. When the fault plane dips at less than 45°, the structure is specifically called a thrust fault. Reverse and thrust faults are characteristic of convergent plate boundaries and mountain-building events.
What is an example of Reverse fault?
The McConnell Thrust in the Canadian Rocky Mountains is a major low-angle reverse fault that transported Cambrian limestone over Cretaceous sandstone, placing approximately 500-million-year-old rock on top of 100-million-year-old rock.
Which earth-science field uses the term Reverse fault?
Reverse fault is used in structural geology.
Which terms are related to Reverse fault?
Related terms in this reference are Normal fault, Thrust fault, Compression, Hanging wall.

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