Author(s)

Shamim Akhtar^1*, Yasin Rahim^2,3, Bin Hu², Hinyuen Tsang⁴, Khawaja Muhammad Ibrar³, Muhammad Fahad Ullah¹, Saleh Ibrahim Bute⁴

¹Department of Earth Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
²Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
³Institute of Geology, University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan.
⁴CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.

Pre-Cambrian to Paleocene age sedimentary rocks predominantly characterize the fold and thrust belt of eastern Hazara division. The Hazara Slate Formation is the oldest rock unit which represents the Precambrian sequence. The Permian and Triassic sequences are missing. The Jurassic sequence comprises Samana Suk Formation whereas the Cretaceous exposed is Chichali and Lumshiwal formations. The Eocene sequence consists of Nammal and Sakessar formations. The structural fabric of the area is mainly attributed to a series of northwest trending parallel to en echelon anticlines and synclines. Most of these folds are found to be asymmetric and are Northwest facing. Several thrust faults verging both to the north have been mapped that generally dissect the forelimbs of the anticlinal structures. But the following study going to be focus on surface structural features as well as subsurface projections of folds and faults. Study of such structural features has get prime importance in economic geology such as petroleum geology, mining geology and engineering geology. In our study area subsurface projection of folds and faults along the structural transects of the area suggests that these structures have formed as a result of shortening associated with ramping from a regional basal decollement. All the structures clearly demonstrate that the eastern Hazara area has been subjected to compressional deformation/stresses oriented northeast southwest. The repetition of rock units indicates, folding in the area and thrusting of Pre-Cambrian Hazara Formation over younger Paleocene Lockhart Formation, evidence of thrust fault. There are unconformable contacts between Hazara and Samana Suk, Chichali and Lumshiwal, Kawagarh and Hangu and Lockhart formations indicate fluctuation in the environment of deposition. The Bagnotar Fault, Dhamtaur syncline and Thai anticline are the major structural features identified and reported in the study area.

Thrust Faults, Anticlines, Synclines, Compressional Deformation

Akhtar, S. , Rahim, Y. , Hu, B. , Tsang, H. , Ibrar, K. , Ullah, M. and Bute, S. (2019) Stratigraphy and Structure of Dhamtaur Area, District Abbottabad, Eastern Hazara, Pakistan. Open Journal of Geology, 9, 57-66. doi: 10.4236/ojg.2019.91005.