Sedimentology

School  Natural Sciences
Academic Unit
 Geology Department
Level of Studies
 Undergraduate
Course Code
 GEO_408
Εξάμηνο σπουδών  4ο
Course Title
 Sedimentology
Independent Teaching Activities
 Lectures, Laboratory Work, Fieldwork
Weekly Teaching Hours
 2(L), 2(LW)
Credits  5
Course Type
 Special background, Skills development
Prerequisite Courses
 No
Language of Instruction & Examinations
Greek. Teaching
Is the Course offered to Erasmus Students
 No
Course Web-Page (URL)  https://eclass.upatras.gr/courses/GEO337/
Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course , the students will be able to:

  • Define, explain and summarize the basic sedimentary processes and depositional environments
  • Understand the formation processes and the main types of sediments and sedimentary rocks.
  • Describe and analyze the main sedimentary structures as well as grain size and particle morphology of clastic sedimentary rocks  
General Competences
 Search for, analysis and synthesis of data and information with the use of the necessary technology, working independently 
Syllabus

Theory

  • Introduction to Sedimentology and stratigraphy
  • Clastic and Non- Clastic (chemical and biochemical sedimentation) sedimentary rocks, sandstone, claystone siltstone, conglomarates – Carbonates, evaporites etc  
  • Processes of transport and sedimentary structures
  • Sedimentary depositional environments (alluvial fans, river, deltas ,lakes and lagoons, marine)
  • Sedimentary facies and depositional environments analysis
  • Borehole stratigraphy and sedimentology

Laboratory

  • Grain size distribution and statistical parameters, ternary diagrams
  • Palaeocurrents indices and their interpretation (rose diagrams)
  • Roundness, spherisity and shape characteristics of grains
  • Borehole sedimentology – Log profile (SedLog software)
  • Data analysis and Statistical analysis
  • Packing proximity
  • Facies correlation (fence diagrams, facies maps etc)
Delivery
  • In classroom and in laboratory (face-to-face) and in the field, as well as preparation of field work reports
  • Laboratory groups of 30-35 students
Use of Information & Communication Technology
  • Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (power point) in teaching
  • Support of Learning Process and Dissemination of educational material through the University of Patras e_class  platform
Teaching Methods
 
Activity Semester workload
Lectures (2 conduct hours per week x 13 weeks) 13*2=26 
Laboratory work (2 conduct hours per week x 13 weeks)  13*2=26
Interpretation and writing of the exercises  13*2=26
Project preparation 5*7= 35
Seminar 3*4= 12
Fieldwork 16
 Total number of hours for the Course  141
 Student Performance Evaluation

Final Exam, written, of increasing difficulty, which may include Multiple choice test, Questions of brief answer, Questions to develop a topic, Judgment questions and Exercise solving.

Students are obliged to attend all scheduled laboratory classes and to deliver all the laboratory exercises, during the semester in order to be able to participate to the final exams.

Marking Scale: 0-10.

Minimum Passing Mark: 5.

Students are obliged to attend all laboratory class and to deliver the results of all exercises.

Maximum number of non delivered laboratory exercises: 2  
Attached Bibliography

Suggested bibliography mainly in Greek:

  1. Σημειώσεις Μαθήματος Θεωρίας και Εργαστηρίου που παρέχονται σε pdf μέσω e-class.
  2. Ιζηματολογία, Ψιλοβίκος Εκδόσεις Τζιόλα 358 σελ, Παρέχεται μέσω ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ
  3. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, G. Nichols, 355 σελ. Blackwell publ.

- Related academic journals:

  • Sedimentology
  • Basin Research
  • Quaternary International