JOINT MAPPING AND DATABASE AT THE KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

This poster describes the creation of new county joint maps and a database in Kentucky, made from new field mapping of joints combined with previously published joint orientations and fault locations. This joint data serves as a critical data source for hydrological, landslide remediation, or geotechnical applications. New joint orientations were measured using a Brunton compass at bedrock exposures along highways, streams and rivers, and at natural rock openings (natural arches and bridges). Newly collected joint data was entered into the Esri ArcGIS Field Maps app. The newly collected joint data were combined with joint and fault data from existing 1:24,000-scale USGS geologic quadrangle maps in Kentucky published between 1962 to 1977 and subsequently digitized from 1996 to 2006. Field notes for the U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle maps were not available during the digitization process. Joint orientations were calculated by a DOS-based ArcInfo script written to determine the azimuth orientation when digitizing the “strike” of the joint symbol on the original geologic map. Joint maps are being created at 1:125,000-scale for Hardin and Warren (in progress) counties. These joint maps will be published as Map and Chart Series at the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) and will be available on the KGS website as a pdf document.

The KGS joint database includes joints measured by this author, along with compiled joints and faults mapped by USGS during the geologic mapping of the state and includes a location table and a related measurement table. Location attributes include county, quadrangle, xy coordinates, and location confidence (certain or questionable). Measurement attributes include data source, description (vertical or dipping), map symbol, map unit, lithology, quadrangle and azimuth orientations, dip amount and directions, and orientation confidence (certain or questionable). Other attributes (when applicable) include joint length, spacing, planarity, surface roughness, termination, aperture, hydrology, and mineralization. These joint orientations and attributes can be viewed online on the Kentucky Geological Survey map service (https://kgs.uky.edu/kygeode/geomap/).