The north-western part of Kamnik Alps was originally interpreted as a thrust sheet, but subsequent research in the wider area of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps did not confirm the existence of this thrust in the previously assumed extent.
In this area, good exposure enables the use of remote sensing methods in structural studies. I used photogrammetric reconstruction to build a textured 3D model of the ground surface from aerial photographs. The model served as a base for structural interpretation, which was then improved with field data. Both remote sensing and field data were used to build a 3D structural model of the area.
My work confirmed the existence of a detachment surface on the western slopes of Mt. Kočna, which dips about 8° towards east, but no direct evidence for thrusting was found. Alternatively, this detachment could represent a low-angle normal fault, perhaps a lower section of a listric normal fault. It was named the Kočna Detachment Surface (KDS).
In the hanging wall of the KDS, an Upper-Triassic stratigraphic sequence was mapped. Special attention was given to tracing the Martuljek limestone horizont, which represents a good marker for determination of fault displacements. The Martuljek horizont is successively lowered towards NW along normal faults, which most likely displace the KDS as well, which explains why the KDS does not outcrop in the eastern parts of the area.
In the area, 4 to 5 tectonic phases were determined in this study: F1) NW-SE extension along normal faults originally dipping NE and SW. Slip on KDS also belongs to this phase, if assuming normal displacement. F2) W-E extension along normal faults originally dipping N and S; ?F3) Thrusting along the KDS (if assuming reverse displacement on KDS); F4) Transpressive tilting, and F5) NW-SE compression with NE-SW extension in strike-slip tectonic regime. In this phase, normal faults dipping towards NE, strike-slip faults in SW-NE direction and reverse faults in W-E direction were activated.
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