fault system

[/fɔːlt ˈsɪstəm/]
nounpl: fault systems
sistema de falhas
1. A network or group of interconnected geological faults in the Earth's crust that often share similar orientations and may have been formed by the same tectonic stresses
The San Andreas fault system is one of the most well-studied seismic features in the world.
O sistema de falhas de San Andreas é um dos features sísmicos mais bem estudados do mundo.
2. A complex arrangement of fractures in rock where significant displacement has occurred, typically along multiple planes
Geologists discovered a major fault system running beneath the mountain range.
Os geólogos descobriram um importante sistema de falhas sob a cordilheira.
3. In engineering and computing, a systematic malfunction or breakdown affecting multiple interconnected components
The power plant experienced a fault system that caused widespread outages.
A usina de energia experimentou um sistema de falhas que causou apagões generalizados.
This is primarily technical terminology used in geology, seismology, and structural engineering. In Brazil, fault systems are significant for infrastructure planning, mining operations, and earthquake hazard assessment, particularly in regions near active seismic zones. The term is used identically in both American English and Brazilian Portuguese academic and professional contexts.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
fault networkfracture systemfault zoneshear system

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
sistema de falhas
Standard geological terminology used throughout Brazil
Portugal
sistema de falhas
Same terminology used in Portuguese geology and academia
Technical/Academic
sistema de descontinuidades
Alternative academic term emphasizing structural discontinuities

Related Words

tectonic plateseismic activityfault lineearthquakegeological fractureplate boundary

Related Idioms & Phrases

running along the fault lines of
stress along the fault system
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