Preliminary results of structural profiling of the Kras edge and Istria (Kozina – Srmin Motorway, Sečovlje)

On the section Kozina-Srmin the new motorway Ljubljana-Koper is crossing the Kras edge, which in geologic terminology is refered to as the Kras thrust edge. In the widest sense it comprises the area between the edge of the Trieste-Komen plateau and the Savudrija ridge, creating the boundary between the Adriatic foreland and the External Dinarides. Detailed geologic mapping of the motorway section Kozina-Srmin slowed that the Kras thrust edge is not a monophase tectonic structure, but has been formed through several different deformation phases from the Eocene until today. Besides smaller ones these phases include responses of three significant events; the Dinaric nappe thrusting, displacements along the strice-slipe faults with NW-SE trending and underthrusting of the Istria toward the NE. The latter event destroyed the primary of the SW boundary of the External Dinarides between Southern Alps and the Velebit arc. 22-277-280.p65 17. 09. 02, 15:00 277 Black doi:10.5474/geologija.2002.021