Ductile and brittle deformation in Singapore: A record of Mesozoic orogeny and amalgamation in Sundaland, and of post-orogenic faulting

Abstract

Singapore bedrock geology is dominated by late Permian to Triassic arc magmatism and a genetically related, essentially Middle to Upper Triassic, marine to fluvial volcano-sedimentary inner forearc succession. These Mesozoic strata are deformed into a pattern of NE-translated ductile–brittle deformation structures during the latest Triassic to earliest Jurassic collision and amalgamation of the Sibumasu continental block with the southern part of the Sukhothai Arc. The subduction-related magmatic complex represented in Singapore by the granitic to gabbroic plutons of the Bukit Timah Centre likely acted as a backstop to thrusting at this time. Collisional tectonics drove progressive shortening and steepened earlier-formed inclined asymmetrical folds, culminating in the regional-scale development of a non-coaxial, NE-vergent and NE-facing, fold and thrust system. In Singapore, the Murai Thrust and Pasir Laba Thrust are identified as major elements of this system; both are associated with SW-dipping thrust-imbricate duplex slices. Two distinct early Cretaceous (Berriasian and Barremian) sedimentary successions overstep these collisional tectonic structures. An array of mostly NE–SW and ENE–WSW trending faults and fractures acts as an important control on bedrock unit distribution across Singapore and are most likely generated by Cenomanian dextral shear stress. That stress locally reactivated faults initiated during orogeny, or even earlier. Knowledge of the geotechnical impact of these structural features is critical to both future development and ongoing management of the subsurface in Singapore.