Timing, sequence, duration and rate of deformation in fold-and-thrust belts: a review of traditional approaches and recent advances from absolute dating (K–Ar illite/U–Pb calcite) of brittle structures

Based on a review of literature and a few case studies, this paper summarizes the state of the art on the dating of folds and thrusts, then presents and discusses how recent advances in K–Ar illite and U–Pb calcite geochronology applied to brittle structures in fold-and-thrust belts have helped better constrain the timing, sequence, duration and rates of deformation.