Continental transform boundaries are a fundamental component of Earth's plate tectonic circuit, but their evolutionary development in many respects is poorly understood. Some continental transform boundaries are diffuse, others are represented by a single dominant fault. Some boundaries are more transtensional, others more transpressional and some link with oceanic plate boundaries, whereas others appear to have resisted propagation into oceanic crust and have remained in continental crust. A fundamental problem is how an incipient transform boundary develops and what controls its course, fault geometry and displacement transfer at different crustal levels. In this session, contributions are invited that employ field-based, theoretical and modelling-based studies that concern the structural geology and tectonic evolution of continental transform systems.

Transpressional deformation occurs in a variety of tectonic settings in the Earth's crust including transform boundaries, non-orthogonal convergent margins and collisional orogens, intracontinental oblique deformation belts, regions of fault reactivation and strike-slip fault-related restraining bends. For this session, contributions are also invited that address the structural characteristics and mountain building processes in transpressional belts from modern to ancient systems and from shallow to deep crustal levels.