揭陽凹陷位於南海北坡，珠江口盆地東側，台南盆地南部凹陷西側，大致上位於大陸棚過渡到大陸斜坡的位置。此區域於中生代晚期至古近紀早期地殼張裂時期發育一系列東北-西南走向的半地塹構造，其後在新近紀期間亦發育另兩期正斷層，在這兩期正斷層發育之間被一後張裂期侵蝕面分隔。本研究的主要目的在探討多期正斷層以及侵蝕面在多期張裂的環境中的發育順序，每一期正斷層的空間分布特性，以及年輕斷層的發育受前期構造影響的關聯性。
揭陽凹陷內的正斷層可分為三種：T1，為半地塹的正斷層，此種斷層僅切過前張裂期以及同張裂期地層；T2，為僅發育於後張裂期地層的正斷層；T3，為切過同張裂期以及後張裂期地層的斷層。本研究又將T2斷層分為兩類：第一類為發育於半地塹上方，且被後張裂期侵蝕面截切的斷層；第二類為發育於侵蝕面之上，規模較小的斷層。T3斷層也分為兩類：第一類為同張裂期發育的斷層於第二期張裂再活動且和發育於後張裂期地層內的斷層相連後繼續活動所形成；第二類為第二期張裂所發育的斷層向下切過同張裂期地層。
在空間的分布上，T1斷層為東北-西南走向，形成各個大小不一的半地塹；T2斷層大多發育在遠離大陸棚的位置；T3斷層大多分布在研究區域東北側與西北側，接近大陸棚的位置，且大多被侵蝕面所截切。
由以上結果，本研究認為：在中生代晚期至古近紀早期，南海北坡經歷西北-東南向的張裂作用；在古近紀末，張裂作用停止，形成分離不整合面；接著在新近紀時期又經歷了第二次的張裂活動，而此次的張裂作用為西北西-東南東向；之後出現的侵蝕面將第一類T2斷層和T3斷層上部截切，並在侵蝕面之上形成新的地層，隨後在新地層發育第二類的T2斷層。

Jieyang Depression is located between the Southern Depression of the Tainan Basin and the Chaoshan Depression of the Pearl River Mouth Basin. A series of NE-SW half graben developed in this area from late Mesozoic to early Paleogene, and then another two stages of normal faulting happened during Neogene. The development of these two stages of normal faults are separated by a post-rift truncation. The main purposes of this study are o investigate he evolutionary sequences of the multi-stages of normal faults and the truncation during the multi-stages of extension, the spatial distribution of each phase of normal fault, and how the younger normal faults were affected by the pre-existing one.
The normal faults in the Jieyang Depression can be divided into three types. Type 1 faults are the ones related to the Paleogene half graben formation and only cut through the pre-rift and syn-rift strata. Type 2 normal faults only developed in the post-rift strata. Type 3 normal faults cut through the syn-rift and post-rift strata. In this study, we further divide type 2 faults into two different kinds. Type 2-1 faults developed above half graben and cut off by the post-rift truncation. Type 2-2 faults developed after the truncation. Type 3 faults can be divided into two different kinds as well. Type 3-1 faults are the one developed in the syn-rift stage and were reactivated and linked with a fault developed in the later extension. Type 3-2 faults are the type 2 faults that developed continuously cutting downward into the syn-rift strata.
In terms of spatial distribution, type 1 faults strike NE-SW, forming the half grabens. Most of the type 2 faults are located far away from continental shelf. Type 3 faults mostly distribute on the northeast and northwest sides of the study area, close to the continental shelf, and most of them were cut by the post-rift truncation.
As a result, from the late Mesozoic to the early Paleogene, the northern slope of the South China Sea experienced a NW-SE extension. At the end of the Paleogene, the extension ceased, forming breakup unconformity. In Neogene, the Jieyang Depression experienced second extension. In this time the extension orientation was NNW-SSE, developing type 2-1 and type 3 faults before the post-rift truncation. The subsequent truncation cuts type 2-1 faults and the upper part of the type 3 faults. After accumulating new strata above truncation, the third stage of extension happened and type 2-2 faults developed after the post-rift truncation.

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