buckling
v. C1 Advanced US //ˈbəkɫɪŋ// UK //bˈʌklɪŋ// buck·ling
v. to bend or break under pressure. In geology, it describes how rock layers fold when they are pushed together by the Earth's movement.
v. to bend, twist, or collapse under pressure or stress. In a geological context, it refers to the deformation of rock strata into folds as a result of tectonic forces.
The old fence is buckling under the weight of the heavy snow.
Geologists observed the buckling of the sedimentary layers as the tectonic plates continued to collide over millions of years.
The structural integrity of the bridge was compromised when the steel supports began buckling under the unprecedented strain of the hurricane-force winds.