Abstract: The formulas to express surface deformation caused by three-dimensional fault rotation in a half space of an elastic homogeneous medium was derived based on the relationship between 1D rotation and surface deformation of a fault with a changed depth and dip. The varying surface displacement due to imparity rotation was analyzed and the horizontal displacement and vertical deformation calculated for a fault that rotates in several ways. The results show:1)Surface displacement diminishes with the increment of fault depth responding differently to the fault dip angle. The most significant fault surface deformation was when the rotation axes was the fault corner; 2)The model value is nearly equal in numerical when the fault rotates the same angle in different ways, the spatiak distribution of vertical deformation was closely related to the rotation ways;3)The surface deformation caused by 3D rotation has some distinctive numerical sliding characteristics but at the same magnitude. Regarding the spatial range, deformation due to fault sliding is more extensive than rotation. Finally, problems in disclination theory and crustal deformation research are discussed.