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1 - Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

Agust Gudmundsson
Agust Gudmundsson
Affiliation:
Royal Holloway, University of London
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Summary

Aims

Rock fractures occur in a variety of geological processes and range in size from plate boundaries at the scale of hundreds of kilometres to microcracks in crystals at the scale of a fraction of a millimetre. This chapter provides a definition of a rock fracture as well as of some of the mechanical concepts used in the analysis of fractures. Some of these definitions are preliminary and more accurate ones will be provided in later chapters. The primary aims of this chapter are to:

  • Provide a definition of a rock fracture.

  • Indicate some of the many earth-science topics and processes where fractures play a fundamental role.

  • Provide definitions of stress, strain, constitutive equations, and material behaviour.

  • Explain the one-dimensional Hooke's law.

  • Summarise some basic fracture-related definitions in structural geology.

  • Discuss the basic information needed to solve fracture problems.

  • Define and explain boundary conditions, rock properties, and rock-failure criteria.

  • Explain accuracy, significant figures, and rounding of numbers.

  • Explain the basic units and prefixes used.

Rock fractures

A rock fracture is a mechanical break or discontinuity that separates a rock body into two or more parts (Fig. 1.1). The continuity or cohesion of the rock body is lost across a fracture. A fracture forms in response to stress. More specifically, the rock breaks and forms a fracture when the applied stress reaches a certain limit, namely the rock strength. The stress associated with the fracture formation may be normal or shear or both.

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Rock Fractures in Geological Processes , pp. 1 - 27
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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References

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  • Introduction
  • Agust Gudmundsson, Royal Holloway, University of London
  • Book: Rock Fractures in Geological Processes
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511975684.002
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  • Introduction
  • Agust Gudmundsson, Royal Holloway, University of London
  • Book: Rock Fractures in Geological Processes
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511975684.002
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Agust Gudmundsson, Royal Holloway, University of London
  • Book: Rock Fractures in Geological Processes
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511975684.002
Available formats
×