Rock Deformation

EOSC364
Dr. Dan Faulkner Professor Dave Prior

Rock Mechanics
First 6 weeks: Rock mechanics/low temperature rock deformation
12 lectures 6 practicals

Second 6 weeks: High temperature rock deformation and microstructures

12 lectures 6 practicals

Assessment: 3 hour exam + 2 practicals

Course structure: Rock mechanics and low temperature rock deformation

Lectures 1-4
Stress and strain

Lectures 5-8
Rock fracture

Lectures 9-12
Faults, friction and earthquakes

Recommended texts
1st 6 weeks: Rock Mechanics
Mechanics of Earthquakes and Faulting by Chris Scholz (2nd Edition)
Stress and Strain by Win Means Fundamentals of Rock Mechanics by Jaeger and Cook Fracture mechanics of rock by Atkinson Fracture mechanics by Lawn and Wilshaw Structural Geology textbooks for stress/strain

Why is rock deformation important?

For understanding how the Earth works
Plate tectonics Fault mechanics (earthquakes, etc) Lithosphere strength

Big scale: what drives plate tectonics?

Mantle convection
Controlled by deformation of the mantle driven by heat

Smaller scale: crustal deformation

Analysed by structural geology geometric, but what about the mechanics?

Controls on rock deformation

Environmental
Pressure Temperature Fluids

Material

Mechanics and microstructure

Nature deforms rocks leaving microstructural signature We can reproduce microstructure by laboratory deformation We can infer mechanics from observation or remote sensing of microstructure

Stress

A demonstration of stress
F=Ma
F = force, Newtons, N M = mass, kg a = acceleration, ms-2

Stress = Force / Area

Units: Pascals, Pa

Principal stresses
In two dimensions, the principal stresses are always the greatest and the least stresses. They are always at right angles to each other They are termed 1 (greatest) and 2 (least) The same concepts apply in 3D, with three principal orthogonal stresses, termed 1 2 and 3 where 2 is the intermediate principal stress

Different types of stress

Principal stresses, 1 2 3 Mean stress = (1+2+3)/3 Differential stress = 1-3 Deviatoric stress = 1- mean stress Isostatic or hydrostatic stress = 1=2=3

Homogeneous stress Inhomogeneous stress

What is the hydrostatic stress (pressure) at 10 km depth?

Pressure (= hydrostatic stress) = g z
= density, kg m-3, ~2700 g = acceleration due to gravity, m s-2, ~10 z = depth, m, 10000

Pressure = 2700 x 10 x 10000 = 270 MPa

Two meanings of stress

At any point, we may define
the stress acting on a plane in one direction (vector) stress vectors for planes of all orientations at that point complete state of stress (secondorder tensor)

Normal stress, shear stress

Normal stress, n

Shear stress,

Acts perpendicular to surface

Acts parallel to surface

2
x-plane y-plane
(normal to y direction) (normal to x direction)

Stress as a tensor
y

yx yy
x

xy

xx

xx xy ij = yy yx

The stress tensor in 3 dimensions

xx xy xz ij = yx yy yz zy zz zx
xx
where i = j, normal stress (n) i j, shear stress ()
x y

xy xz

What is the normal stress (n) and shear stress () on a plane, given 1 and 2?
2 xy xx
x

Equations relating the principal stresses with normal and shear stresses
n = = 1 + 2
2

1 2
2

cos 2
? n? 2 1

1 2
2

sin 2

Equations relating the normal and shear stresses with the principal stresses
1 ( x y )2 + 4 2 1 = + 2 2 x + y 1 2 ( x y ) + 4 2 2 = 2 2

x + y

? n? 2

Mohr circle construction

shear stress,

normal stress, n

A state of stress can be represented by a circle

 The principal stresses are the greatest and the least stresses The planes on which the principal stresses act have no shear stress acting on them

 The principal stresses are the greatest and the least stresses The planes on which the principal stresses act have no shear stress acting on them

 yx

(yy,yx)

yy

xx

n
2

xy

(xx,xy)

1 yx yy