- Title
- Formation of cracks in layered rock considering layer thickness variations
- Creator
- Chang, Xu; Lu, Jianyou; Wang, Shanyong; Wang, Shuren; Liu, Xiliang
- Relation
- Geophysical Journal International Vol. 210, Issue 3, p. 1623-1640
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggx270
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2017
- Description
- The formation mechanisms for layer interface-parallel discontinuities and their interactions with vertical cracks in layered rocks with varying layer thickness are investigated. The interface behaviour between rock layers is modeled by a shear displacement response and rock crack behaviour is described by a damage model. Three typical failures can be captured: (1) vertical cracking, (2) delamination and (3) interface-parallel cracking. The result further indicates these crack modes are determined by a threshold of the interfacial strength. When the interfacial strength is higher than the threshold, a combined pattern of vertical cracking and interface-parallel cracking occurs. If the strength is lower than the threshold, a combined pattern of vertical cracking and interfacial delamination can be found. If the strength for the interface is near the threshold, a combined pattern of interface-parallel cracking, vertical cracking and interfacial delamination occurs. The result shows the interface-parallel discontinuities are induced by interface-delamination, interface-parallel cracks, or their coupling behaviour. Both interfacial delamination and interface-parallel cracking can reduce the tensile stress between two adjacent cracks and thus lead to a saturation state. Layer thickness variations can further influence the infilling process of vertical cracks and the crack spacing to average layer thickness ratios.
- Subject
- fracture and flow; geomechanics; tectonics and landscape evolution
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1350446
- Identifier
- uon:30554
- Identifier
- ISSN:0956-540X
- Rights
- This article has been accepted for publication in Geophysical Journal International ©:2017 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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