Shear-zone geometries in experimentally deformed clays: the influence of water content,strain rate and primary fabric

In experimentally deformed clays, three parameters which influence the geometry of shear zones are water content, strain rate and the orientation of the shear zones with respect to any primary fabric. The shear zones are the main microstructures induced in the clays within the experimental conditions (triaxial compression at water contents between 20 and 35% w/w and strain rates between 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻⁸ s⁻¹). Small changes in water content produce a significant change in the appearance of shear zones: structures in wetter sediments are more complex and more numerous than those in drier sediments which tend to produce a small number of discrete planar shear zones. Strain rate is a far less important influence on shear-zone geometry. The orientation of the zones with respect to a primary fabric is also significant. Shear zones which are parallel to the fabric have a simpler geometry than zones which intersect the fabric at a high angle. Knowledge of these factors may help interpret the conditions within which shear zones formed in naturally-deformed soft sediments.     

黄河源地区磁组构特征及其地质意义

黄河源区位于青藏高原东北部,区内主要为三叠系沉积地层,发育一系列由北向南的推覆构造带,间有早期近直立的韧性剪切带。笔者对黄河源地区巴颜喀拉山群沉积岩进行了磁组构分析,结果显示岩石磁化率各向异性度P值和磁化率百分率各向异性度H值均不大,反映该地区总体韧性变形较弱,较强韧性变形仅发育于局部地段;岩石磁组构具有磁面理发育、磁线理不发育、磁化率椭球呈压扁形椭球体的特点,反映在挤压应力作用下,岩石发生了压扁变形,主应力方位主要为NNE-SSW(近SN)向,其次为NE-SW向。根据岩石磁组构分析认为黄河源地区存在两条韧性剪切带,韧性剪切带与现今湖泊水体的展布有一定的耦合关系;北部韧性剪切带沿现今黄河河谷分布,控制着扎陵湖、鄂陵湖和玛多"四姐妹湖"的展布;南部韧性剪切带沿岗纳格玛错—野牛沟一线展布,控制着岗纳格玛错和尕拉拉错等残余湖泊的分布。     

Magnetic fabric evolution in ductile shear zones: examples in metagranites of the Aar Massif (Swiss Central Alps)

The Aar Massif forms part of the polycyclic basement of the External Crystalline Massifs in central Switzerland. Strong heterogeneous Alpine deformation produced a network of broad, anastomosing shear zones, with deformation strongly localized in mylonitic domains. This study investigates the combined effects of high‐strain deformation and synkinematic metamorphism on magnetic fabric evolution in Tertiary shear zones of the Aar granite and Grimsel granodiorite. In transects across several mesoscale shear zones with large strain gradients, magnetic fabric orientations are in excellent agreement with principal strain orientations determined from outcrop fabrics and strain markers. However, the magnitude and shape of the magnetic anisotropy do not change systematically with increasing finite strain, likely as a result of recrystallization and metamorphism. The overall pattern of steeply dipping fabrics is consistent with the main shortening stage of regional Alpine kinematics, while some mylonite structures reflect a local component of dextral shearing.     

磁化率各向异性与剪切带

岩石组构记录了地壳形成与演化的关键信息,提取这些信息对分析和恢复地球动力学过程具有重要意义.磁化率各向异性(AMS)是一种重要的岩石组构方法,可以有效地揭示岩石的应变特征,分析其地球动力学过程,是研究构造变形性质以及应力作用方式的有效手段.本文在梳理AMS的研究历史、主要成果和最新进展的基础上,系统阐述了AMS的基本原...     

Incremental deformation and fabric development in a KCl/mica mixture

The history of deformation and of mica reorientation is described in a KCl/mica mixture in the middle of a kink-like, experimental shear zone. The history was reconstructed by deforming several specimens to successively greater total strains and assuming the more deformed specimens passed through the states of strain and fabric exhibited by the less deformed specimens.A pseudo-differentiated layering is described which arises from the original network distribution of the mica grains, without benefit of any differentiation process. A comparison is made between the observed mica fabrics at various strains and those predicted by the March model, taking the measured initial preferred orientation of the micas into account. The actual reorientation processes in the material are found to be more efficient than the March transformation at shortening strains less than about 70% but less efficient at higher strains. These departures from Marchian behavior are explaned qualitatively. Comparison is also made between observed and predicted intensities of mica preferred orientation, assuming a hypothetical random orientation of micas in the starting material for the March calculation.     

鲁西地区韧性剪切带岩石磁组构分析及其构造意义

岩石磁组构分析可用来研究岩石的组构特征及构造变形。鲁西地区韧性剪切带岩石磁组构具有磁各异性度Ｐ和磁百分率各向异性值Ｈ高、磁化率量值椭球呈压扁状、磁面理发育而磁线理不发育的特点。区内韧性剪切带变形强烈,以压扁作用为主,最大主压应力方向近ＮＥ和Ｓ－Ｎ向,以右旋运动为主。韧性剪切带形成以后,区内主要经历了热蚀变和脆性变形,韧性变形很弱     

Strain distribution within a km-scale,mid-crustal shear zone: The Kuckaus Mylonite Zone,Namibia

The subvertical Kuckaus Mylonite Zone (KMZ) is a km-wide, crustal-scale, Proterozoic, dextral strike-slip shear zone in the Aus granulite terrain, SW Namibia. The KMZ was active under retrograde, amphibolite to greenschist facies conditions, and deformed felsic (and minor mafic) gneisses which had previously experienced granulite facies metamorphism during the Namaqua Orogeny. Lenses of pre- to syn-tectonic leucogranite bodies are also deformed in the shear zone. Pre-KMZ deformation (D₁) is preserved as moderately dipping gneissic foliations and tightly folded migmatitic layering. Shear strain within the KMZ is heterogeneous, and the shear zone comprises anastomosing high strain ultramylonite zones wrapping around less deformed to nearly undeformed lozenges. Strain is localized along the edge of leucogranites and between gneissic lozenges preserving D₁ migmatitic foliations. Strain localization appears controlled by pre-existing foliations, grain size, and compositional anisotropy between leucogranite and granulite. The local presence of retrograde minerals indicate that fluid infiltration occurred in places, but most ultramylonite in the KMZ is free of retrograde minerals. In particular, rock composition and D₁ fabric heterogeneity are highlighted as major contributors to the strain distribution in time and space, with deformation localization along planes of rheological contrast and along pre-existing foliations. Therefore, the spatial distribution of strain in crustal-scale ductile shear zones may be highly dependent on lithology and the orientation of pre-existing fabric elements. In addition, foliation development and grain size reduction in high strain zones further localizes strain during progressive shear, maintaining the anastomosing shear zone network established by the pre-existing heterogeneity.     

Magnetic fabric study across the Ailao Shan–Red River shear zone

The anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of 351 specimens from 51 sites across the Ailao Shan–Red River shear zone (ASRR) was measured to determine its magnetic fabric. Rocks range westward from core schistose gneiss, through low-grade schist, to Triassic sediment. Magnetic ellipticity analysis shows that 41 of 51 sites have an oblate compressional fabric and the other 10 sites have a prolate fabric. P_J value drops by 22.4% in the low-grade schist and by 27.4% in the Triassic sediment on average with respect to the gneiss, suggesting a rapid decrease of deformational intensity. The directions of principal susceptibilities are closely related to the deformation of the Ailao Shan–Red River shear zone. The susceptibility plane always coincides with the schistosity or cleavage plane. Most of the maximum susceptibility axes trend NW–SE. In the shear zone, the maximum susceptibility axes (K_max) are parallel to the lineation within the foliation plane. With increasing distance from the shear zone, there is a trend that they become parallel to the down-dip of reverse faults or cleavage. This indicates changes in deformation mode, inside and outside the shear zone. Within the shear zone, horizontal movement is dominant. Outside, shortening prevails. The overall minimum magnetic axes align NE–SW with subhorizontal to low dip angles, suggesting that the dominant shortening is NE–SW directed. Caution should be exercised when AMS is used to determine shear sense in strong shear zones because the angle between the minimum susceptibility axis (K_min) and pole of foliation is small, and also because the attitude of foliation varies from place to place. They result in unreliable or even wrong shear sense. Another important result is the axial ratio of magnetic susceptibility ellipsoid along the study section. With these data, it is possible to establish an axial ratio relationship between the finite strain ellipsoid and magnetic susceptibility ellipsoid for quantitative calculation of offset.     

西藏阿里雅鲁藏布江缝合带韧性剪切带的磁组构特征

应用磁组构测量方法,厘定、划分了札达地区印度河—雅鲁藏布江缝合带内的韧性剪切带,两条强韧性带分别位于缝合带北缘和南缘,均具有南盘(下盘)俯冲、平面右旋扭动运动特征和压扁型应变特征。韧性剪切发生于65Ma以前,它们应是印—欧两大板块俯冲-碰撞剪切应变产物,是板块缝合带的重要组成部分。     

Shear bands,crenulations and differentiated layering in ice-mica models

Thin sheets of composite ice-mica have been deformed in order to simulate the development of cleavages in quartz-mica rocks. A strong initial mica preferred orientation was variably oriented to the shortening direction. Deformation parallel to the foliation results in a crenulation type cleavage developing from shear bands initiated after a component of pure shear. Deformation oblique to the foliation produces a differentiated cleavage and involves a large component of shear strain subparallel to the original anisotropy. The strain is accommodated by intra- and intercrystalline processes that produce extensive grain elongation and rearrangement of the ductile matrix, thereby forming ice vs mica rich regions. On the other hand, there is no drastic morphological change when a sample is shortened perpendicular to an original foliation: that is, where the micas lie in the plane of no shear strain. Instead, the mica fabric is strengthened and the grains in the ductile matrix are flattened.Two models are presented for the initiation, propagation and evolution of the observed crenulation versus differentiated cleavage types. These depend on mica stacking and orientation relative to the transverse properties of the sample and also on the direction of anisotropy to the XY plane of the bulk strain ellipsoid. The models invoke shear on planes of high shear strain and rotation of the shear bands and rigid mica grains into a direction approximately parallel to the bulk extension direction.     

High‐P tectono‐metamorphic evolution of mylonites from the Variscan basement of the Northern Apennines,Italy

Strain localization within shear zones may partially erase the rock fabric and the metamorphic assemblage(s) that had developed before the mylonitic event. In poly‐deformed basements, the loss of information on pre‐kinematic phases of mylonites hinders large‐scale correlations based on tectono‐metamorphic data. In this study, devoted to a relict unit of Variscan basement reworked within the nappe stack of the Northern Apennines (Italy), we investigate the possibility to reconstruct a complete pressure (P)–temperature (T)–deformation (D) path of mylonitic micaschist and amphibolite by integrating microstructural analysis, mineral chemistry and thermodynamic modelling. The micaschist is characterized by a mylonitic fabric with fine‐grained K‐white mica and chlorite enveloping mica‐fishes, quartz, and garnet pseudomorphs. Potassic white mica shows Mg‐rich cores and Mg‐poor rims. The amphibolite contains green amphibole+plagioclase+garnet+quartz+ilmenite defining S₁ with a superposed mylonitic fabric localized in decimetre‐ to centimetre‐scale shear zones. Garnet is surrounded by an amphibole+plagioclase corona. Phase diagram calculations provide P–T constraints that are linked to the reconstructed metamorphic‐deformational stages. For the first time an early high‐P stage at >11 kbar and 510°C was constrained, followed by a temperature peak at 550–590°C and 9–10 kbar and a retrograde stage (<475°C, <7 kbar), during which ductile shear zones developed. The inferred clockwise P–T–D path was most likely related to crustal thickening by continent‐continent collision during the Variscan orogeny. A comparison of this P–T–D path with those of other Variscan basement occurrences in the Northern Apennines revealed significant differences. Conversely, a correlation between the tectono‐metamorphic evolution of the Variscan basement at Cerreto pass, NE Sardinia and Ligurian Alps was established.     

DEM study of fabric features governing undrained post-liquefaction shear deformation of sand

In an effort to study undrained post-liquefaction shear deformation of sand, the discrete element method (DEM) is adopted to conduct undrained cyclic biaxial compression simulations on granular assemblies consisting of 2D circular particles. The simulations are able to successfully reproduce the generation and eventual saturation of shear strain through the series of liquefaction states that the material experiences during cyclic loading after the initial liquefaction. DEM simulations with different deviatoric stress amplitudes and initial mean effective stresses on samples with different void ratios and loading histories are carried out to investigate the relationship between various mechanics- or fabric-related variables and post-liquefaction shear strain development. It is found that well-known metrics such as deviatoric stress amplitude, initial mean effective stress, void ratio, contact normal fabric anisotropy intensity, and coordination number, are not adequately correlated to the observed shear strain development and, therefore, could not possibly be used for its prediction. A new fabric entity, namely the Mean Neighboring Particle Distance (MNPD), is introduced to reflect the space arrangement of particles. It is found that the MNPD has an extremely strong and definitive relationship with the post-liquefaction shear strain development, showing MNPD’s potential role as a parameter governing post-liquefaction behavior of sand.     

衡山岩体西缘韧性剪切带磁性组构研究

本文对采自衡山花岗岩体西缘韧性剪切带的标本进行了岩石磁性组构研究,并将其与常规应变分析方法所得结果予以比较,表明了岩石磁化率各向异性椭球体与应变椭球体之间有一定的对应关系,岩石磁化率各向异性技术可望成为构造地质学的一种新手段。岩石磁性组构资料可应用于变形岩石的应变分析,特别是在没有宏观应变标志或者通常的岩石组构分析方法太费时间的情况下更显出其优越性。     

桂北四堡韧性剪切带的发现及其构造意义

通过野外观察、室内显微构造分析和磁组构测量方法,在桂北四堡地区浅变质地层中厘定出一条NE30°走向,南东倾,倾角约40°的大型左旋斜冲韧性剪切带——四堡韧性剪切带;该韧性剪切带内发育糜棱岩系列、糜棱面理、拉伸线理、A型褶皱、S-C组构、亚颗粒、显微分层及石英条带等宏观和微观构造特征;磁各向异性度测量结果显示四堡韧性剪切带由一宽约4 km的强应变带及边缘弱带组成,全带宽达10 km,长度超30 km;在对韧性剪切带运动学、构造年代学研究的基础上,结合区域地质资料,认为四堡韧性剪切带是华南加里东晚期华夏地块由南东向北西作低角度斜冲到扬子地块的产物。这一发现揭示了扬子地块与华夏地块碰撞拼合的方式,为深化华南构造演化提供了新资料。     

Experimental shear zones and magnetic fabrics

Magnetic fabric analysis has been used as a non-destructive means of detecting petrofabric development during experimentally produced multi-stage, transpressive deformations in ‘shear zones’. Artificial, magnetic-bearing silicate sands and calcite sands, bonded with Portland cement, were deformed at room temperature and at 100 and 150 MPa confining pressure. The slip-rate for the shear zone walls was 0.73 × 10⁻⁴ mm s⁻¹ and the maximum shear strains were about 0.38, across zones that were initially about 5 mm thick. The magnetic fabric ellipsoid rapidly spins so that the maximum and intermediate susceptibilities tend to become parallel to the shear zone walls throughout the sheared zone. The ellipsoid becomes increasingly oblate with progressive deformation. However, in all cases, the anisotropy is strongly influenced by the pre-deformation magnetic fabric. During deformation the cement gel collapses so that cataclasis of the mineral grains is suppressed. In the quartz-feldspar aggregates the magnetite's alignment is accommodated by particulate flow (intergranular displacements) of the grains. In the calcite aggregates stronger magnetic fabrics develop due to plastic deformation of calcite grains as well as particulate flow. However, the calcite grain fabrics are somewhat linear (L ≥ S) whereas the magnetic fabrics are planar (S >L). The preferred dimensional orientations of magnetite are weak and it is possible that the magnetic fabrics are due to intragranular rearrangements of magnetic domains.The transpressive shear zones are much more efficient than axial-symmetric shortening in the increase of anisotropy of the magnetic fabrics, especially in the case of the calcite aggregates. This suggests that flow laws derived for axial-symmetric shortening experiments may not be appropriate for non-coaxial strain histories such as those of shear zones.     

Fabric transpositions in granite plutons — An insight from non-scaled analogue modelling

Investigations on a set of experimental models of highly viscous intrusions were carried out in order to study the internal strain pattern during vertical ascent and emplacement of granite intrusions. The strain pattern was determined by means of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) resulting from the orientation of magnetite particles in a liquid plaster medium. The modelled intrusions show distinct fabrics reflecting the flow of a rheologically complex, non-Newtonian material. During the vertical growth of the intrusion, constrictional vertical fabrics are transposed into flattening fabrics, and along with the development of low-intensity fabric domains are passively transported upwards. Vertical growth takes place along subvertical thrust shear zones that satisfactorily explain the discordant magmatic fabrics in granites along intrusion sides. The resulting complex fabric patterns suggest that the vertical movement of material in ascending intrusions is accommodated by various flow mechanisms operating simultaneously.     

Geometric consequences of ductile fabric development from brittle shear faults in mafic melt sheets: Evidence from the Sudbury Igneous Complex,Canada

Compared to felsic igneous rocks the genetic relationship between brittle and ductile fabric development and its influence on the geometry of deformed mafic melt sheets has received little attention in structural analyses. We explore these relationships using the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) as an example. The SIC is the relic of a layered impact melt sheet that was transformed into a fold basin, the Sudbury Basin, during Paleoproterozoic deformation at the southern margin of the Archean Superior Province. We studied brittle and ductile strain fabrics on the outcrop and map scales in the southern Sudbury Basin, notably in the Norite and Quartz Gabbro layers of the SIC. Here, deformation is heterogeneous and occurred under variable rheological conditions, evident by the development of brittle shear fractures, brittle-ductile shear zones and pervasive ductile strain. The mineral fabrics formed under low- to middle greenschist-facies metamorphism, whereby brittle deformation caused hydrolytic weakening and ductile fabric development. Principal strain axes inferred from all structural elements are collinear and point to a single deformation regime that led to thinning of SIC layers during progressive deformation. Ductile fabric development profoundly influenced the orientation of SIC material planes, such as lithological contacts and magmatic mineral fabrics. More specifically, these planar structural elements are steep where the SIC underwent large magnitudes of thinning, i.e., in the south limb of the Sudbury Basin. Here, the actual tilt component of material planes is likely smaller than its maximum total rotation (60°) inferred from inclined igneous layering in the Norite. Our field-based study shows that ductile fabric development from brittle faults can have a profound influence on the rotational components of primary material planes in deformed igneous melt sheets.     

Quartz fabrics in shear-zone mylonites: Evidence for a major imprint due to late strain increments

Geometrical relations between quartz C-axis fabrics, textures, microstructures and macroscopic structural elements (foliation, lineation, folds…) in mylonitic shear zones suggest that the C-axis fabric mostly reflects the late-stage deformation history. Three examples of mylonitic thrust zones are presented: the Eastern Alps, where the direction of shearing inferred from the quartz fabric results from a late deformation oblique to the overall thrusting; the Caledonides nappes and the Himalayan Main Central Thrust zone, where, through a similar reasoning, the fabrics would also reflect late strain increments though the direction of shearing deduced from quartz fabric remains parallel to the overall thrusting direction. Hence, the sense of shear and the shear strain component deduced from the orientation of C-axis girdles relative to the finite strain ellipsoid axes are not simply related nor representative of the entire deformation history.