Microcracks in ultrabasic rocks under uniaxial compressive stress

The initiation and propagation of microcracks under stress are highly dependent upon the mineralogical and textural characteristics of the various lithotypes. Detailed observation and quantification of microcracks before and after uniaxial compression test were conducted. A fresh olivine-rich harzburgite and a serpentinized dunite were analyzed, collected from the Pindos and Vourinos ophiolites (northern Greece) respectively, in order to compare their microcrack patterns. Quantitative analysis indicated that during uniaxial compression the intragranular microcracks, which are the dominating crack-type, are gradually transformed or organized into transgranular cracks. Some of the newly formed transgranular cracks may also be a result of the growth of existing grain-boundary cracks. The new intragranular microcracks in the olivine-rich harzburgite are oriented predominantly parallel to the compressive stress direction, while those in the serpentinized dunite show a scattered orientation presumably due to the mesh texture of this rock-type. The new transgranular cracks of both peridotites tend to be subparallel to the compressive stress direction, however, many of them show a random orientation due to the fact that they have been formed as a result of the propagation of grain-boundary cracks. The occurrence of the soft serpentine along fracture surfaces of olivine, when it is in assemblage with orthopyroxene, tends to absorb the applied stress hampering the development of microcracks in olivine. On the other hand in serpentinized peridotites, the microcracks are enhanced in olivine because it is surrounded by large amounts of the much softer and flexible serpentine. Microcracks are usually formed along the cleavage planes of orthopyroxene porphyroclasts, indicating that such crystallographic preferred orientations act as planes of weakness, controlling the direction of the crack paths. Cr-spinel grains likely comprise locations of initiation of microcracks due to their very hard nature and different mechanical behaviour relative to the surrounding silicate phases. Knowledge of the mineralogical and textural characteristics may assist in the prediction of potential development of failure surfaces of an ultrabasic rock in-service.     

Recent horizontal stress directions in basement rocks of southern Sweden deduced from open microcracks

The strike direction of open intragranular microcracks in quartz and feldspar host grains was determined using optical transmission and reflection microscopy on eight oriented samples taken in two study areas in Precambrian basement rocks of southern and south-central Sweden.For an area of about 160 km² (SW of Västervik) and two sample locations (W of Uppsala), the vast majority of open microcracks displays a strong preferred NW–SE strike direction. According to the common assumptions that natural cracks in crystalline rocks are predominantly extensional (mode I), and that open cracks belong to the latest microcrack generation, these strike directions should reflect the (sub-) recent main horizontal stress direction (σH) of the recent tectonic stress field.This conclusion is supported by corresponding directions known from in situ stress measurements and focal plane solutions in the vicinity of the study areas. It is remarkable that even in samples taken close (i.e. a few hundred metres) to recently active large scale faults the orientation of microcracks does not deviate from this common direction. This may point to slip on already softened faults, very local stress reorientations (e.g. m-scale) or that local stress relief was accomplished by other processes at micro-scale, e.g. mechanical twinning in favourably oriented feldspar crystals, or slip on grain boundaries.     

Crack growth in Westerly granite during a cyclic loading test

To examine the fatigue process of granite, cylindrical Westerly granite specimens, 10 mm in diameter and 20 mm in length, were subjected to a cyclic loading test under uniaxial compression with a maximum of 140 MPa at room temperature, and crack growth patterns within them were analyzed by microscopic observation and image analysis techniques. The fatigue process is divided into three characteristic stages; a primary stage in which the upper peak strain increases at a decelerating rate (stage I), a second stage with linearly slight increasing rate of strain following stage I (stage II), and the third and final stage in which the upper peak strain increases at an accelerating rate and culminates in specimen failure (stage III). A series of prefailure specimens, of which the stage in the fatigue process was decided by monitoring the strain behavior during the test, were retrieved. In addition, these specimens were compared with specimens stressed to close to the breaking strength by monotonic compression to examine the characteristic features of fatigue. The fluorescent method was applied to identify microcracks within the specimens. The advantage of this method is to provide quick and accurate identification of microcracks with an optical microscope. Microcracks are detected based on a marked difference in brightness under ultraviolet light irradiation because they are fully filled with acrylic resin mixed with a fluorescent substance in advance. Thin sections, including the axis of the specimen, 10 × 20 mm, were prepared for detailed observation after the pretreatment of the method.The results were as follows. At the initial degradation stage, distinguishing crack growth was identified in quartz grains. It is estimated that the slowdown of the strain growth rate at this stage was caused by the decrease in crack growth, that is, the portions with cracking potentiality were damaged at the first or early loading, and no further damage occurred immediately following the first damage. At the second stage, no significant crack growth in quartz grains was identified. On the other hand, in feldspar grains, development of cracks in a preferential direction, parallel to the loading direction, was observed. However, they did not grow into intergranular cracks by cutting across the grain boundaries during this stage. Consequently, it was found that a gradual progress of microcracks within feldspar grains was dominant during the second stage, and this is because the strain growth rate was in a steady and long state. At the final accelerated stage, many intergranular cracks running parallel to the loading direction were identified. It is obvious that these long cracks were formed mainly by the linking and growth of the intragranular cracks in feldspars, which were generated during the former stages. Their formation takes the fatigue process from the second stage to the final stage with a sharp increase in strain, and their further development seemed to lead the whole specimen to ultimate fatigue failure.     

Ultrafabric patterns in late precambrian kolhan limestones,singhbhum district,India

The transmission electron microscope has been used to study the ultrafabric changes and crystal growth during incipient metamorphism (eometamorphism) of a shallow-water microcrystalline Kolhan limestone, Singhbhum district, Bihar. The eometamorphosed limestone is characterized by gradual increase in crystal size, abrupt changes from curvilinear boundaries to strain-induced planar triple junctions, transgranular microcracks and glide planes. The textural details like growth lines, intergranular microcracks and microporosity, and fluid inclusions commonly associated with early neomorphosed limestones have been progressively eliminated by eometamorphism.     

岩石破裂全程数字化细观损伤力学试验研究

设计基于扫描电镜（SEM）的岩石破裂全过程数字化细观损伤力学试验方案,实现了岩石破裂全过程的显微与宏观实时的数字化监测、控制、记录及分析的岩石力学试验。应用于四川锦屏大理岩预制裂纹试样中进行单轴压缩破坏全程的数字化试验,对微裂纹的萌生、生长及贯通过程进行数字化定量分析,得到试样在受荷过程中微裂纹的面积、方位角、长度、宽度和周长基本几何数据,从宏细观角度描述了岩石试样单轴压缩过程中的破坏机制,并分析得出试样单轴受压破坏过程中虽然微裂纹在某些区域集中,但在整个试样中微裂纹的统计分布依然是服从某一指数分布的这一结论。试验研究结果证明了该试验方案的科学性和先进性。     

Effects of Grain Size on the Initiation and Propagation Thresholds of Stress-induced Brittle Fractures

Summary The microstructure of rock is known to influence its strength and deformation characteristics. This paper presents the results of a laboratory investigation into the effects of grain size on the initiation and propagation thresholds of stress-induced brittle fracturing in crystalline rocks with similar mineralogical compositions, but with three different grain sizes. Strain gauge and acoustic emission measurements were used to aid in the identification and characterization of the different stages of crack development in uniaxial compression. Results indicate that grain size had only a minor effect on the stress at which new cracks initiated. Crack initiation thresholds were found to be more dependent on the strength of the constituent minerals. Grain size did have a significant effect, however, in controlling the behaviour of the cracks once they began to propagate. The evidence suggests that longer grain boundaries and larger intergranular cracks, resulting from increased grain size, provide longer paths of weakness for growing cracks to propagate along. This promoted degradation of material strength once the longer cracks began to coalesce and interact. Thus, rock strength was found to decrease with increasing grain size, not by inducing crack initiation at lower stresses, but through a process where longer cracks propagating along longer planes of weakness coalesced at lower stresses.     

不同频率循环荷载作用下花岗岩细观疲劳损伤量化试验研究

花岗岩宏观尺度疲劳破坏是由于细观尺度微裂纹的萌生、发育和贯通引起的,所以对处于细观尺度的微裂纹特征进行量化分析,对于理解花岗岩的动力特性有一定的意义。首先利用RMT-150B多功能全自动刚性岩石伺服试验机,采用振幅为10 MPa,频率分别为0.01、0.02、0.05、0.10、0.20、0.50、1.00 Hz的正弦循环荷载作为动力扰动,对海南昌江花岗岩试样进行单轴循环荷载试验。然后,利用扫描电镜（SEM）拍摄得到花岗岩的大量细观结构图片,运用数字图像技术获取微裂纹的细观几何信息,从方位角、长度、宽度和面积对不同荷载频率相应的花岗岩细观尺度微裂纹特征进行量化分析。研究结果表明,随着循环荷载频率的增加,微裂纹方位角发育离散性增加,而其统计均值则在某一区间内波动;微裂纹长度的发育则较快,而仅当荷载频率达到1 Hz时,宽度才有一定的发展,同时,能量耗散的方式也发生一定的变化。     

岩石破裂过程中的声发射b值及分形特征研究

应用声发射及其定位技术,通过单轴受压岩石破坏声发射试验,对岩石破裂过程中的声发射b值和空间分布分形维值随不同应力水平的变化趋势进行了研究。研究结果表明：声发射分形维值D和b值反映了岩石破坏过程中微裂纹的初始和扩展;在小尺度微裂纹所占比例较高的加载初期,分形维值和b值在较高的水平波动变化,部分岩石试件分形维值和b值呈现升高现象;随着载荷的增加,岩石内部微裂纹的空间分布由无序向有序转变,大尺度裂纹所占比例增加,声发射定位事件出现群集现象,分形维值和b值开始较快速下降并在岩石失稳破坏时达到最低值。在岩石破坏过程中,声发射分形维值和b值的变化趋势相近。由于实际应用时,分形维值和b值的最小值（临界点）难以确定,故可将2个参数相结合,以分形维值D和b值较快速下降作为前兆特征,以提高现场岩体稳定性监测的准确性。     

基于分形与损伤理论的岩石声-应力相关性理论模型研究

建立单一微裂纹在单轴压缩荷载作用下的力学模型,采用宏观复合型断裂理论中的最大周向应力理论,求出单一微裂纹达到稳定时的形态尺寸.利用分形损伤理论,求出不同荷载阶段的分形维数;由分形维数的定义导出了不同荷载阶段的裂纹个数的变化情况;结合单一微裂纹的形态尺寸,求出不同荷载阶段中岩石孔隙率与荷载值之间的关系;利用目前被广泛采用的超声波纵波速度与孔隙率的关系式,最终导出单轴压缩荷载作用下岩石超声波纵波速度与应力的理论关系式.进行岩石声-应力的试验测试,根据试验成果作出声-应力曲线,并与理论声-应力曲线进行比对,结果表明,理论模型比较适合于反映岩石受载全过程中的后半部分的声-应力关系.     

Pipes of mafic pegmatite in the stratiform Fiskenaesset anorthosite complex, southwest Greenland

Pipes of hornblende gabbro and ultramafite cut across cumulate layering in the lower part of the Fiskenaesset complex. The pipes form irregular networks in which all vertical portions are massive and pegmatitic, whereas some horizontal portions are layered. Two kinds of layering occur: mineral-graded layers formed by precipitation of plagioclase and hornblende, and comb layers formed by the upward growth of tabular hornblende crystals. Alternations of these layers show that magma with plagioclase phenocrysts was flushed through the pipes in pulses, perhaps associated with erratic propagation of cracks and magmatic drilling.     

单轴压缩条件下含三叉裂隙类岩石试样力学特性的细观研究

三叉裂隙是自然界普遍存在的一种岩体缺陷形式,其对岩体的力学特性有重要影响。对含预制三叉裂隙的水泥砂浆试样进行室内单轴压缩试验,配合使用摄像机拍摄裂纹的起裂、扩展、贯通过程,通过数字图像技术处理获取试样的应变场云图,并结合PFC2D程序研究不同?、? 条件下试样的强度特征、裂纹模式和裂纹演化扩展规律。研究表明：三叉裂隙对试样单轴抗压强度有明显的削弱作用。当? 恒定为120°时,试样在? = 30°时达到最大抗压强度;当? 恒定为90°时,随?增大,试样抗压强度呈先减小后增大的趋势,且当? = 45°时达到最大抗压强度。试样产生的裂纹可分为3类,分别是张拉型裂纹(Ⅰ型裂纹)、剪切型裂纹(Ⅱ型裂纹)、混合型裂纹(Ⅲ型裂纹)。这3类裂纹通常从裂隙尖端开始产生,并且Ⅰ型裂纹沿加载方向扩展,通常未扩展至试样边界;Ⅱ型和Ⅲ型裂纹通常与加载方向呈一定角度扩展至试样边界。通过对裂纹的几何形态和组成宏观裂纹的微裂纹成分的分析,得知导致含三叉裂隙试样在单轴压缩条件下失效的是张拉破坏。数字图像技术得到的应变云图表明,当载荷达到一定阶段,裂隙尖端出现应力集中,微破裂开始发育并聚集成微破裂区,微破裂区扩大产生宏观裂纹。通过对主应变和剪应变云图分析,发现导致试样失效的是张拉破坏,剪应变在裂纹扩展过程中的影响较小。     

Seismic wave velocity and anisotropy of serpentinized peridotite in the Oman ophiolite

Shallow seismic measurements in harzburgite from the Oman ophiolite performed in a zone where the maximum horizontal anisotropy is expected (vertical foliation and horizontal lineation) point to a dominant dependence of seismic properties on fracturing.

Optical microscopy studies show that microcracks are guided by the serpentine (lizardite) penetrative network oriented subparallel to the harzburgite foliation and subperpendicular to the mineral lineation, and that serpentine (lizardite) vein filling has a maximum concentration of (001) planes parallel to the veins walls. The calculated elastic properties of the oriented alteration veins filled with serpentine in an anisotropic matrix formed by oriented crystals of olivine and orthopyroxene are compared with seismic velocities measured on hand specimens.

Laboratory ultrasonic data indicate that open microcracks are closed at 100 MPa pressure, e.g. (J. Geophys. Res. 65, (1960) 1083) and (Proc. ODP Sci. Results Leg 118, (1990) 227). Above this pressure, laboratory measurements and modeling show that P-compressional and S-shear wave velocities are mainly controlled by the mineral preferred orientation. Veins sealed with serpentine are effective in slightly lowering P and S velocities and increasing anisotropy. The penetrative lizardite network does not affect directly the geometry of seismic anisotropy, but contributes indirectly in the fact that this network controls the microcrack orientations.

Comparison between seismic measurements of peridotite and gabbro in the same conditions suggest that P- and S-waves anisotropies are a possible discriminating factor between the two lithologies in the suboceanic lithosphere.     

Cracking Processes in Rock-Like Material Containing a Single Flaw Under Uniaxial Compression: A Numerical Study Based on Parallel Bonded-Particle Model Approach

Cracking processes have been extensively studied in brittle rock and rock-like materials. Due to the experimental limitations and the complexity of rock texture, details of the cracking processes could not always be observed and assessed comprehensively. To contribute to this field of research, a numerical approach based on the particle element model was used in present study. It would give us insights into what is happening to crack initiation, propagation and coalescence. Parallel bond model, a type of bonded-particle model, was used to numerically simulate the cracking process in rock-like material containing a single flaw under uniaxial vertical compression. The single flaw’s inclinations varied from 0° to 75° measured from the horizontal. As the uniaxial compression load was increased, multiple new microcracks initiated in the rock, which later propagated and eventually coalesced into longer macrocracks. The inclination of the pre-existing flaw was found to have a strong influence on the crack initiation and propagation patterns. The simulations replicated most of the phenomena observed in the physical experiments, such as the type, the initiation location and the initiate angle of the first cracks, as well as the development of hair-line cracks, which later evolved to macrocracks. Analyses of the parallel bond forces and displacement fields revealed some important mechanisms of the cracking processes. The first cracks typically initiated from the tensile stress concentration regions, in which the tensile stress was partially released after their initiation. The tensile stress concentration regions subsequently shifted outwards close to the propagating tips of the first cracks. The initiation and propagation of the first cracks would not significantly influence the compressive stress singularity at the flaw tips, which was the driving force of the initiation of secondary cracks. The initiation of microcracking zone consisting almost exclusively of micro-tensile cracks, and that of microcracking zone consisting of micro-tensile cracks and mixed micro-tensile and shear cracks, were found to be correlated with two distinct types of displacement fields, namely type I (DF_I) and type II (DF_II), respectively.     

Failure pattern of brittle rock governed by initial microcrack characteristics

Fracturing processes of rock are simulated using a micro- and fracture mechanical-based numerical modeling approach. The numerical model considers material heterogeneity and initial microcrack distributions. The gradual formation of macroscopic fractures by coalesced microcracks is successfully reproduced. Distinct failure modes are observed in the model under different loadings. Agreement is shown between the numerical results and laboratory observations. The influence of microcrack orientations on the fracture patterns is quantified by the numerical models. Possible mechanisms describing the splitting failure of hard brittle rocks under uniaxial compression are proposed and discussed.

     

X-ray micro-computed tomography study of the propagation of cracks in shale during uniaxial compression

An understanding of crack propagation is critical for the development of rock mechanic models. To study the propagation of internal cracks in situ and determine their formation mechanism, a series of uniaxial compression tests on shale specimens were conducted using a novel setup that combines X-ray micro-computed tomography (X-ray micro-CT) with a uniaxial loading apparatus, which allows CT scans to be performed during compression. Macro- and micro-scale internal cracks were extracted from CT images collected after various stages of deformation through image thresholding segmentation, providing a record of the evolution of damage within the specimens, characterized by crack closure, generation, growth, and penetration. In addition, macroscopic cracks with two distinct orientations were observed and their formation mechanism was further determined. Furthermore, test results show that the distribution of pyrite grains influences the formation of cracks at the meso- and macro-scales. These results are significant for understanding crack propagation and the failure of shale.     

应力比影响下的破裂角、闭锁角、摩擦系数及其耦合关系

裂纹扩展和摩擦系数分属两个学科而鲜有联系,摩擦系数理论较少,主要依赖实验获得。在Griffith椭圆形裂纹基础上讨论摩擦面状裂纹力学模型,计算了单轴、三轴压应力情况下微裂纹扩展的期望方向及应力集中,那些方向偏离宏观破裂方向较大角度的裂纹因闭锁而无法延伸,应力比 越大,可扩展的微裂纹越向宏观裂纹面方向集中,随着围压 的增加,闭锁范围增大,实现了裂纹张性向剪性的转变。摩擦系数、方向集中度、应力比呈耦合关系,一方面,摩擦系数越大越利于微裂纹方向集中;另一方面微裂纹的方向集中导致了宏观裂纹面（裂缝）上凸起角度降低,进而减小摩擦系数。围压和裂纹扩展期的应力状况是影响摩擦系数的重要因素, 往往成为裂纹扩展的应力条件,凸起斜面摩擦系数越大,临界应力比越小。裂纹粗糙度(或分维数)对形成期的应力状况具有一定记忆功能。     

Plagioclase fabrics in some metablastic rocks

A peculiar orientation of plagioclase porphyroblasts hag been ascertained in some blastic rocks. There are several types of intergranular coordination between neighbouring plagioclase blasts. They are laid facing the equivalent crystallographical planes each other or in twin-like relation. Detailed measurements of these plagioclase fabrics told us that the symmetry elements revealed in one crystal also effectively govern over the two or more neighbouring plagioclase grains without any distinctions whether they are in direct contact or separately formed.     

A three-dimensional numerical investigation of the fracture of rock specimens containing a pre-existing surface flaw

Three-dimensional surface crack initiation and propagation in two kinds of heterogeneous rocks were numerically investigated via parallel finite element analysis using a supercomputer. Numerically simulated rock specimens containing a pre-existing flaw were subjected to uniaxial compression until failure. The initiation and propagation of wing cracks, anti-wing cracks, and shell-like cracks were reproduced by numerical simulations. The numerically simulated results demonstrate that the further propagation of wing cracks and shell-like cracks stop due to their wrapping (curving) behavior in three-dimensional spaces, even if the applied loads continue to increase. Furthermore, rock heterogeneity could significantly influence crack propagation patterns and the peak uniaxial compressive strengths of rock specimens. Moreover, anti-wing cracks only appeared in relatively heterogeneous rocks, and the peak uniaxial compressive strengths of the specimens were observed to depend on the inclination of the pre-existing flaw. Finally, the mechanism of surface crack propagation is discussed in the context of numerically simulated anti-plane loading tests, wherein it was identified that Mode III loading (anti-plane loading) does not lead to Mode III fracture in rocks due to their high ratio of uniaxial compressive strength to tensile strength. This finding could explain the lateral growth of an existing flaw in its own plane, which is a phenomenon that has not been observed in laboratory experiments.     

Crack Initiation and Crack Propagation in Heterogeneous Sulfate-Rich Clay Rocks

Brittle fracture processes were hypothesized by several researches to cause a damage zone around an underground excavation in sulfate-rich clay rock when the stress exceeds the crack initiation threshold, and may promote swelling by crystal growth in newly formed fractures. In this study, laboratory experiments such as unconfined and confined compression tests with acoustic emission monitoring, and microstructural and mineralogical analyses are used to explain brittle fracture processes in sulfate-rich clay rock from the Gipskeuper formation in Switzerland. This rock type typically shows a heterogeneous rock fabric consisting of distinct clayey layers and stiff heterogeneities such as anhydrite layers, veins or nodules. The study showed that at low deviatoric stress, the failure behavior is dominated by the strength of the clayey matrix where microcracks are initiated. With increasing deviatoric stress or strain, growing microcracks eventually are arrested at anhydrite veins, and cracks develop either aligned with the interface between clayey layers and anhydrite veins, or penetrate anhydrite veins. These cracks often link micro-fractured regions in the specimen. This study also suggest that fracture localization in sulfate-rich clay rocks, which typically show a heterogeneous rock fabric, does not take place in the pre-peak range and renders unstable crack propagation less likely. Sulfate-rich clay rocks typically contain anhydrite veins at various scales. At the scale of a tunnel, anhydrite layers or veins may arrest growing fractures and prevent the disintegration of the rock mass. The rock mass may be damaged when the threshold stress for microcrack initiation is exceeded, thus promoting swelling by crystal growth in extension fractures, but the self-supporting capacity of the rock mass may be maintained rendering the possibility for rapidly propagating instability less likely.     

中天山白石泉镁铁-超镁铁质岩体岩石学与矿物学研究

白石泉地区镁铁一超镁铁质岩体处于塔里木板块前缘活动带与中天山地块接合部位，是中天山地块华力西中期岩浆活动的产物。主要岩石类型有辉石橄榄岩（斜方辉石橄榄岩、斜长二辉橄榄岩）、橄榄辉石岩、橄长岩、辉长岩及角闪辉长岩等，主要造岩矿物为橄榄石、斜方辉石、单斜辉石、角闪石、斜长石及黑云母。橄榄石均为贵橄榄石，其Fo值（78-85）位于含铜镍硫化物矿橄榄石的Fo值范围之内；辉石主要有顽火辉石、古铜辉石、紫苏辉石、透辉石等；斜长石的环带构造较为发育；角闪石的FeO含量随着岩浆的演化逐渐增加。它们与造山带环境中的东疆型镁铁一超镁铁杂岩中的造岩矿物具有相同的特征。这些特征表明了白石泉地区的镁铁一超镁铁质岩体的原始岩浆为高镁的拉斑玄武质岩浆。