On the mechanical properties of synthetic kaolinite/quartz fault gouge

The mechanical properties and microstructures of mixed kaolinite/ quartz fault gouge have been studied by means of triaxial tests, wherein a 1 mm thickness of fault gouge was sheared between rigid, sintered alumina sliders. Test conditions ranged up to 200 MPa confining pressure, 175 MPa pore water pressure and temperatures to 600°C. Constant displacement rate tests were carried out at 5×10^-4 mm s^-1, and the stress relaxation technique was used to access a wide range of lower displacement rates down to 10^-10 mm s^-1. The effects of different ratios of clay: quartz were studied, and some experiments were cafried out using crushed Tennessee sandstone gouge and pre-faulted cylinders of Tennessee sandstone. Deformation-induced microstructures were studied by optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and mineral chemistry changes were identified using EDS analysis in the STEM. The most important factor determining the strength of these gouges is effective confining pressure, and the effective stress law was obeyed at all test conditions. Increasing the proportion of quartz in the gouge slightly increases the strength, as does increase of temperature. Under all test conditions the gouges deformed by strain-hardening stable sliding. At 2 mm displacement the friction coefficient is similar to that for rock and rock sliding (μ= 0.85). Over wide ranges of strain-rate and temperature the strength of these gouges is little affected if the effective pressure is high, but strength drops rapidly with decreasing strain-rate if effective pressure is low (or if pore water pressure is high). Reloading of the gouge after stress relaxation at high temperatures demonstrated hardening arising from hydrothermal cementation during stress relaxation, which led to sudden rupture of the cemented gouge. This phenomenon may be responsible for cyclic rupture of natural faults. New mineral phases were produced in these experiments only at 600°C. At 400°C, anticipated production of pyrophyllite from kaolinite plus quartz was not found, but recrystallization of kaolinite is believed to have occurred and evidence of healing of cracks in quartz was seen. Microstructural studies revealed the ubiquitous development of P and R₁ foliations and other features, which are identical to those found in natural clay-bearing fault zones. Microstructural evolution is associated with the strain-hardening, and apparent hardening is strongly associated with the stress path during loading.