Mechanics of Fracture Growth (>5 weeks)

9/7:           Course Introduction

Why do we care about fractures?

notes: Chapter 1 Introduction to fractures in the earth, Pollard

What do fractures in rock look like? (slide show)

Mode of fracture

9/14:         Lecture: How can we distinguish opening mode and sliding mode fractures

Geometry of joints, solution features and faults

notes:  Physical Characteristics of Fractures and Fracture Patterns, Committee on Fracture Characterization and Fluid Flow, National Academy Press, 1996.

9/16:         Field trip to local outcrops 9 am - 5pm  (Field Trip report due Friday 9/22)

9/18          Lab:  What do Fractures look like?

Notes will be handed out in Lab

Maps, slides, aerial photos and hand samples

9/19          Presentation of fracture map interpretations

Paper: Pollard and Aydin (1988) pp. 1181 - 1195 (stop at ÔMechanics of JointingÕ subsection).

9/21          Lecture: Failure of intact rock

notes: Chapter 2 Theoretical Strength of Rock, Pollard

9/25:         Lab: Set up Uniaxial Compression Experiment

Sample preparation and description

Work on Failure exercise that is due October 2

9/26:         Lecture: Failure of Intact Rock

notes: Chapter 2 Theoretical Strength of Rock, Pollard

9/28:         Lecture: Initiation of fractures

notes: Chapter 3 Griffith Criteria for Fractures, Pollard

Paper: Crider and Peacock, Initiation of brittle faults in the upper crust: a review of field observations <download from ftp site ftp://eclogite.geo.umass.edu/pub/cooke/geo361/>

10/2          Lab: Uniaxial Compression Testing of samples.

Remaining time to work on testing report and problems sets

10/3:         Lecture: Growth of fractures from flaws

notes: Chapter 3 Griffith Criteria for Fractures, Pollard

Fracture Initiation exercise due 10/10

10/5:         Lecture: Propagation of fractures

notes: Chapter 7 and 8 Fracture Propagation, Pollard

Paper: Pollard and Aydin (1988) pg 1195 Ð 1195-1202 (start at Mechanics of Jointing subsection).

Fracture Propagation exercise due 10/17

10/10:       Lecture: Termination of fractures

Cooke and Underwood, JSG <download from ftp site ftp://eclogite.geo.umass.edu/pub/cooke/geo361/>

10/11:       (UMass Monday) Lab: Propagating faults in a sandbox

10/12:       Lecture: Fracture network analysis

10/17:       Lecture: Fracture network analysis

Paper(s) on joint network analysis (to be chosen by presenters)

10/16:       Lab: Analysis of Joint sets at Door County and other regions (Marlboro Quad?)