Throughgoing fractures in layered carbonate rocks

Research Article| November 01, 2007 Throughgoing fractures in layered carbonate rocks Michael R. Gross; Michael R. Gross 1Department of Earth Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yehuda Eyal Yehuda Eyal 2Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Michael R. Gross 1Department of Earth Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA Yehuda Eyal 2Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 31 May 2006 Revision Received: 16 May 2007 Accepted: 28 May 2007 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 The Geological Society of America, Inc. GSA Bulletin (2007) 119 (11-12): 1387–1404. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(2007)119[1387:TFILCR]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 31 May 2006 Revision Received: 16 May 2007 Accepted: 28 May 2007 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Michael R. Gross, Yehuda Eyal; Throughgoing fractures in layered carbonate rocks. GSA Bulletin 2007;; 119 (11-12): 1387–1404. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(2007)119[1387:TFILCR]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Fracture surveys were conducted across a broad anticline in southern Israel in order to investigate the development and geometries of throughgoing fractures in layered carbonate rocks. At Halukim anticline, throughgoing fractures form by the linkage and coalescence of preexisting, bed-confined joints. Thus the internal morphology of these structures is highly segmented, often consisting of vertically aligned zones of subparallel fractures and bed partings linked together across the stratigraphy. The large population (n = 132) of throughgoing fractures represents a continuum of structures at various stages of development that can be classified into three main geometric categories corresponding to increasing levels of brittle strain: incipient, linked, and linked with aperture. Despite the wide variety of internal morphologies and geometries, the throughgoing fractures display a consistent east-northeast–west-southwest orientation, parallel to a set of bed- confined cross joints. The spatial distribution of throughgoing fractures varies as a function of structural position, the highest frequency and estimated strain intensity being located at the fold crest. Results suggest that throughgoing fractures develop only after a critical level of strain is achieved, as quantified by the density of bed-confined joints. Throughgoing fractures are multilayer structures that may greatly enhance the connectivity of a fracture network; therefore, understanding their formation, geometry, and distribution may contribute to efforts of flow modeling in fractured carbonate rocks. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.