Some size dependent properties of joints and faults

Marked strength‐size effects are observed when joints are subjected to shear. This is due to the mobilization of larger, but less steeply inclined asperities as sample size is increased. The displacement required to mobilize strength is also increased by the changing size of sample. These observed size effects indicate that large scale tests should be performed to obtain realistic data concerning shear behavior, dilation, and associated permeability changes.