A Discussion on natural strain and geological structure - Chemical aspects of rock deformation

Abstract

Studies of the rates of crystal growth at low supersaturations show that solutiongrowth processes may be dominant in the mechanism of deformation of wet rocks at very low values of differential stress. Strain rates in the order of 10-11 s"1 may be attained with differential stresses of 10 MPa. Rocks undergoing progressive burial metamorphism will pass through depth-temperature regions where fluids are generated and new phases developed. During such discontinuous dehydration bursts, the rocks will be porous and permeable and of low strength. When rocks are not dehydrating, or absorbing pore fluids as during uplift, solid-state deformation mechanisms may predominate.