Abstract
Microcrack statistical data required for the modelling of thermophysical properties and failure behavior of rocks have been obtained by a geometric probability approach and by direct measurement on plane sections. A comparison of the two shows that the former is efficient and provides reasonably accurate data on microcrack surface area and its orientational variation. Methods are outlined by which theoretical predictions on stress-induced anisotropy and energetic balance can be compared with quantitative electron microscopy data. The preliminary analysis shows that stress-induced anisotropy predicted by the ‘sliding crack’ model agrees with the stereological data. Energetic considerations indicate that inelastic energy in gabbro samples deformed at pressures above 250 MPa cannot be solely dissipated by tensile microcracking. Plastic energy taken up by kinking instability (involving a plastic strain of several per cents) or frictional dissipation (involving shear slip of several microns) can explain the observations.
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