Power-law relationship between joint spacing and bed thickness in sedimentary rocks and implications for layered rock mechanics

2021 ◽  
pp. 104413
Author(s):  
Shaocheng Ji ◽  
Le Li ◽  
Denis Marcotte
Keyword(s):  
Rock Mechanics ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Joint Spacing ◽  
Layered Rock ◽  
Bed Thickness

Relationship between joint spacing and bed thickness in sedimentary rocks: effects of interbed slip

1998 ◽  
Vol 135 (5) ◽  
pp. 637-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHAOCHENG JI ◽  
ZHEMING ZHU ◽  
ZICHAO WANG
Keyword(s):  
Shear Strength ◽  
Fracture Strength ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Tensile Fracture ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
Joint Spacing ◽  
Tensile Fracture Strength ◽  
Mechanical Models ◽  
Bed Thickness ◽  
The Relationship

This paper consists of three parts. The first part presents a critical review of previous mechanical models on the relationship between joint spacing (s) and bed thickness (t) in sedimentary rocks. The second part describes a new mechanical model dealing with the effects of interbed slip on joint spacing. The third part presents the comparison between theoretical results of the model and joint data measured from Cambrian flysch sediments at Plage Victor in the Saint-Jean-Port-Joli area of the Quebec Appalachians. This study demonstrates two formation mechanisms of tensile joints: near-end fracturing takes place in the layers with smaller tensile fracture strength (C0<30 MPa) and smaller interbed shear strength (τ0<20 MPa) while mid-point fracturing occurs in those layers with larger C0 (>50 MPa) and τ0(>30 MPa) values. For the rocks with moderate tensile fracture strength (30<C0<50 MPa) and interbed shear strength (20<τ0<30 MPa), the near-end fracturing and mid-point fracturing take place preferentially in the thicker and thinner brittle layers, respectively. In the regime of near-end fracturing, the correlation between s and t is linear and independent of the thickness of the bounding non-jointing layers (d). In the regime of mid-point fracturing, however, the s–t relationship can be either linear or non-linear, depending on the variation of d value. The present study also suggests that the near-end fracturing is probably the prevailing process for the formation of tensile joints in bedded sedimentary rocks and that the coefficient of joint spacing (K) defined by the ratio of s to t is considered as an indicator of C0/(2τ0) for the jointed layer.

scholarly journals THE USE OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS IN THE LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY OF SUBMARINE FAN DEPOSITS. AN EXAMPLE FROM SOUTHEAST GREECE (KARPATHOS ISLAND)

2006 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
G. Pantopoulos ◽  
P. Konstantopoulos ◽  
A. Maravelis ◽  
A. Zelilidis
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Source Information ◽  
Submarine Fan ◽  
Submarine Fans ◽  
The Past ◽  
Bed Thickness ◽  
Turbidite Sedimentation

Examples of various types of statistical analysis of submarine fan bed thickness distributions that have been proposed in the past are reported, as well as an example of their application in Late Eocene-Oligocene submarine fan deposits of SE Greece (Karpathos Island). Generally, the sandstone bed thickness data measured in two outcrops of Karpathos submarine fans seems to follow power law (fractal) cumulative distributions. A deviation from the power law was observed as amalgamationprocedures become more frequent. These observations gave important information about Tertiary turbidite sedimentation in the area which probably was punctuated and had a single main sediment source. Information taken from statistical analysis of submarine fans bed thickness data has immediate applicability in hydrocarbon exploration because sandstones constitute ideal reservoirs.

Perimeter‐area power‐law relationship of pores in sedimentary rocks and implications for permeability

1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Schlueter ◽  
R. W. Zimmerman ◽  
N. G. W. Cook ◽  
P. A. Witherspoon
Keyword(s):  
Power Law ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Relationship Of

scholarly journals A Vertical Joint Spacing Calculation Method for UDEC Modeling of Large-Scale Strata and Its Influence on Mining-Induced Surface Subsidence

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13313
Author(s):  
Yaqiang Gong ◽  
Guangli Guo ◽  
Guojian Zhang ◽  
Kaikai Guo ◽  
Qiu Du ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Calculation Method ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Surface Subsidence ◽  
Mining Subsidence ◽  
Joint Spacing ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Fundamental Knowledge ◽  
Bed Thickness ◽  
Modeling Strategy ◽  
Vertical Joint

While universal discrete element code (UDEC) is widely used for understanding the mechanism of large-scale strata movement and the effects of mining subsidence on the environment, the fundamental knowledge of how to set vertical joint spacing (VJS) in UDEC is still not fully understood. To address the knowledge gap, we first present a novel VJS calculation method, then conduct UDEC experiments, and finally compare the predictions of UDEC models with field subsidence observation. The results suggest the following: (1) when compared to the conventional VJS setting (1× to 3× bed thickness), the maximum surface subsidence (MSS) prediction via UDEC models based on our proposed VJS setting method is closer to field observation; (2) a smaller but varying VJS setting can also have the effect of a larger VJS setting; and (3) with the increase in VJS, MSS first drops, then rises, and reaches the minimum when VJS is set at approximately 7× bed thickness. This paper provides an explanation of the VJS setting in UDEC and establishes a bridge between the KS theory and VJS, which is helpful for the sustainable development of such an UDEC modeling strategy and for a better understanding of the influences of mining subsidence on the environment in mining-affected areas.

scholarly journals APPLICATION OF BED THICKNESS DISTRIBUTIONS IN TURBIDITE DEPOSITS OF LEMNOS ISLAND, NE GREECE

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 154
Author(s):  
A. Maravelis ◽  
P. Konstantopoulos ◽  
G. Pantopoulos ◽  
A. Zelilidis
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Distribution ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Thickness Distribution ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Cumulative Frequency ◽  
Cumulative Frequency Distribution ◽  
Submarine Fan ◽  
Early Oligocene ◽  
Power Law Exponent ◽  
Bed Thickness

The submarine fan deposits in Lemnos Island, of the NE Greece provide a perfect opportunity to investigate the influence of processes such as erosion and bed amalgamation in the alternation of the shape of a power-law cumulative frequency distribution. The bed thickness distribution in two outcrops of late Eocene to early Oligocene turbidite deposits that correspond to different sub-environment, has been assessed statistically. Sediments of the outcrop 1 at the SE parts of the Lemnos Island interpreted as outer fan deposits and sediments of the outcrop 2 located at the NE parts of the island as inner fan deposits show both a good fit to the power-law, amplifying the hypothesis that departures from power-law statistics might be used as evidence of erosion and bed amalgamation. The main difference between these two outcrops is that the power law exponent decreases abruptly from outcrop 1 to outcrop 2, confirming with the aspect that the power law exponent can be considered as a good indicator for the available sedimentary space.

scholarly journals APPLICATION OF BEDS THICKNESS DISTRIBUTIONS IN TURBIDITE DEPOSITS OF MAVRI MITI AREA, SW GREECE

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
P. Konstantopoulos ◽  
A. Maravelis ◽  
D. Nikolaidou ◽  
G. Pantopoulos ◽  
A. Zelilidis
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Depositional Environment ◽  
Cumulative Distribution ◽  
Statistical Distributions ◽  
Total Thickness ◽  
Depositional Processes ◽  
Distribution Shape ◽  
Bed Thickness

A physical outcrop, of 100m length and 110 m total thickness studied in combination with sedimentological analysis in detail (stratigraphie sequence, grain size, sedimentological structures) led us to determine the sedimentological environments and the particular subenvironments of each part of the partial stratigraphie sequence which is a proximal depositional environment. The sandstone bed thickness data measured in Mavri Miti area, demonstrates a curved distribution shape in the log-log plots. Where processes such as erosion and bed amalgamation are more significant there was observed a possible deviation from the power-law statistical distributions. The shape of cumulative distribution demonstrates possible proximal fan setting. The above two different approaches shows an agreement in relation to the depositional processes.

Bed-thickness frequency distributions and recurrence intervals of sediment-gravity-flow deposits intercalated in lacustrine varved diatomite: examples from the middle Pleistocene Hiruzenbara Formation, southwest Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (6) ◽  
pp. 561-572
Author(s):  
Hana Sasaki ◽  
Yasunori Sasaki ◽  
Megumi Saito-Kato ◽  
Hajime Naruse ◽  
Yoshiro Ishihara
Keyword(s):  
Power Law ◽  
Slope Failure ◽  
Gravity Flow ◽  
Middle Pleistocene ◽  
Southwest Japan ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Base Section ◽  
Sediment Gravity Flow ◽  
Recurrence Intervals ◽  
Bed Thickness

ABSTRACT Bed-thickness frequency distributions of sediment-gravity-flow deposits, especially turbidites, are one of the major interests of sedimentology. Lognormal, power-law, exponential, and truncated normal distributions have all been proposed for their frequency distributions. Although these frequency distributions have been obtained from many field observations and estimated from statistical models, problems associated with the complexity of sedimentary processes have remained. In this study, bed-thickness frequency distributions and the recurrence intervals of sediment-gravity-flow deposits intercalated in the Pleistocene lacustrine varved diatomite in southwest Japan were analyzed. The results reveal that the bed thicknesses of sediment-gravity-flow deposits induced by different mechanisms show different types of frequency distribution. For example, flood-induced sediment-gravity-flow deposits show power-law-like distributions, whereas such deposits caused by lake-slope-failure show lognormal distributions. The suggestion is that flood-induced types are deposited from floods having a power-law scale. However, the bed thicknesses of the deposits induced by lake-slope-failure do not purely reflect the event scale, because the lateral variation of their thicknesses reflects the depositional processes. The recurrence intervals of both types of event show Poisson-like distributions except for lake-slope-failure deposits at the slope-base section. Despite observed ranges, the distributions of lake-slope-failure deposits at the slope-base section have a high amount of zero value and the recurrence interval show exponentially decreasing. These results suggest that both events were generated randomly, despite different origins. In addition, the incompleteness of the records was also suggested from sediment bypass of a lake-slope-failure event at the slope-base section.

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