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The evolution of crack seal vein and fracture networks in an evolving stress field: Insights from Discrete Element Models of fracture sealing
Author(s) -
Virgo Simon,
Abe Steffen,
Urai Janos L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: solid earth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.983
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 2169-9356
pISSN - 2169-9313
DOI - 10.1002/2014jb011520
Subject(s) - geology , stress field , rock mass classification , deformation (meteorology) , stress (linguistics) , fracture (geology) , geotechnical engineering , finite element method , structural engineering , engineering , linguistics , oceanography , philosophy
Abstract Veins are ubiquitous in upper and middle crustal rocks. Due to strength and stiffness contrast to the host rock, veins can influence crack propagation. Here we present Discrete Element Models to investigate crack‐vein interactions by simulating cycles of fracturing of a rock mass, sealing the cracks to form veins, and refracturing the rock mass after rotating the stress field. We observe different styles of interaction between new fractures and existing veins, depending on the strength ratio between vein and host rock and on the changes in the stress field between the different deformation stages. If the orientation of stress field does not change between deformation stages, ataxial crack seal veins are produced if the veins are weak and a bundle of subparallel microveins if the veins are strong. If the stress field is rotated between deformation stages, the interactions include reactivation, fracture deflection, and crosscutting. Reactivation of weak veins occurs even if the vein orientation is highly unfavorable relative to the stress field. Relays of fractures between reactivated veins form at a higher angle to the veins than expected. This demonstrates that the orientation of secondary veins does not reflect the regional stress field in a simple manner and that veins can strongly influence fracture connectivity, with implications for paleostress analysis and basin modeling. Simulation results compare well with field examples of multiphase vein networks in carbonates from Jebel Akhdar, Oman.