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Riding the Right Wavelet: Quantifying Scale Transitions in Fractured Rocks
Author(s) -
Rizzo Roberto E.,
Healy David,
Farrell Natalie J.,
Heap Michael J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl075784
Subject(s) - geology , fracture (geology) , shear (geology) , wavelet , brittleness , nucleation , volcano , scale (ratio) , landslide , seismology , geotechnical engineering , petrology , materials science , composite material , computer science , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence
The mechanics of brittle failure is a well‐described multiscale process that involves a rapid transition from distributed microcracks to localization along a single macroscopic rupture plane. However, considerable uncertainty exists regarding both the length scale at which this transition occurs and the underlying causes that prompt this shift from a distributed to a localized assemblage of cracks or fractures. For the first time, we used an image analysis tool developed to investigate orientation changes at different scales in images of fracture patterns in faulted materials, based on a two‐dimensional continuous wavelet analysis. We detected the abrupt change in the fracture pattern from distributed tensile microcracks to localized shear failure in a fracture network produced by triaxial deformation of a sandstone core plug. The presented method will contribute to our ability of unraveling the physical processes at the base of catastrophic rock failure, including the nucleation of earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions.