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Fracture spacing and its relation to bed thickness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

Qin Huang and
J. Angelier
Qin Huang
Affiliation:
Tectonique Quantitative, Département de géologie Structurale, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France
J. Angelier
Affiliation:
Tectonique Quantitative, Département de géologie Structurale, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France
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Abstract

Using examples from the Gulf of Suez and southeastern France, the distribution of tension tectonic joints as well as shear tectonic joints in continuous profiles is shown to fit a Gamma distribution. The parameters of this distribution are determined using the maximum likelihood method. Apparent fit with negative exponential distribution in photointerpretation analysis results from lack of resolution. The average joint spacing is directly proportional to bed thickness; it decreases when the degree of rock consolidation increases.

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Type
Articles
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Geological Magazine , Volume 126 , Issue 4 , July 1989, pp. 355 - 362
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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