ALBERT

Description: 〈span〉〈div〉Summary〈/div〉The dynamics of dyke emplacement are typically modeled by assuming an elastic rheology for the host rock. However, the resulting stress field predicts significant shear failure in the region surrounding the dyke tip. Here, we model the dyking process in an elastic-perfectly plastic host rock in order to simulate distributed shear fracturing and subsequent frictional slip on the fracture surfaces. The fluid mechanical aspects of the magma are neglected as we are interested only in the fracture mechanics of the process. Magma overpressure in dykes is typically of the same order of magnitude as the yield stress of the host rock in shear, especially when the pressure effect of volatiles exsolving from the magma is taken into account. Under these conditions, the plastic deformation zone has spatial dimensions that approach the length of the dyke itself, and concepts based on linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) no longer apply. As incremental plasticity is path dependent, we describe two geologically meaningful endmember cases, namely dyke propagation at constant driving pressure, and gradual inflation of a pre-existing crack. For both models, we find that plastic deformation surrounding the fracture tip enhances dyke opening, and thus increases the energy input into the system due to pressure work integrated over the fracture wall. At the same time, energy is dissipated by plastic deformation. Dissipation in the propagation model is greater by about an order of magnitude than it is in the inflation model because the propagating dyke tip leaves behind it a broad halo of deformation due to plastic bending and unbending in the relict process zone. The net effect is that plastic deformation impedes dyke growth in the propagation model, while it enhances dyke growth in the inflation model. The results show that, when the plastic failure zone is large, a single parameter such as fracture toughness is unable to capture the physics that underpin the resistance of a fracture or dyke against propagation. In these cases, plastic failure has to be modeled explicitly for the given conditions. We provide analytical approximations for the propagation forces and the maximum dyke aperture for the two endmember cases, that is, the propagating dyke and the dyke formed by inflation of a crack. Furthermore, we show that the effect of plasticity on dyke energetics, together with an overestimate of magma pressure when interpreting dyke aspect ratios using elastic host rock models, offers a possible explanation for the long-standing paradox that laboratory measurements of fracture toughness of rocks consistently indicate values about two orders of magnitude lower than those derived from dyke observations.〈/span〉

Description: 〈span〉〈div〉SUMMARY〈/div〉Magmas and other viscously deforming fluids in the Earth frequently contain embedded crystals or other solid inclusions. These inclusions generally rotate about their own axis and, under certain conditions, align themselves in a direction dictated by the details of the flow. This rotational behaviour has been studied extensively for homogeneous flows. Here, we couple the crystal rotation dynamics with the fluid mechanical Navier–Stokes equations for the large-scale flow, thus allowing the analysis of crystal rotations in settings that are variable in both space and time. The solution is valid provided that the intercrystal spacing is sufficiently large to preclude interaction between crystals. Additionally, we derive an evolution equation for the probability density function (PDF) of crystal orientations based on the fundamental concept of conservation of generic properties in continuum mechanics. The resulting system of equations is extensively tested against previous analytical and numerical solutions. Given the focus on method validation, we limit the fluid mechanics to simple systems with analytical solutions for the velocity field. Even for the simple examples computed, all of which are characterized by fluid flow that is constant in time, the crystal orientation patterns are spatially complex and change in time. Pressure-driven flow in a channel results in coherent bands of crystal orientations with band thickness decreasing towards the channel walls. In corner flow constrained by two mutually perpendicular walls, the pattern of crystal orientations does not exhibit any significant similarity with the flow field. Given that there is no local one-to-one correspondence between the flow and the PDF pattern, a combined and larger-scale solution of the two systems is generally required. The simple flow examples shown demonstrate the viability of this new approach. Application to more complex flow geometries which may commonly occur in nature is deferred to future studies.〈/span〉

Description: 〈span〉〈div〉SUMMARY〈/div〉The dynamics of dyke emplacement are typically modelled by assuming an elastic rheology for the host rock. However, the resulting stress field predicts significant shear failure in the region surrounding the dyke tip. Here, we model the dyking process in an elastic-perfectly plastic host rock in order to simulate distributed shear fracturing and subsequent frictional slip on the fracture surfaces. The fluid mechanical aspects of the magma are neglected as we are interested only in the fracture mechanics of the process. Magma overpressure in dykes is typically of the same order of magnitude as the yield stress of the host rock in shear, especially when the pressure effect of volatiles exsolving from the magma is taken into account. Under these conditions, the plastic deformation zone has spatial dimensions that approach the length of the dyke itself, and concepts based on linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) no longer apply. As incremental plasticity is path dependent, we describe two geologically meaningful endmember cases, namely dyke propagation at constant driving pressure, and gradual inflation of a pre-existing crack. For both models, we find that plastic deformation surrounding the fracture tip enhances dyke opening, and thus increases the energy input into the system due to pressure work integrated over the fracture wall. At the same time, energy is dissipated by plastic deformation. Dissipation in the propagation model is greater by about an order of magnitude than it is in the inflation model because the propagating dyke tip leaves behind it a broad halo of deformation due to plastic bending and unbending in the relict process zone. The net effect is that plastic deformation impedes dyke growth in the propagation model, while it enhances dyke growth in the inflation model. The results show that, when the plastic failure zone is large, a single parameter such as fracture toughness is unable to capture the physics that underpin the resistance of a fracture or dyke against propagation. In these cases, plastic failure has to be modelled explicitly for the given conditions. We provide analytical approximations for the propagation forces and the maximum dyke aperture for the two endmember cases, that is, the propagating dyke and the dyke formed by inflation of a crack. Furthermore, we show that the effect of plasticity on dyke energetics, together with an overestimate of magma pressure when interpreting dyke aspect ratios using elastic host rock models, offers a possible explanation for the long-standing paradox that laboratory measurements of fracture toughness of rocks consistently indicate values about two orders of magnitude lower than those derived from dyke observations.〈/span〉

Description: 〈span〉〈div〉Summary〈/div〉Magmas and other viscously deforming fluids in the Earth frequently contain embedded crystals or other solid inclusions. These inclusions generally rotate about their own axis and, under certain conditions, align themselves in a direction dictated by the details of the flow. This rotational behavior has been studied extensively for homogeneous flows. Here, we couple the crystal rotation dynamics with the fluid mechanical Navier-Stokes equations for the large-scale flow, thus allowing the analysis of crystal rotations in settings that are variable in both space and time. The solution is valid provided that the inter-crystal spacing is sufficiently large to preclude interaction between crystals. Additionally, we derive an evolution equation for the probability density function (PDF) of crystal orientations based on the fundamental concept of conservation of generic properties in continuum mechanics. The resulting system of equations is extensively tested against previous analytical and numerical solutions. Given the focus on method validation, we limit the fluid mechanics to simple systems with analytical solutions for the velocity field. Even for the simple examples computed, all of which are characterized by fluid flow that is constant in time, the crystal orientation patterns are spatially complex and change in time. Pressure-driven flow in a channel results in coherent bands of crystal orientations with band thickness decreasing towards the channel walls. In corner flow constrained by two mutually perpendicular walls, the pattern of crystal orientations does not exhibit any significant similarity with the flow field. Given that there is no local one-to-one correspondence between the flow and the PDF pattern, a combined and larger-scale solution of the two systems is generally required. The simple flow examples shown demonstrate the viability of this new approach. Application to more complex flow geometries which may commonly occur in nature is deferred to future studies.〈/span〉