Rock fracture pattern description is important in civil engineering, engineering geology, and petroleum engineering. Deformability, strength, and stability of a rock mass as well as fluid flow through it are all influenced by fractures. Rock fracture patterns normally cannot be observed completely so different approaches have been used to model them. Geometric models, which use probabilistic processes usually not or only indirectly related to mechanics, are often used for this purpose. Mechanics-based models, on the other hand, can only describe simpler fracture patterns. This research will improve on fracture pattern modeling capabilities, specifically for layer-perpendicular joints in sedimentary rock. Layer-perpendicular joints in sedimentary rock represent relatively simple fracture patterns that are usually confined within a competent layer bounded by ductile non-jointing layers. Field and laboratory studies in the literature suggest that their spacing is related to layer thickness and follows some probability distribution. Laboratory results in the literature also suggest that for a given layer thickness, a limiting joint spacing exists (i.e., joint saturation); this is not apparent in field data.
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