Pruebas morfológicas y estructurales sobre el origen de las fracturas de descamación

Abstract

Sheet fractures are well and widely developed in massive rocks, i.e., rocks lacking other partings, and they have been discussed in the literature for more than a century. Yet there is no agreement as to their origino Two contrasted interpretations hold sway. Almost without exception, geologist adhere to the pressure release or erosional offloading hypothesis. Engineers and engineering geologist, on the other hand, interpret sheet partings as buckling, i.e., crumpling or bending out of plane, related to compressive stresses, particularly lateral stresses. After a review of nomenclature and a description of the characteristics of sheet fractures, a critique of previous explanations of their origin is presented. What are perceived to be critical lines of structural and morphological evidence, bearing on the origin of sheet fracture are next reviewed, and this is followed by a discusion of the possible origins of the structures.