This book provides an introduction into the mechanics of faulting in the brittle crust of the Earth. It developed from my annual two-semester course on tectono mechanics for graduate students of engineering geology and of rock engineering at the Technical University of Graz (Austria). In this course, it is not my task to present a broad exposition and geometrical description of geological structures, but rather to focus on the mechanical processes that produce the structures. Although this was also the aim of my former book "Mechanics of Tectonic Faulting - Models and Basic Concepts" (1988, Elsevier), henceforth referred to as MTF, the present book is different in organisation and content, in order to meet the requirements of the courses and to include more recent developments. Instead of following the traditional subdivision into extensional, compressional and strike-slip faulting, the presentation focuses on mechanical aspects of tectonic faulting that are common to various, or even all types of tectonic faults in the brittle regime. In this way, geometrically disparate or dissimilar fault structures may be revealed as closely related by the underlying mechanical process, and complex structures may be better understood. It may be useful to indicate how the chapters in the book are organised. The first three chapters are an introduction to rock mechanics, tailored to applications in geology. It also presents the extremely useful graphical method of Mohr's stress circle, which is freely used throughout the book to keep the mathematics to an absolute minimum.

Fault and Joint Development in Brittle and Semi-brittle Rock deals with theories of fault and joint development in rock when they behave as brittle or semi-brittle material. The book contains three chapters, the first of which deals with some of the concepts and criteria of brittle failure along with an attempt to define limits of temperature and pressure below which rocks may behave in a brittle or semi-brittle manner. The second and third chapters discuss the application of these concepts of brittle failure and elastic theory to the problems of faulting and jointing, respectively. It is emphasized that since this book deals with theoretical aspects of structural geology it is concerned with generalizations and approximations. It must be left to the reader to decide how closely these theories approximate to any particular field data. This book is primarily intended for senior undergraduates and postgraduates in geology interested in the interpretation of geological structures. It may also be of interest to some mining and civil engineers.

Fault and Joint Development: In Brittle and Semi-Brittle Rock details the theoretical concepts about fault and joint development in rock when they behave as brittle or semi-brittle material. The title first covers the concepts and criteria of brittle failure, along with the limits of temperature and pressure below which rocks may behave in a brittle or semi-brittle manner. Next, the selection details the application of the concepts of brittle failure and elastic theory to the problems of faulting and jointing. The book will be of great use to undergraduate students of geology and its related degrees. The text will also serve professionals in geological disciplines as a reference.

This text comprises different basic aspects of brittle failure for rocks. It considers classical and contemporary models, as well as failure patterns under different loading schemes.

Rock fractures control many of Earth's dynamic processes, including plate-boundary development, tectonic earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and fluid transport in the crust. An understanding of rock fractures is also essential for effective exploitation of natural resources such as ground water, geothermal water, and petroleum. This book combines results from fracture mechanics, materials science, rock mechanics, structural geology, hydrogeology, and fluid mechanics to explore and explain fracture processes and fluid transport in the crust. Basic concepts are developed from first principles and illustrated with worked examples linking models of geological processes to real field observations and measurements. Many additional examples and exercises are provided online, allowing readers to practise formulating and quantitative testing of models. Rock Fractures in Geological Processes is designed for courses at the advanced undergraduate and graduate level but also forms a vital resource for researchers and industry professionals concerned with fractures and fluid transport in the Earth's crust.

This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses.