Though fractures (joints) are very common and have been studied widely, they are still the most enigmatic geologic structures. This book accepts this challenge and sets the problem on new footing. The method presented uses fingerprints of fracture surface morphology (fractography) as a tool in resolving outstanding questions on jointing. As fractures are essential for the characterization of rock deformation, and for inferring the past and present states of stress in them, they are also very useful in a variety of applications. The flow of ore-forming solutions and the migration paths of oil, gas, and water are controlled by intricate joint systems. Engineers designing large buildings, bridges, dams, or tunnels, and environmentalists who guard the safety of waste repositories must also consider the surface and subsurface fracture properties of the rock. This monograph on structural geology, soil and rock mechanics and petrography is intended for scientists, researchers, and post-graduate students.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction to Fracture.- 1.1 Basic Concepts of Elastic Fracture.- 1.1.1 The Stress Concentration Factor.- 1.1.2 The Griffith Energy-Balance Concept.- 1.1.3 Obreimoff's Experiment.- 1.1.4 Fracture Mechanics.- 1.1.5 The Maximum ??? Criterion.- 1.1.6 Fracture in Compression.- 1.1.7 Experimental.- 1.2 Plastic Zones Ahead of the Crack.- 1.2.1 Introduction.- 1.2.2 Various Manifestations of the Plastic Zone.- 1.2.3 The Size of the Plastic Zone in Silicate Glasses.- 1.2.4 Plane Strain and Plane Stress.- 1.2.5 Secondary Cracks in the Plastic Zone.- 1.2.6 The Damage Zone.- 1.3 Atomistic Concepts of the Crack Tip.- 1.3.1 Thomson's Three Prototypes.- 1.3.2 The LRT Atomistic Surface Force Model.- 1.3.3 The Dissociative Chemisorption Model.- 1.4 Kinetic Processes in Fracture.- 1.4.1 Subcritical Crack Growth.- 1.4.2 Failure Prediction.- 1.4.3 Supercritical Crack Velocities.- 1.4.4 Fracture Branching.- 1.5 Microstructural Aspects of Fracture in Polycrystalline (Grainy) Materials.- 1.5.1 General.- 1.5.2 Dependence of Mechanical Properties on Microstructure.- 1.5.3 Crack Shielding.- 1.5.4 Fracture in Concrete.- 1.5.5 Limitations and Deviations from Simple Microstructure-Strength Relationship.- 1.6 Fracture in Rocks.- 1.6.1 Joint Initiation Stage.- 1.6.2 Joint Propagation.- 1.6.3 Joint Arrest.- 2 Fractography in Technical Materials.- 2.1 Fracture Surface Morphology - Basic Geometry.- 2.1.1 Introduction.- 2.1.2 Fracture Categories.- 2.1.3 The Quantitative Mirror Plane.- 2.1.4 Crack Branching.- 2.2 Terminology.- 2.3 Applied Fractography.- 2.3.1 Fractography as a Tool of Fracture Diagnosis in Glass Bottles.- 2.3.2 The Fractography of Metal Failures.- 2.3.3 Fractography in Polymethylmethacrylate.- 3 Rock Fractography.- 3.1 Fracture Markings on Joint Surfaces.- 3.1.1 Early Studies.- 3.1.2 Plumes and Related Structures.- 3.1.3 Rib Markings.- 3.1.4 Combined Markings of Plumes and Ribs.- 3.1.5 Affinities of Specific Joint Markings to Certain Joint Directions.- 3.1.6 The Fringe.- 3.1.7 Discoid Radial and Ring Joints.- 3.1.8 Fracture Mechanisms.- 3.1.9 Fracture Markings in Thermally Deformed Rocks and in Granite.- 3.2 Induced Fracturing in Rocks.- 3.2.1 Controlled Laboratory Conditions.- 3.2.2 Fractography Induced by Coring.- 3.2.3 Markings Induced by Quarryin.- 4 Characterization and Classification of Fracture Surface Morphology in Geologic Formations.- 4.1 Qualitative Characterization of Fracture Surface Markings.- 4.1.1 Descriptive Parameters of Fracture Surface Markings.- 4.2 Quantitative Characterization of Fracture Surface Markings.- 4.2.1 Measureable Parameters of Fracture Surface Markings.- 4.3 Classification of Fracture Surface Markings.- 5 Tectonofractography.- 5.1 Application of Joint Surface Morphology in Tectonics.- 5.1.1 Assumptions.- 5.1.2 Problems Involved in the Transition from Material Science to Tectonophysics.- 5.2 Burial Jointing.- 5.2.1 Early Burial Joints in Lower Eocene Chalks Near Beer Sheva.- 5.2.2 Jointing in Middle Eocene Chalks South of Beer Sheva.- 5.2.3 Burial Joints and Syntectonic Joints in the Appalachian Plateau, U.S.A..- 5.2.4 Common Features of Burial Joints.- 5.3 Syntectonic Jointing.- 5.3.1 Syntectonic Jointing in Santonian Chalks, Israel.- 5.3.2 Upper Cretaceous Chalks in East France.- 5.3.3 Upper Cretaceous Chalks in South England.- 5.3.4 Upper Palaeozoic Fractures in Shales of the Appalachian Plateau, New York.- 5.3.5 Jointing in the Entrada Sandstone, Utah.- 5.3.6 Syntectonic Jointing in Association with Fault Termination.- 5.3.7 Syntectonic Joints Related to Unfolding.- 5.3.8 Syntectonic Discoidal Fracturing in Flint Clays.- 5.3.9 Characteristic Features of Syntectonic Joints.- 5.4 Uplift Jointing.- 5.4.1 Burial Joints and Uplift Joints in Lower Eocene Chalks Around Beer Sheva.- 5.4.2 Uplift Joints in Middle Eocene Chalks and Limestones from the Northern Negev (Southern Israel).- 5.4.3 Unloading and Release Joints from the Appalachian Plateau, U.S.A..- 5.4.4 Sequential Formation of Uplift Joints.- 5.4.5 Vertical Propagation of Uplift Joints.- 5.4.6 Orthogonal Joint Sets.- 5.4.7 Fracture Markings on Horizontal Surfaces.- 5.4.8 Common Features of Uplift Joints.- 5.5 Post Uplift Jointing.- 5.6 Comparison of Jointing During the Three Major Tectonic Phases: a Summary.- 5.6.1 Spatial Characters of the Joint Plane.- 5.6.2 Fracture Surface Markings.- 5.7 Propagation, Opening, Mineralization and Joint Intensity of the Various Joint Types.- 5.7.1 Propagation, Opening and Mineralization.- 5.7.2 Joint Intensity.- 5.8 Approximate Maximum Depths at Which Various Joint Types Develop.- 5.9 Fracture Interaction.- 5.9.1 Extents of Joint Interaction.- 5.9.2 Conditions of Joint Interaction.- 5.9.3 Interaction Mechanisms of Experimental Cracks and Faults.- 5.9.4 Extensional Branching of Faults.- References.