• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.115-135
• /
• 2009

We have studied general orientational characteristics of microcracks distributed in Tertiary crystalline tuff from the northeastern part of the Gyeongsang Basin. 108 sets of microcracks on horizontal surfaces of 6 rock samples from Heunghae-eup and Cheongha-myeon, Pohang-si areas were distinguished by image processing. Those microcrack sets show a distinct linear array in 38 images. Whole domain of the directional angle(${\theta}$)-frequency(N) chart for crystalline tuff can be divided into 20 domains in terms of the phases of the distribution of microcracks. From the related chart, microcrack sets show preferred orientation which are coincident with the direction of vertical common joints. Consequently, the potential for macroscopic vertical joints in a rock body can be inferred from the directional angle showing high frequency in each domain of the related chart. This joint pattern is nearly the same in Mesozoic granites from Seokmo-do, Gwanghwa-gun. From the rose diagram for orientations of microcrack in crystalline tuff, orientations of dominant sets of microcracks in terms of frequency orders reflect representative orientations of maximum principal stress acted on crystalline tuff. Meanwhile, orientations of microcracks in crystalline tuff were compared with those of open microcracks in Bulgugsa granites from the southwestern part of the Gyeongsang Basin, and vertical rift/grain planes from Mesozoic granite quarries in Korea. In regional distribution chart, the agreement of distribution pattern between above two types of microcrack sets and vertical planes suggests that microcrack systems developed in crystalline tuff probably occur regionally in Mesozoic granites in Korea.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.206-221
• /
• 2008

We have studied general orientational characteristics of microcracks distributed in Bulgugsa Granites of southwestern Gyeongsang Basin. Microcracks of 131 sets, which were developed on horizontal surfaces of II rock samples collected from Sacheon-Gosung, Geoje-si and Namhae-gun areas, were distinguished by image processing. Then, 45 sets with a distinct linear array on image were sorted out. These microcracks can be comparable with vertical grain planes. Orientations of these microcracks were compared with those of vertical rift and grain planes developed in Cretaceous and Jurassic granites of Korea. In the distribution chart, the agreement of the distribution pattern between microcracks of 45 sets and above vertical planes suggests that microcrack systems developed all over the study area also occur regionally in Cretaceous and Jurassic granites of Korea. Whole domain of the directional angle-frequency chart can be divided into 20 domains in terms of the phases of the distribution of microcracks. Meanwhile, 18 domains from 45 sets of microcracks were compared with the maximum principal stress orientations suggested from previous studies. The majority of maximum principal stress orientations pertain to domain $1{\sim}2$, $5{\sim}6$, $11{\sim}15$, $17{\sim}18$ and $19{\sim}20$, and these domains are coincident with the orientation of the 1st and 2nd-frequency orders represented in a rose diagram for 45 sets of microcracks. Representative orientations of open microcrack reflect the maximum principal stress orientations suggested in previous studies.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
• /
• v.16 no.1 s.47
• /
• pp.12-26
• /
• 2007

We have studied orientational characteristics of vertical rift and grain planes developing in 108 quarries for Mesozoic granites. Orientations of these planes vary in different localities. In general, orientations of these planes are predominantly NNE in South Korea. From the regional distribution chart, orientations of these planes show three dominant sets in terms of frequency orders: (1) $N2{\sim}10^{\circ}E(1st-order),\;(2)\;N15{\sim}25^{\circ}E(2nd-order),\;(3)\;N45{\sim}70^{\circ}E,\;N10{\sim}30^{\circ}W\;and\;N70{\sim}80^{\circ}W(3rd-order)$. These granite quarries are classified by the relative difference in the easiness of rock splitting between horizontal and vertical quarrying planes into: R-type, G-type, and H-type. The results showed that quarries for Triassic granites belong to R and G-types;those for Jurassic granites belong to R, G and H-types. In addition, quarries for Cretaceous granites belong mainly to R-type. Among these quarry types, the most diverse type was identified in the quarries for Jurassic granites. R-type (77.8%) shows a higher distribution ratio compared with G and H-types (22.2%). In general, anisotropy of physical properties is found in granitic rocks and there exists close correlation between orientations of granitic rock splitting planes and those of the open microcracks. Meanwhile, it has been reported that preferred orientations of open microcracks suggest maxinum principal stress orientations.