Microstructures and deformation mechanisms in Opalinus Clay: insights from scaly clay from the Main Fault in the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory (CH)

Laurich, Ben; Urai, Janos L.; Nussbaum, Christophe

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-27-2017

Articles | Volume 8, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-27-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-27-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 8, issue 1

Research article

|

10 Jan 2017

Research article |

| 10 Jan 2017

Microstructures and deformation mechanisms in Opalinus Clay: insights from scaly clay from the Main Fault in the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory (CH)

Ben Laurich, Janos L. Urai, and Christophe Nussbaum

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Final revised paper (published on 10 Jan 2017)
Supplement to the final revised paper
Preprint (discussion started on 11 Jul 2016)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

RC1: 'Review of: "Microstructures and deformation mechanisms in Opalinus Clay: insights from scaly clay from the Main Fault in the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory (CH)” (se-2016-94) by B. Laurich, J.L. Urai, C. Nussbaum', Anonymous Referee #1, 26 Jul 2016
RC2: 'Review of: "Microstructures and deformation mechanisms in Opalinus Clay: insights from scaly clay from the Main Fault in the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory (CH)” (se-2016-94) by B. Laurich et al.', Werner Graesle, 03 Aug 2016
AC1: 'Reply to the reviewers', Ben Laurich, 22 Sep 2016
AC2: 'Revised manuscript', Ben Laurich, 22 Sep 2016
AC3: 'Supplement data', Ben Laurich, 22 Sep 2016

Short summary

Scaly clay is a well-known rock fabric that can develop in tectonic systems and that can alter the physical rock properties of a formation. However, the internal microstructure and evolution of this fabric remain poorly understood. We examined the scaly microstructure of progressively faulted Opalinus Clay using optical as well as scanning electron microscopy. We show that as little as 1 vol.% in scaly clay aggregates is strained and present an evolutionary model for this.