The Techniques of Modern Structural Geology. Volume 3: Applications of Continuum Mechanics in Structural Geology / Методы современной структурной геологии. Том 3: Применение механики сплошных сред в структурной геологии

Heterogeneous stress involves a variation of states of stress between different points in a body. This session examines the different ways the stress state at a single point is specified. To this end the concepts of the stress ellipsoid and stress tensor are introduced. The consideration of spatial variation in the state of stress involves the idea of stress fields. There are alternative ways of representing stress fields. One approach is to map out the principal stress directions across the body to produce stress trajectories. The distribution of structures through a body is often intimately related to stress trajectory patterns. For this reason the emphasis in this session is placed on the interpretation of such patterns. <...>