ES3101: Advanced Structural Geology

Lecture 13: Special states of Strain

Reference: Fossen, Chapter 2

Special States of Strain

Progressive Pure Shear:Constant volume plane strain. X>1; Y=1; Z<1
Shortening in one direction
gets balanced with
extension in perpendicular
direction

Principal axes of finite strain always parallel to/coaxial with principal axes of
instantaneous strain coaxial deformation.

Special States of Strain

Pure Shear: Constant volume plane strain. X>1; Y=1; Z<1

Preserves area/
volume

Special States of Strain

Progressive Pure Shear: Constant volume plane strain. X>1; Y=1; Z<1
Principal axes of finite strain always parallel to/coaxial with principal axes of
instantaneous strain coaxial deformation.

Material lines of all other orientations in the plane of strain are rotated toward
X
Two orientations of line in the plane of strain have the same length as their
initial length lines of no finite extension/Lines of unchanged length (LUL)

 Lines rotate both clockwise & counterclockwise

in a symmetric pattern about ISA

Lines can rotate from shortening to lengthening

field but not vice-versa

Special States of Strain

Simple Shear: Constant volume plane strain. s1>1; s2=1, s3<1

Displacement of all material particles is parallel to the shear plane

Lines parallel to shear plane do not deform or rotate
Two orientations of line of LUL; one of them parallel to the shear plane

Special States of Strain

Simple Shear: Constant volume plane strain. s1>1; s2=1, s3<1

Displacement of all material particles is parallel to the shear plane

Two orientations of line of LUL; one of them parallel to the shear plane

Simple Shear
-- Principal axes of finite strain rotate w.r.t. those of instantaneous strain
(noncoaxial progressive deformation)

 Material lines rotate faster than axes of

strain ellipse

Lines parallel to shear plane do not deform or

rotate

Sense of rotation of lines (or planes) is same

for any line orientation
Lines can rotate from shortening to
lengthening field but not vice-versa

States of Strain
Subsimple Shear/ General Shear
Spectrum of planar deformation between Pure and Simple shear

Simple shear + Pure Shear

Simple & Pure Shear and their scale-dependence