Scaling properties of fault rocks

Damage structures in fault zones are well known to exhibit various scaling properties. Typically, previous studies have separated different structural descriptions of localised shear zones in order to extract their scaling properties. In this study, however, we examine simultaneously scaling properties of particles found in shear zones, described here by the particle size distribution power law exponent D, and scaling properties of fracture surface roughness in these same zones, described here by the Hurst exponent, H. We study thin sections of samples of Sidobre granite sheared in the laboratory but left unopened, thereby maintaining the original spatial context of the structures examined. Through spatial analysis we track increase of the particle power law exponent D with increasing local strain state. The Hurst exponent does not show a conclusive trend as a function of the strain state of the fractures for our data set. This article could lead to further work on direct spatial overlap of the two parameters directly along concentrated shear band edges.