Articles | Volume 8, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-27-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-27-2017
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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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.