23: Strain fields

Formulae such as those given at the end of this chapter,

which allow calculation of strains for individual lines from
the components of the strain or deformation tensors, are
given by Fung (1969, pp. 96, 103-104) and Malvern (1969,
pp. 164-166).

~~ _St_r_ai_n_F_i_el_d_s__________________________

A field is a space, with each point of which there is

associated a quantity of some kind. The quantity
may be a scalar quantity (as in a density field), a
vector quantity (as in a displacement field), or a
tensor quantity (as in a stress field). Strain fields,
like stress fields, are tensor fields.

Homogeneous A field is homogeneous if the quantity is identical

strain fields at every point. Thus a homogeneous strain field
is a field at each point of which all components of
the strain tensor are identical. This kind of strain
field, often termed a "homogeneous strain" for
short, corresponds to what we have been calling a
homogeneous deformation (a deformation in which
all initially straight lines remain straight).
Ideally homogeneous strain fields do not exist
in rock bodies. There are always variations in the
material properties of rocks from point to point,
and these lead ultimately to variations in the
strain from point to point. Thus in Figure 23.1
there are conspicuous departures from homogene-
ous strain. On the scale of the beds there are folds,
and on the scale of the grains there are deforma-
tion bands. However, if we look at regions in the
undeformed rock that are large compared with the
grains, yet small compared with the scale of bedding,
then such regions may undergo a deformation that
is approximately homogeneous. By this we mean
that perfectly straight lines in the undeformed rock
W. D. Means, Stress and Strain
215
© Springer-Verlag New York Inc. 1976
Part III: Deformation of rocks

--
---_
=::f'Gii:>
. ..".".,.

i~i§~~_=§ Bedding

Figure 23.1 Departures from homogeneous strain on the

scale of bedding and on the scale of individual mica grains.

remain perfectly straight so long as we overlook

many local irregularities (Figure 23.2). This is the
sense in which a geological deformation can be
called a homogeneous deformation.

Inhomogeneous Strain field around a fold. A fold occupies a region

strain fields that has been inhomogeneously deformed, so that
initially straight lines have become curved or folded.
The coordinate transformations representing such a
deformation must contain one or more nonlinear
terms. Figure 23.3 shows an undeformed layer
(Figure 23.3a, b) and a fold (Figure 23.3c, d) that

216