Discussion on rotational tectonic stress field and the genesis of circum-Ordos landmass fault system

When the resultant of applied forces does not pass through the center of an active landmass, the landmass will rotate, giving rise to a rotational tectonic stress field. The motion of a fault along the principal stress plane is de-termined by the mechanic features of the plane. Tensile fractures occur on the faults in the direction of the principal extensional stress plane, and fault-depression basins will be formed under a long-term action. Thrusting and over-thrusting occur on faults in the direction of the principal compressional stress plane, or folds may be formed as a result. Information on geology shows that the North China landmass, which remained stable and intact for a long time, became disjointed in the Eogene period. In the course of disjunction, anticlockwise rotation took place in the Shanxi-Hebei-Shaanxi (Jin-Ji-Shan) landmass, giving rise to the fault-depression system in its periphery. In the Pliocene epoch the landmass lost stability and its eastern boundary moved westward. As a result, the Shanxi gra-ben system appeared and Ordos landmass was formed. Structural and mechanic features of the main faults around Jin-Ji-Shan landmass can be explained with principal stress plane of a rotational tectonic stress field.

A modified maximum tangential tensile stress criterion for three-dimensional crack propagation

The three-dimensional （3D） crack propagation is a hot issue in rock mechanics. To properly simulate 3D crack propagation, a modified maximum tangential tensile stress criterion is proposed. In this modified criterion, it is supposed that cracks propagate only at crack front in the principal normal plane. The tangential tensile stress at crack front in the principal normal plane in local coordinates is employed to determine crack propagation, which is calculated through coordinate transformation from global to local coordinates. New cracks will propagate when the maximum tangential tensile stress at crack front in the principal normal plane reaches the tensile strength of rock-like materials. Compared with the previous crack propagation criteria, the modified crack propagation criterion is helpful in calculating 3D crack stress intensity factor, and can overcome the limitations of propagation step determined by individual experiences in previous studies. Finally, the 3D crack propagation process is traced by element-free Galerkin method. The numerical results agree well with the experimental ones for a frozen resin sample with prefabricated 3D cracks.