A new approach for paleostress analysis from kink bands: application of fault-slip methods

Abstract

Optimal and nonoptimal methods of fault-slip analysis are tested on the simple type of kink bands by treating these structures as if they were striated faults. Results from different graphical and numerical techniques are mutually consistent and all imply development of these kink bands in a thrust regime as a consequence of NNW-SSE-oriented maximum compression (σ-axis). These results are confirmed independently by comparing the geometry of the kinks with those produced experimentally in situations in which the principal stress orientations are known. The consistency and quality of paleostress results from different methods suggest that many natural kink bands can be used to calculate paleostress in much the same way as striated brittle faults.