Earth materials & rheology

In this course you will learn about the link between atomic structures of materials and their resultant behaviour as rocks. These two scales will be described from the mineralogical and rheological perspectives at the same time to demonstrate how these different scales link together. For example, we will look at the elastic behaviour of minerals and how they govern the elastic constants, iso- and anisotropic behaviour and poroelasticity of rocks.  

This course forms the basis for the rock mechanics background needed to understand the deformation behaviour of the crust and mantle at the macroscopic, mesoscopic and microscopic scales. The principles covered in the course have a direct application to modelling simple problems in tectonics, geodynamics and crustal geomechanics (e.g. enhanced geo-energy production, CO₂ storage and induced seismicity). 

You will be introduced to disequilibrium processes such as diffusion that occurs on the atomic scale to create new mineral structures and assemblages related to the system’s drive towards thermodynamic equilibrium. Recrystallisation of the rock can occur via solid-state or fluid-mediated mechanisms. So, we will look at how defects can act as nucleation points in mineral reactivity, both within a bulk material and from a mineral-aqueous fluid interface.  

By the end of the course you are expected to know which processes govern the stability, transformation and transport of the materials examined, including phase transformations, thermo-kinetic and interfacial processes. You will have a quantitative understanding of the mechanical behaviour (constitutive equations and failure criteria) of real rock materials in the crust and mantle, and of the processes that control this behaviour. You will be able to attach physical meaning to geological structures and to formulate hypotheses about the responsible processes. 

The course is primarily designed for students interested in structural geology, geophysics, crust/lithosphere/mantle and Earth materials studies, or planning to embark on the Master Programme in Earth Structure and Dynamics. However, it will also be valuable to students interested in transport, flow and/or Earth material properties in the context of geochemistry, sedimentology, geo-energy, geological storage, geotechnical engineering, hydrogeology, meteorology and oceanography. 

Additional skills to be gained through the completion of this course: laboratory work as small experiments and analytical methods, data relevant skills including the propagation of errors to assess uncertainties, communication through report writing and peer assessment based on a given rubric.