Fabric Transitions in Quartz via Visco-Plastic Self-Consistent Modelling: Axial Compression and Simple Shear under Constant Strain

Abstract:

Quartz is a common crustal mineral that deforms plastically in a wide range of temperatures and pressures, leading to the development of different types of crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) patterns. In this contribution we present the results of an extensive modelling of quartz fabric transitions via visco-plastic self- consistent (VPSC) approach. For that, we have performed systematic simulations using different sets of relative critical resolved shear stress of the main quartz slip systems. We have performed these simulations in axial compression and simple shear regimes under constant Von Mises equivalent strain of 100% (γ=1.73), assuming that the aggregates deformed exclusively by dislocation glide. Some of the predicted CPOs patterns are similar to those observed in naturally and experimentally deformed quartz. Nevertheless, some classical CPO patterns usually interpreted as resulting from dislocation glide (e.g. Y-maxima due to prism <a> slip) are clearly not developed in the simulated conditions. In addition we report potentially new preferred orientation patterns that might develop in high temperature conditions, both in axial compression and simple shear. We have demonstrated that CPOs generated under axial compression are usually stronger that those predicted under simple shear, due to the continuous rotation observed in the later simulations. The fabric strength depends essentially on the dominant active slip system, and normally the stronger CPOs result from dominant basal slip in <a>, followed by rhomb <a> and prism [c] slip, whereas prism <a> slip does not produce strong fabrics. The opening angle of quartz [0001] fabric used as a proxy of temperature seems to be reliable for deformation temperatures of ~400°C, when the main slip systems have similar behaviours.