Experimental folding of rocks under confining pressure: Part VI. Further studies of faulted drape folds

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Abstract
Experimental studies of faulted drape folds differ significantly from traditional tests on short, right-circular cylinders because of the presence of deliberately introduced heterogeneous stress and strain fields. These experiments differ from other experiments on the folding problem (for example, buckling) in that (1) a well-developed analytical basis was not formulated when the study was initiated and (2) the experimental program was designed to gain insight into problems posed from field relations. Experimental data are only one tool available to the geologist, and they are best utilized in conjunction with theoretical and/or scale-model investigations. Coupling of these different approaches aids extrapolation of the results to nature. Specifically, the problem associated with geometric scaling becomes more tractable when analytic studies are used to interpret the experimental results. Differences of deformation mechanisms with scale and rock type require careful consideration, but even here experiments can provide insights into critical field problems. Some of these problems are exemplified by studies of mass transport, corner drape folding, and differences between high-angle and vertical faulting in the forcing member. In all these examples, the most valuable use of the experiments is perhaps to provide insights into which processes are truly critical. Experiments can guide and narrow the field investigation to critical questions, which may in turn be answered even better by further relevant experiments, suggested by the field work.

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