AN EMPIRICAL–STATISTICAL STUDY OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL FABRIC DIAGRAMS AS USED IN STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
- 1 August 1966
- journal article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
- Vol. 3 (4) , 473-498
- https://doi.org/10.1139/e66-035
Abstract
A random arrangement of points on a sphere does not result in an isotropic distribution (unless a very large number of points is present), and different samples taken from an infinite number of points arranged into point-maximum or great-circle girdle patterns vary considerably, depending on the concentration strength and the number of points in the sample.Existing statistical tests are of limited use only, and visual determinations of symmetry and cell grouping are presently the best way to determine the nature of 'preferred-orientations', provided that the effects of sample size are given full consideration. It is unwise to consider as significant any feature of a natural fabric that could reasonably have occurred as a natural sampling variation.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Symmetry Concepts in the Structural Analysis of Deformed RocksGSA Bulletin, 1961
- A graphic testing procedure for point diagramsAmerican Journal of Science, 1952
- STATISTICAL METHODS APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF ROCK FRACTURESGSA Bulletin, 1951