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Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 1990; v. 48; p. 327-338;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1990.048.01.27
© 1990 Geological Society of London

Physical Properties

In situ crustal stress in the United Kingdom from borehole breakouts

C. J. Evans & N. R. Brereton

British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK

Until recently very little in situ stress data have been available from the UK crust. Literature reviews list only a limited number of measurements which include information on the direction of maximum horizontal compression. Unequal horizontal crustal stresses imposed on vertical boreholes will often cause localized rock spalling along the direction of least compressive stress. The resultant elongations of the borehole cross section, called breakouts, can be identified from four arm caliper records collected routinely with conventional geophysical dipmetre logs. Eighty-one boreholes in the United Kingdom have been analysed for breakouts using criteria for identification of breakouts unique to this paper. The majority of borehole breakouts in southern Britain are aligned NE-SW, indicating a maximum horizontal stress in a NW-SE direction. There are insufficient data to confidently assess a dominant borehole breakout direction in Northern Britain, although the four boreholes analysed indicate possible variations in the crustal stress field.





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