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The roles of fluid transport and surface reaction in reaction-induced fracturing, with implications for the development of mesh textures in serpentinites

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Abstract

The distinct element method was used to simulate chemical–mechanical–hydraulic processes that occur during serpentinization (volume-increasing hydration) within the oceanic lithosphere. The proposed model considers water transported in two ways: advective flow along fractures and through matrices. Variations in fracture pattern and system evolution were examined using two nondimensional parameters: the ratios of the rates of flow in fracture (Ψ F) and matrix (Ψ M) to the surface reaction rate. In cases of fixed Ψ F and Ψ M with sufficiently low reaction rates, the fracture pattern is not dependent on the surface reaction rate. Otherwise, the fracture pattern varies systematically as a function of Ψ F and Ψ M. At low Ψ F (≤1) and low Ψ M (≤1), the reaction proceeds from the boundaries inward and forms fine fractures layer by layer. At high Ψ F (≥10,000) and low Ψ M (≤10), the reaction proceeds from the boundaries inward and forms polygonal fracture networks. As Ψ M increases (>100), the reaction tends to proceed homogeneously from the boundaries without fracturing. A comparison of natural and simulated textures reveals that the following conditions are necessary to develop mesh textures during serpentinization in the oceanic lithosphere. (1) The surface reaction rate must be similar to or higher than the fluid flow rate in the matrix (or than the diffusive transport of water), and much lower than the fluid flow rate along fractures. (2) Original olivine grain boundaries act as pathways for fluid transport; these pathways may result from thermal or tectonic stress-induced cracking prior to serpentinization.

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Acknowledgments

Kenichi Hirauchi kindly allowed us to use thin sections of Mineoka ophiolite for modeling. We thank N. Tsuchiya, M. Uno and R. Oyanagi for discussion. This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (nos. 24109701, 25120005) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, and by a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (no. 23654180) and for Scientific Research (no. 16H06347) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science awarded to A. Okamoto.

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  1. Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan

    Hiroyuki Shimizu

  2. Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan

    Atsushi Okamoto

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  1. Hiroyuki Shimizu
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  2. Atsushi Okamoto
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Correspondence to Atsushi Okamoto.

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Shimizu, H., Okamoto, A. The roles of fluid transport and surface reaction in reaction-induced fracturing, with implications for the development of mesh textures in serpentinites. Contrib Mineral Petrol 171, 73 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-016-1288-y

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