This project is designed to teach geology students how rocks respond to natural forces within the earth, and utilizes the use of computers. Rock specimens will be carefully prepared, then subjected to carefully controlled stresses, in order to determine their strength and manner of fracture or deformation. Sensitive electronic equipment is used to record their behavior, and the resulting measurements are collected, analyzed, and displayed by the computer. These kinds of experiments are useful for planning large construction projects in bedrock, for understanding earthquakes, and for explaining how folds, faults, and mountains are formed. The college will provide 50% matching funds.
