Kink bands are pervasive structures developed in foliated rocks deformed at mid to upper crustal levels, and hold the potential to provide determination of finite strain and principal stress orientation for the episode of deformation that produced them. This project will investigate the mechanics of kink band formation in foliated rocks by the integration of theoretical modeling, detailed observation of naturally-occurring kink bands, and experimentation. By relating the orientation and geometry of kink bands to the mechanical response of an anisotropic medium under states of stress, this work should provide a strong basis for the mechanical interpretation of kink bands as a tool in regional tectonic studies.
