Dilatant faults and fractures are ubiquitous crustal features that form major pathways for fluid flow, such as water, hydrocarbons, or magma, and consequently are of great interest for water and energy supply, geohazard assessment and geodynamics. However, little is known about their detailed structure at depth, their surface expression, and the transition of failure modes from dilatant to shear. Reasons for this lack of understanding is the enormous complexity of dilatant fractures due to the influence of parameters such as lithology, fault kinematics and mechanical stratigraphy. Therefore, the time and space evolution as well as the seismic hazard potential are largely unresolved.
In this session we invite contributions addressing all aspects of dilatant faulting and fracturing. We aim to stimulate discussion by integrating geophysical and outcrop studies as well as analog and numerical modeling. We particularly invite studies on all scales focusing on analyses of surface processes, topography, fault/fracture geometry, poro-perm characteristics, fluid flux modeling, age dating or kinematic reconstruction. We aim at providing a forum for all disciplines concerned with the dynamics of dilatant faulting and fracturing to meet and discuss their views.