Abstract
Experimental results in the published literature show that at low normal stress the shear stress required to slide one rock over another varies widely between experiments. This is because at low stress rock friction is strongly dependent on surface roughness. At high normal stress that effect is diminished and the friction is nearly independent of rock type. If the sliding surfaces are separated by gouge composed of Montmorillonite or vermiculite the friction can be very low.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barton, M. (1973),Review of a new shear strength criterion for rock joints, Eng. Geol.7, 287–332.
Byerlee, J. D. (1967),Frictional characteristics of granite under high confining pressure, J. Geophys. Res.72, 3639–3648.
Byerlee, J. D. (1968),Brittle ducfile transition in rock, J. Geophys. Res.73 4741–4650.
Byerlee, J. D. andBrace, W. F. (1968),Stick-slip stable sliding and earthquakes-effect of rock type, pressure, strain rate and stiffness, J. Geophys. Res.73, 6031–6037.
Byerlee, J. D. (1970),Static and kinetic function of granite at high normal stress, Int. S. Rock Mich. Min. Sci.7, 577–582.
Byerlee, J. D. (1975),The fracture strength and frictional strength of Weber sandstone, Inc. J. Rock Mich. Min. Sci.12, 1–4.
Dieterich, J. H. (1972),Time dependent friction in rock, J. Geophys. Res.77, 3690–3697.
Donath, F. D., Fruth, L. S. andOlsson, W. A. (1972),Experimental study of frictional properties of faults, 14th Symposium on rock mechanics, University Park, Penn.
Edmond, O. andMurrell, S. A. F. (1971),Experimental observations and rock fracture at pressures up to 7 kb and the implications for earthquake faulting, Tectonophysics16, 71–87.
Engelder, J. T. (1974),Coefficient of friction for sandstone sliding on quartz gouge, Advances in rock Mech. Proc. Third Congress Int. Soc. Rock Mech., Denver, Part A, p. 499.
Handin, J. (1969),On the Coulomb-Mohr failure criterion, J. Geophys. Res.74, 5343–5348.
Hoskins, E. R., Jaeger, J. C. andRosengren, K. (1968),A medium scale direct friction experiment, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci.4, 219–227.
Jackson, R. E. andDunn, D. E. (1974),Experimental sliding friction and cataclasis of foliated rocks, Int. J. Rock Mech. Sci.11, 235–249.
Jaeger, J. C. andCook, M. G. W.,Fundamentals of Rock Mechanics (Methuen, London 1969), Chapter III.
Jaeger, J. C.,The behaviour of closely jointed rock, Proc. 11th Symp. Rock Mech. (Berkeley 1970), Chapter4, pp. 57–68.
Jaeger, J. C. (1959),The frictional properties of joints in rock, Geophys. pura appl.43, 148–158.
Jaeger, J. C. andRosengren, K. J. (1969),Friction and sliding of joints, Proc. Aust. Inst. Min. Metall.MO229, 93–104.
Jaeger, J. C. (1971),Friction of rocks and stability of rock slopes, Geotechnique,21, 97–134.
La Fountain andDunn, D. E. (1974),Effect of anisotrophy on the coefficient of sliding friction in schistose rocks, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci.,11, 459–464.
Lane, K. S., andHeck, W. J. (1964),Triaxial testing for strength of rock joints, Proc. 6th Symp. Rock Mech. Rolla, pp. 98–108.
Logan, J. M., Iwasaki, T., Friedman, M. andKing, S. A. (1973),Experimental investigations of sliding friction in multilithologic specimens, Geological Factors in Rapid Excavations (Ed. Pincus), Geol. Soc. Am. Eng. Case History q, pp. 55–67.
Murrell, S. A. F. (1965),The effect of triaxial stress systems on the strength of rocks at atmospheric temperatures, J. Geophys. R. Ast. Soc.10, 231–281.
Onaka, M. (1975),Frictional characteristics of typical rocks, J. Phys. Earth23, 87–112.
Scholz, C. H. andEngelder, J. T. (1976),The role of asperity indentation and ploughing in rock friction — I, Asperity creep and stick-slip, Int. Rock Mech. Min. Sci.13, 149–154.
Summers, R. andByerlee, J. (1977),A note on the effect of fault gouge composition on the stability of frictional sliding, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. (in press).
Zoback, M. andByerlee, J. (1976),A note on the deformational behavior and permeability of crushed granite, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci.13, 291–294.
Summers, R. andByerlee, J. (1977), Unpublished data on the friction of clay minerals.
Simkin, T. E.,The similarities of static and kinetic friction, inSurfaces and Interfaces (Ed. Weiss), (Syracuse University Press, 1967).
Bowden, F. andTabor, D.,The Friction and Lubrication of Solids (Oxford University Press, 1950).
Wang, Chi-Yuen, Goodman, R. E. andSundaran, P. M. (1975),Variations of V p and Vs in granite premonitory to shear rupture and stick-slip sliding: Applications to earthquake prediction, Geophys. Res. Letters2, 309–311.
Scholz, C., Molnar, P. andJohnson, Tracey (1972),Detailed studies of frictional sliding of granite and implications for the earthquake mechanism, J. Geophys. Res.77, 6392–6406.
Barton, H. (1976),The shear strength of rock and rock joints, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci.13, 255–279.
Wu, F. T., Blatter, L. andRoberson, H. (1975),Clay gouges in the San Andreas fault system and their possible implications, Pure appl. Geophys.113, 87–95.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Byerlee, J. Friction of rocks. PAGEOPH 116, 615–626 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00876528
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00876528