Ru
Vladimir N. Rodionov
Us

An Essay of Geomechanics

Abstract

Mechanics of the Earth’s interior deals with an incessant, although slow movement of rock masses that gives rise to intricate structures at all scale levels in the solid medium.

Geomechanics studies steady-state deformation processes and structures that are maintained by these processes.

The dynamic structures at work dissipate the mechanical energy of our planet. The Earth’s rotational energy is channeled into the energy of thin-skinned tidal deformation, while the potential energy of the Earth’s density contrasts causes vertical displacements.

The challenge and essence of geomechanics lie in the study into the stability of the steady-state regimes of deformation regimes in the Earth’s interior, into the structures that provide gangways for movements possible in the solid medium, and into the interplay of these movements at all scale levels.

The evolution of the solar system depends largely on the deformational properties of planet bodies; as a result, the geological and the planetary histories prove to be interrelated.

These concepts are formulated in an original model of the solid body the mechanical properties and structure of which depend on the rate of deformation.

Fresh approaches to many pivotal problems are proposed. Thus, the earthquake iteration is shown to correlate with the fault-block structure of the natural medium, insight is gained into the formative mechanism of landslide preparation, the mechanism of solid-medium disintegration in a rock massif is elucidated, a methodology is elaborated for comparing variably scaled dynamic structures and for recognizing their similitude, etc.

Highlighted is the energy and mass exchange operating in the Earth’s mantle through the transport of light and heavy volumes driven by the Archimedean forces.

These concepts lead us to revise critically the environmental ideology in light of the gigantic mechanical-energy fluxes that are currently consumed by the restructuring of the Earth’s interior.


Contents

Introduction

1. Human Habitat

2. Natural Science

Ideal Gas

Ideal Fluid

Ideal Solid

Dust Cloud in Proper Gravity Field

Chapter I. Perpetual Motion

Chapter II. Structures of Solid Body

1. Dynamic Structure of Real Elastic Body

2. Disintegration Structure of Solid Body

3. Slow Motion in Solid Bodies

Chapter III. Problems and Solutions

1. Paradoxes of Disintegration of Solid Body

2. Seismicity and Disintegration Structure

3. Criteria of Slow Motion and Disintegration of the Medium in the Earth’s Interior

4. On the Landslide Regime of Slopes

5. Horizontal Discontinuities in the Earth’s Crust

Chapter IV. Differentiation of Matter in the Earth

Chapter V. The Earth’s Hydrodynamic Plumbing System

Chapter VI. Natural Bodies

Closing Statement

1. On the Steady-state Universe

2. On the Role of the Biosphere in the Earth’s Life

3. On Natural Philosophy


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