Fractures in a network are commonly divided into “sets” to facilitate their description and analysis. Sets can be based on many different criteria that include the type, geometry, size, spatial distribution, relative age and the kinematics of the fractures. Orientation is the most widely used criterion, but alone may be inadequate to define a fracture set, since fractures of different type, origin and age may share similar orientations. The criteria used should be clearly stated, with quantitative measures where possible, to allow unambiguous and reproducible allocation of fractures to sets, with assessment of the variability or uncertainty involved. Identifying a consistent sequence of development is a key aspect of fracture set determination. This can be quantified by considering the abutting and cross-cutting relationships between different fracture sets using a sequence matrix.

中文翻译：

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骨折组和顺序


网络中的裂缝通常分为“组”，以方便描述和分析。组可以基于许多不同的标准，包括裂缝的类型、几何形状、尺寸、空间分布、相对年龄和运动学。方向是最广泛使用的标准，但仅凭方向可能不足以定义骨折组，因为不同类型、起源和年龄的骨折可能具有相似的方向。应明确说明所使用的标准，并尽可能采用定量措施，以便能够明确且可重复地将裂缝分配到集合中，并评估所涉及的可变性或不确定性。确定一致的发育顺序是断裂永久确定的一个关键方面。这可以通过使用序列矩阵考虑不同裂缝组之间的邻接和横切关系来量化。