Evolution of tensile fractures in feldspar porphyroclast and its implication in paleostress estimation

Fractures are ubiquitous brittle features of the upper crust. Syntectonic granites are often replete with fractures of various attitudes, cross-cutting each other, which develop under the prevalent states of stress. In this article, we study the origin and mechanism of formation of tensile fractures restricted within rectangular alkali feldspar porphyroclasts found in Closepet granite (Dharwar Craton, India), and venture on the possibility of using them as potential paleostress marker. The study is conducted using finite-element-method (FEM) to assess the distribution of induced stresses within the porphyroclasts considering the geometry and varying mechanical properties of the porphyroclast and the embedding matrix. We infer that fractures in the porphyroclast develop due to amplification and concentration of far-field stresses within it. The direction of maximum principal compressive stress as indicated by the fractured porphyroclasts lies in close proximity to the paleostress direction derived from fault-slip analysis of adjacent bodies such as Chitradurga Schist Belt and Koppal syenite (Dharwar craton). Therefore, we advocate that fractured feldspar porphyroclasts are a reliable indicator of paleostress orientations. •We explain the process of internal tensile fracturing in K-feldspar porphyroclasts of Closepet pluton, Dharwar Craton, India.•We use FEM to model a clast-matrix system alike a K-feldspar clast in granitic matrix to find the intra-clast stress states.•We find that intra-clast fracturing results from the enhancement of far-field stresses within the porphyroclasts.•We venture fracturing susceptibility in the porphyroclasts for various applied stress conditions and mechanical properties.