The ancient and contemporary geophysical stress field in a calcareous mountain-range

Abstract

The stress systems wliich are and have been active in a well-defined calcareous mountain massif (the Iloclikonig massif in Austria) have been determined: (I) f r om joint orientations in the Paleozoic basement, (II) from joint orientations in the calcareous superstructure and (III) from in situ stress measurements in a mine beneath the massif. It was found (I) t h a t t h e stresses which produced the Paleozoic joint system is quite distinct f r om t h e other systems active in the area, (II) t h a t ' t h e joints in the supers t r u c t u r e correspond to a stress system t h a t is in conformity with the general north-south thrust thought to have created the Alps and (III) that t h e stresses measured in situ represent nothing but the effect of the presentday overburden topography.