A STEREOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF JOINT TRACE DATA

Abstract A statistical model of joints is used to derive analytical predictions of the patterns of traces observed in geological surveys. The derivations are carried out for both area and line sampling and cover the distributions of trace lengths and spacings, including allowance for truncation. An application to rock bolting is also described. The equations are converted, where necessary, to forms that facilitate numerical evaluation. An example illustrates how the parameters of the model may be obtained from field data.