Fracture controls in Tablate (Lecrín, Granada, Betic Chain, Spain)

Abstract

The formation of the fractures of the Tablate area (situated in the transition between the Granada basin and the Alpujarran corridor) was controlled by the progressive and important uplift of Sierra Nevada, occurred from the late Miocene. Consequently, the direction of the extension is close to that occurred at the South of Sierra Nevada and the characteristics of the paleostress ellipsoid are congruent with this uplift. On the other hand, two local controls have been observed in the development of the minor fractures: there is a clear lithologic influence, particularly in the contact between levels of silts and other formed by coarser sediments. Moreover, local changes of the stress produced a different grade of the fracturation.