Dr. Caleb Holyoke

Title: Associate Professor, Honors Advisor, Graduate student coordinator
Research Specialty: Structural Geology and Rock Mechanics
Dept/Program: Geosciences
Office: CRH 326
Phone: 330 972-7635
Fax: 330 972-7611
Email: cholyoke@uakron.edu
Website: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=T06GLGoAAAAJ&hl=en

Research

Specialty

Structural Geology and Rock Mechanics

Professional Experience

Assistant Professor, University of Akron, August 2014 to date
Assistant/Associate Research Scientist, Texas A&M University, August 2007 to July 2014
Visiting Scholar, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, August 2006 to July 2007
Post-doctoral Scholar, University of Wisconsin, Madison, August 2005 to July 2006
Lecturer, University of Rhode Island, July to August 2005/2006
Geologist/Project Manager, MARCOR Environmental Services, Inc., November 1994 to August 1998

Research

Research Interests

My research and teaching interests are in the general area of structural geology applied to solving problems related to the physical and chemical evolution of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle. In my research, I use a combination of active testing of how changing variables such as temperature and strain rate affects the microstructures that develop due to specific deformation mechanisms and observational analysis of naturally deformed rocks to constrain the conditions that produce these same microstructures in nature. Understanding these grain-scale processes contributes to our understanding of larger scale processes and controls on plate tectonics.

From a sign a student (Jake Waller) made for the lab that was stolen from the hallway. People must like squishing rocks!

Current Research

I am currently working on an NSF-funded field and experimental study of how water content affects the strength of rocks deformed in the lower crust with Dr. Kevin Mahan (U. of Colorado). Our goal is to understand the mechanisms that cause strain localization and formation of pseudotachylite (fault melt) in Precambrian lower-crustal rocks exposed in northern Saskatchewan using field and experimental investigations. We are working to constrain the deformation mechanisms and rheology of the rocks exposed in the Cora Lake region to construct a predictive model that explains why a rock associated with seismic events formed at conditions in Earth’s crust that should not produce seismic events.

Pseudotachylite vein parallel to foliation in Precambrian gneisses, Cora Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada (July 2024)

The Rock Deformation Laboratory at the University of Akron has a wide variety of tools for preparing cores of rock for experiments and three apparatus for performing experiments on rocks and soils. The Griggs-type rock deformation apparatus is the primary research apparatus and is capable of deforming rocks at pressures up to 2000 MPa and temperatures up to 1400°C (blue rig behind students in image below). The Griggs apparatus has been used in experimental studies performed to study: 1) how foliation orientations and intensities affect the strength of rocks in the continental crust, 2) how melt contents affect the strength and deformation mechanisms in amphibolites and gneisses, 3) how water fugacity and water content affect the strength of quartz single crystals and polycrystals (i.e. quartzites) and 4) the grain size and temperature sensitivity of magnesite. The second apparatus, a Forney concrete testing machine with Hoek-type pressure vessel, is capable of deforming rocks at pressures up to 70 MPa and room temperature. This apparatus was used by Robert McGinnis to determine the mechanical properties of limestones and sandstones from Kentucky used to construct a model of cave formation. The third apparatus is a Humbolt dead-weight direct shear apparatus and is used to study the shear strength of soils and powdered rocks (fault gouge) in courses such as Geological Engineering (GEOL 301) and Advanced Structural Geology (GEOL 450).

Rubber City Rock Deformers, Spring 2024 (l to r) Carly Leventhal, Karl Wehner, Nick Maleski, Jordan Collins, Nadilee Nottingham, Caleb Holyoke

Funding at the University of Akron

Collaborative Research: Roles of lithology and water on deep continental crustal rheology from a natural setting and laboratory experiments, PI with Dr. Kevin Mahan (U. of Colorado), National Science Foundation, 08/2023-07/2026.
CAREER: Experimental Investigation of Viscous Anisotropy of Foliated Rocks: Implications to the Strength of the Mid to Lower Continental Crust, PI, National Science Foundation, 04/2019-03/2024, extended to 03/2025.
Collaborative Research: Magnesite Deformation and Potential Roles in the Slip and Seismicity of Subduction Zones, PI with Dr. Andreas Kronenberg (PI, Texas A&M University) and Dr. Paul Raterron (PI, Brown University), National Science Foundation, 08/2016 – 07/2020.
A reversible rheology for water-weakened quartz, PI with Dr. Andreas Kronenberg (co-PI, Texas A&M University), National Science Foundation, 08/2013 – 07/2016, extended to 07/2017.

Rubber City Rock Deformers Spring 2015, (l to r) Caleb Holyoke, Big Hunter, Abby Ritter, Albert Barbery, Ed Poston, Paul Krasner, Joe Millard, Max Miller

Publications

Prakash, A., Holyoke, C. W., Kelemen, P. B., Kirby, S. H., Kronenberg, A. K., Lamb, W., 2023, Carbonates and Intermediate-Depth Seismicity: Stable and Unstable Shear in Altered Subducting Plates and Overlying Mantle Wedge, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 120, No. 21, e2219076120, doi: 10.1073/pnas.2219076120.

Goddard, R. M., Hansen, L. N., Wallis, D., Stipp, M., Holyoke, C. W., Kumamoto, K. M., & Kohlstedt, D. L., 2020, A subgrain‐size piezometer calibrated for EBSD. Geophysical Research Letters, v. 47, e2020GL090056, doi: 10.1029/2020GL090056.

Andronowski, J. A., Davis, R. A., Holyoke, C. W., 2020, A Sectioning, Coring, and Image Processing Guide for High-Throughput Cortical Bone Sample Procurement and Analysis for Synchrotron Micro-CT, J. Vis. Exp., v. 160, e61081, doi:10.3791/61081.

Kronenberg, A. K., Ashley, K., Francsis, M., Holyoke, C. W., Jezek, L., Kronenberg, J., Law, R. D., Thomas, J., 2020, Water loss during dynamic recrystallization of Moine thrust quartzites, Geology, v. 48, p. 557-561, doi: 10.1130/G47041.1

*Millard, J. W., Holyoke, C. W., Wells, R. K., Blasko, C., Kronenberg, A. K., Raterron, P., Braccia, C. M., Jackson, N., McDaniel, C. A., Tokle, L., 2019, Pressure dependence of magnesite creep, Geosciences, v. 9, 420, doi: 10.3390/geosciences9100420.

*Wells, R., Holyoke, C. W., Kronenberg, A. K., Newman, J., 2019, Lattice-preferred orientation development in experimental and natural fine-grained dolomite shear zones, Journal of Structural Geology, v. 128, doi: 10.1016/j.jsg.2019.103874.

Fukuda, J., Holyoke, C.W., and Kronenberg, A. K., 2018, Deformation of fine-grained quartz aggregates by mixed diffusion and dislocation creep, Journal of Geophysical Research, DOI: 10.1029/2017JB015133.

Kronenberg, A.K., Hasnan, H.F.B., Holyoke, C.W., Law, R.D., Liu, Z., Thomas, J.B., 2017, Synchrotron FTIR imaging of OH in quartz mylonites, Solid Earth, v. 8, p. 1025-1045, DOI: 10.5194/se-8-1025-2017.

Ratteron, P., Fraysse, G., Girard, J., Holyoke, C.W., 2016, Strength of orthoenstatite single crystals at mantle pressure and temperature and comparison with olivine, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 450, p. 326-336, DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.06.025.

Kilian, R., Heilbronner, R., Holyoke, C.W., Kronenberg, A., Stunitz, H., 2016, Dislocation creep of dry quartz, v. 121, p. 3278–3299, DOI: 10.1002/2015JB012771.

Holyoke, C.W., Kronenberg, A., Newman, J., Ulrich, C., 2014, Rheology of magnesite, Journal of Geophysical Research., v. 119, p 6534-6557, doi: 10.1002/2013JB010541.

Holyoke, C.W., Kronenberg, A., Newman, J., 2014, Microstructural evolution during strain localization in dolomite aggregates, Journal of Structural Geology. doi: 10.1016/j.jsg.2014.04.008.

Holyoke, C. W. and Kronenberg, A., 2013, Reversible water weakening of quartz, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 347, p. 185-190, DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2013.05.039.

Ratteron, P., Merkel, S., Holyoke, C. W., 2013, Axial temperature gradient and stress measurements in the deformation-DIA cell using alumina pistons, Review of Scientific Instruments, v. 84, 043906; DOI: 10.1063/1.4801956.

Holyoke, C. W., Kronenberg, A., Newman J., 2013, Dislocation creep of polycrystalline dolomite, Tectonophysics, v. 590, p. 72-82, DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2013.01.011

Stewart, E., Holyoke, C. W., Kronenberg, A., 2013, High pressure deformation experiments using solid confining media and Griggs piston-cylinder methods: appraisal of stress and deformation in talc assemblies, Tectonophysics, v. 588, p. 171-178, DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2012.12.004

Girard, J., Chen, J., Ratteron, P., Holyoke, C. W., 2013, The effect of hydroxyls on olivine deforming by dislocation creep: rheology of single crystals oriented for (010)[100] slip, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, v. 216, p. 12-20, DOI: 10.1016/j.pepi.2012.10.009

Holyoke, C. W. and Kronenberg, A., 2010, Accurate differential stress measurement using the molten salt cell and solid salt assemblies in the Griggs apparatus with applications to strength, piezometers and rheology, Tectonophysics, v. 494, no. 1-2, p. 17-31, DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2010.08.001.

Girard, J., Chen, J., Raterron, P., Holyoke, C. W., 2010, Deformation of single crystal sample using D-DIA apparatus coupled with synchrotron X-rays: In situ stress and strain measurements at high pressure and temperature, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, v. 71, no 8, p. 1053-1058, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2010.03.005.

Webber, C., Holyoke, C. W., Newman, J. Little, T., Tikoff, B., 2010, Fabric development in cm-scale shear zones, Red Hills, New Zealand, Tectonophysics, v. 489, no. 1-4, p. 55-75, DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2010.04.001.

Holyoke, C. W. and Tullis J., 2006, The interaction between reaction and deformation: an experimental study using a biotite + plagioclase + quartz gneiss, Journal of Metamorphic Geology, v. 24, no. 8, p. 743 – 762, DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1314.2006.00666.x.

Holyoke, C. W. and Tullis J., 2006, Mechanisms of weak phase interconnection and the effects of phase strength contrast, Journal of Structural Geology, v. 28, no. 4, p. 621-640, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2006.01.008.

Holyoke, C. W. and Tullis J., 2006, Formation and maintenance of shear zones, Geology, v. 34, no. 2, p 105-108, DOI: 10.1130/G22116.1.

Holyoke, C. W. and Rushmer, T., 2002, An experimental study of grain scale melt segregation mechanisms in two common crustal rock types, Journal of Metamorphic Geology, v. 20, no. 5, p. 493-512, DOI: 10.1046/j.1525-1314.2002.00381.x.

Education

Ph.D., Geology, Brown University, 2005
M.S., Geology, University of Vermont, 2000
B.S., Geology, James Madison University, 1994

Courses

Physical Geology (3370:101)
Earthquakes (3370:125)
Engineering Geology (3370:301)
Structural Geology (3370:350)
Advanced Structural Geology (3370:450/550)
Field Camp II (3370:454/554)
Research Problems in Geology (3370:499)
Seminar: Geology (3370:680)

Students

Current and Former Graduate students

Wehner, Karl “Effects of water content on quartzite strength”, expected graduation May 2025.
Leventhal, Carly “Development of Melt Interconnectivity During Ductile Deformation of an Amphibolite” Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, University of Akron, 2024. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1712843220485544 (now at Geosyntec Consultants Inc.)
Razo, Maria “Effect of Partial Melting on Lattice Preferred Orientations in Two Common Foliated Felsic Rocks” Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, University of Akron, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1682603817382657 (now at The Mannik and Smith Group)
Woodley, Treston "Joint Orientations of Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks in northeastern Ohio." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1682979735690951 (now at Davey Environmental)
Tallon, Jacob "Viscous Anisotropy of a Gneiss with Interconnected Mica." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1658245243285151 (now at Freeport-McMoRan)
Waller, Jacob "The effects of foliation orientation and foliation intensity on viscous anisotropy of granitic rocks with low mica content." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1658147040359233 (now at Davey Environmental)
Kullberg, Jonanthan “Effect of Pre-existing Heterogeneities on Strain Localization in a Foliated Granitic Gneiss” Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, University of Akron, 2021, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1621600334762676 (now at Arcadis)
Millard, Joseph “Pressure Dependence Of The Strength Of Magnesite Deforming By Low Temperature Plasticity, Diffusion Creep, Or Dislocation Creep” Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, University of Akron, 2018, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1526913343559104 (Now at Klondex Mines, NV)
McDaniel, Caleb “Effect of grain size on the strength of magnesite deforming by diffusion creep or low temperature plasticity mechanisms.” Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, University of Akron, 2018, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1526571269872349 (Now at Oceana Gold, South Carolina)
Krasner, Paul "Strain Localization Mechanisms in the Scituate Granite, Rhode Island." Electronic Thesis or Dissertation. University of Akron, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1497285708350254
Barbery, Albert "The effect of water content on the strength of quartzite." Electronic Thesis or Dissertation. University of Akron, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1493211543960308 (Now at West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection)
Poston, Edward "Experimental Deformation of O+ Oriented Synthetic Quartz Single Crystals." Electronic Thesis or Dissertation. University of Akron, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1491569717148234 (Now at GTA Energy, LLC)

2021 Rubber City Rock Deformers (l to r) Jake Waller, Nicole Wagner, Maria Razo, Andrew Steward, J.J. Kullberg, Jacob Tallon, Megan Ryan, Treston Woodley, Caleb Holyoke

Current and Former Undergraduate Students

Collins, Jordan (Honors, expected Dec 2024) Syndeformational Partial Melting of a Peridotite
Maleski, Nicholas (2024), Melt Segregation Mechanisms in an Amphibolite During Shear Deformation
Nottingham, Nadilee (Honors, 2024), Temperature Dependence of the Effect of Water Fugacity on Quartzite Strength
Hilliard, Geoffrey (Honors, 2022), Effects of Shear Zone Orientation on the Strength of a Foliated Gneiss
Ryan, Megan (Honors, 2022), Viscous Anisotropy of Wet Olivine Aggregates: Implications for Subduction Zone Rheology
Wagner, Nicole (Honors, 2021) The Effects of Heterogeneities and Syn-deformational Partial Melting on Rock Strength Evolution and Melt Migration.
Steward, Andrew (Honors, 2021) Analysis of Water Concentration Formed Within Deformed Synthetic Quartz Crystals
Razo, Maria (2021) Effects of Melt Composition on the Rheology of Crustal Rocks
Waller, Jacob (Honors, 2020) Analysis of Deformation Mechanisms that Formed the Shear Zones in the Scituate Granite, Rhode Island, USA
Braccia, Casey “Effect of a pre-existing lattice preferred orientation on the strength of foliated quartzite”, Honors Thesis, Expected graduation Dec. 2018
Christopher Thomas “Effects of weathering on the strength of Indiana Limestone” Expected graduation May 2019
Anderson, Danielle “Deformation of Water-Depleted Quartzite”, May 2018 (Now at Safety Resources Company of Ohio)
DiPuccio, Rebeccah “Foliation orientation and effects on the middle to lower continental crust” May 2018
Blasko, Cole “Pressure dependence of polycrystalline magnesite and dolomite” May 2017 (Now at Bowling Green University)
Jackson, Nicholas “Grain size dependence of magnesite low temperature plasticity” Dec. 2016 (Now at Solar Engineering)
Fraser, Jessica “Rubber Roads for the Rubber City: Testing the Suitability of Rubberized Asphalt for Roads in Northeast Ohio”, Honors Thesis, May 2016 (Now at Goodyear)
Millard, Joseph “Viscosity Contrast Between Chert and Iron Oxide Based on Fold Wavelength” May 2016 (Now at Klondex Mines, NV)
Ritter, Abigail “Jointing relationships in the Sharon Sandstone” Honors Thesis, May 2016 (Now at St. Louis University, MO)
Zidd, Natalie “Microstructure and Deformation Mechanism Analysis of Carbonate Rock located in an Anticline” Honors Thesis, May 2016
Miller, Max “Examination of Soft Sediment Faulting in Unconsolidated Glacial Sediment in Akron, Ohio” Dec 2016 (Now at Beaver Construction)

Rubber City Rock Deformers 2018 (l to r) Casey Braccia, Rebeccah DiPuccio, Danielle Anderson, Caleb McDaniel, R.J. McGinnis, Joe Millard, Caleb Holyoke