Microfacies Data: Fabrics

Having discussed matrix and grain types of carbonate rocks in previous chapters, this chapter focuses on the fabrics constructed by rock constituents. The term fabric includes textural as well as structural criteria. Most fabrics reflect depositional controls or early diagenetic processes. This chapter starts with the description of common depositional and diagenetic fabrics (Sect. 5.1), continues with criteria on the recognition and significance of discontinuity structures (Sect. 5.2) which are of major importance in sequence stratigraphy, and closes with a review of predominantly postdepositional features (Sect. 5.3).