On stress and strain in a continuous-discontinuous shear zone undergoing simple shear and volume loss

► Consider the local stress and strain within a simple shear zone. ► Local greatest finite extension may be subparallel to regional shortening. ► Stress orientations in a phacoid are parallel or normal to its boundaries. ► Stress loading of competent lenses is predicted by fibre-loading theory. ► Bulk rheology depends on volume fraction and distribution of phacoids.