Some regional fracturing can be difficult to explain in terms of Ander
son's shear-based theory of faulting. An alternative strain-based theo
ry leads to definite predictions for orientations of extensional fault
ing, including regional normal faulting, rift faulting, sub-vertical j
ointing and cleating, and some forms of shrinkage cracking. The exampl
es we present are quite typical, and qualitatively bear out the theory
predictions.