Theoretical analysis of the spatio-temporal evolution of the bulk-strain field based on a rheologic inclusion model

ntroductionThe rock medium shows mainly elastic character under low-temperature, low-pressure and external force of short duration, but it shows rheologic property under high-temperature, high-pressure and long-time external force. It is right that rapid earthquake faulting process of only about ten seconds is analyzed by the elastic theory. But for the earthquake generating process continuing over hundreds or thousand years, the rheologic property of rock must be considered (ZHANG, 1987; YI…     

The Change in Outgoing Long-wave Radiation before the Ludian MS6.5 Earthquake Based on Tidal Force Niche Cycles

The cycle process of the tidal force niche for the Ludian M_S6.5 earthquake occurring in Ludian County, Yunnan Province, China on August 3, 2014 was calculated. The earthquake occurred near the middle point phase. It indicates that the type of seismogenic fault that the tide force acted on belongs to the thrust fault. According to the tidal niche cycle,the abnormal OLR( Outgoing Long-wave Radiation) change was analyzed based on NOAA satellite data around the whole land area of China before and after the earthquake.The result shows that the OLR changed evidently with tide force change. Temporally,the change went through the evolution process of initial OLR rise → strengthening → abnormal peaking → attenuation → returning to normal; and spatially,the abnormal area wound its way along the Zhaotong-Ludian fault and went through a scattered → conversion →scattered process. This process is similar to the change process of rock breaking under stress loading. The results indicate that the tidal force of a celestial body could trigger an earthquake when the tectonic stress reaches its critical breaking point and the OLR anomaly is proportional to the seismic tectonic stress change. It is of great use to combine OLR and tidal force in earthquake precursory observation.     

3-D rheologic model of earthquake preparation （Ⅲ）： Precursor field

On the basis of the theory of viscoelastic displacement and strain field for the three-dimensional rheologic model of earthquake preparation, this paper mainly studies the theoretical solution of precursor field for the three-dimensional rheologic model of earthquake preparation. We derive the viscoelastic analytical expressions of the ground tilt, underground water level, earth resistivity at an arbitrary point （x, y, z） in the rheologic medium, and analyzed the earth resistivity preliminarily, providing a certain theoretical basis for the precursor analysis of seismogenic process.     

A Simple Model for Earthquake Instability

Based on the heterogeneity of fault plane strength,the macro rupture process of a fault plane can be treated as the rupture accumulation process of local micro-elements in the fault surface.Assuming that the strength of the local micro-elements follows the Weibull probability distribution,the macro-fault constitutive relationship of the complete load-deformation process is derived from a statistical mechanics viewpoint.Applying a one-dimensional earthquake mechanics model and using far-field displacement a as the control variable,the problem of earthquake instability is investigated by employing the stability theory.The results show that the system stiffness ratio(stiffness ratio of fault to surroun-ding rock) β is the important parameter that affects the occurrence of earthquakes.Earthquake instability occurs only when β < 1,and the sudden stress jump appears at the displacement turning point of the equilibrium path curve.The expression of three important parameters for earthquakes(fault half-dislocation distance after earthquake,earthquake stress drop and elastic energy release) is also given.When β≥1,the earthquake does not occur and the fault only slips slowly without an earthquake.     

A Damage Model of Acoustic Emission in Rock and Its Initial Application in Seismological Research

The model of the relationship of AE parameter,damage variable and strain is derived by applying the damage theory and micro-element statistical strength theory.The relation between AE characteristics during rock failure and machine stiffness is analyzed under uniaxial compression with the above model.Based on the above analysis,the internal connection among AE activity law and seisraogenic process and earthquake activity is discussed.     

3-D rheologic model of earthquake prepa-ration (III): Precursor field

Introduction Based on the elastic theory of hard inclusion model proposed by Dobrovolskii (1991), we developed a rheologic inclusion model to study the spatial-temporal variation of earthquake pre-cursor by using the bulk-strain field resulted from rheologic inclusion model (SONG et al, 2000). Based on the elastic inclusion theory, the analytical expressions for the viscoelastic displacement field and strain field of rheologic inclusion model are derived (SONG et al, 2003, 2004). Further-m…     

Seismic response analysis of road vehicle-bridge system for continuous rigid frame bridges with high piers

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of earthquakes on road vehicle-bridge coupling vibration systems. A two-axle highway freight vehicle is treated as a 13 degree-of-freedom system composed of several rigid bodies, which are connected by a series of springs and dampers. The framework of the earthquake-vehicle-bridge dynamic analysis system is then established using an earthquake as the external excitation. The equivalent lateral contact force serves as the judgment criteria for sideslip accidents according to reliability theory. The entire process of the vehicle crossing the bridge is considered for a very high pier continuous rigid frame bridge. The response characteristics of the vehicle and the bridge are discussed in terms of various parameters such as earthquake ground motion, PGA value of the earthquake, incident angle, pier height, vehicle speed and mass. It is found that seismic excitation is the most influential factor in the responses of the vehicle-bridge system and that the safety of vehicles crossing the bridge is seriously impacted by the dual excitations of earthquake and bridge vibration.     

汶川8.0级地震前龙门山断裂带孕震构造运动特征分析?

On the basis of elastic rebound theory, using the horizontal velocity field of the Chinese mainland calculated from GPS data during three observation periods from 1999 to 2007, the velocity components that are parallel and plumb to the fault zone are calculated respectively for different periods, and then relative ground movements of two sides of the fault zone are analyzed with power function fitting and graphics. The results show that the relative ground movement shows right-lateral shear deformation before the Wenchuan Ms8. 0 earthquake, and at the same time the movement was hindered by the Longmenshan fault zone. Thus, this result has positive significance for distinguishing the elastic strain energy accumulation and deformation anomaly in an earthquake preparation process, and for conducting further research on earthquake prediction.     

Study of main body element of crustal strain and its relationship with moderate-strong earthquakes

In this paper, progress in strain study of blocks and faults by GPS data are discussed, and the concept that active structures between blocks are the main body of crustal strain is clarified. By energy transfer principle of elastic mechanics, the relation between strain around faults and tectonic force on fault surfaces is set up and main body element model of crustal strain is constructed. Finally, the relation between mechanical evolution of model and seismogenic process of Kunlun earthquake （Ms=8.1） is discussed by continuous GPS data of datum stations. The result suggests that the relatively relaxed change under background of strong compressing and shearing may help to trigger moderate-strong earthquakes.     

3-D rheologic model of earthquake preparation (II): Strain field and its applications

Introduction Based on the elastic theory of the hard inclusion (Dobrovolskii, 1991), we developed an inclusion theory of rheologic medium, and applied the results of bulk-strain field of a rheologic inclusion model to explain the spatial-temporal evolution process of earthquake precursors (SONG, et al, 2000). In the former paper (SONG, et al, 2003), we derived the viscoelastic displacement field of the rheologic inclusion model on the basis of the analytic expression of displacement field o…     

Discrete Element Modeling of Tangjiagou Two-Branch Rock Avalanche Triggered by the 2013 Lushan MW6.6 Earthquake, China

Two branches of Tangjiagou rock avalanche were triggered by Lushan earthquake in Sichuan Province, China on April 20^th, 2013. The rock avalanche has transported about 1 500 000 m³ of sandstone from the source area. Based on discrete element modeling, this study simulates the deformation, failure and movement process of the rock avalanche. Under seismic loading, the mechanism and process of deformation, failure, and runout of the two branches are similar. In detail, the stress concentration occur firstly on the top of the mountain ridge, and accordingly, the tensile deformation appears. With the increase of seismic loading, the strain concentration zone extends in the forward and backward directions along the slipping surface, forming a locking segment. As a result, the slipping surface penetrates and the slide mass begin to slide down with high speed. Finally, the avalanche accumulates in the downstream and forms a small barrier lake. Modeling shows that a number of rocks on the surface exhibit patterns of horizontal throwing and vertical jumping under strong ground shaking. We suggest that the movement of the rock avalanche is a complicated process with multiple stages, including formation of the two branches, high-speed sliding, transformation into debris flows, further movement and collision, accumulation, and the final steady state. Topographic amplification effects are also revealed based on acceleration and velocity of special monitoring points. The horizontal and vertical runout distances of the surface materials are much greater than those of the internal materials. Besides, the sliding duration is also longer than that of the internal rock mass.     

Improved stress release model: Application to the study of earthquake prediction in Taiwan area

Introduction Stress release model (SRM) was proposed by Vere-Jones (1978) for statistical study of seismicity. Physically it is a stochastic version of the elastic rebound theory of earthquake genesis. The classical elastic rebound model suggests that the stress has been slowly accumulating until the burst of an earthquake occurrence for stress release. This can be simulated by the jump Markov process in stochastic field, and SRM was developed on the basis of Knopoff (s Markov model (Knop…     

Granite deformation and behavior of acoustic emission sequence under the temperature and pressure condition at different crust depths

IntroductionFocal depths of shallow strong intraplate earthquakes are mostly distributed in the highstrength range of lithosphere controlled by the rheology property of granite and diorite (Brace,Kohlstedt, 1980; Sibson, 1982; Meissner, Strehlau, 1982; CHEN, Molnap 1983). This is obviouslyrelated to the change of rock deformation characteriStics at different crust depths. So, for earthquake stUdy, both of the rock failure types (fractUre or rock flow) and its mechanical instabilityforms (…     

The Frozen Soils and Devastating Characteristics of West Kunlun Mountains Pass Ms 8.1 Earthquake Area in 2001

The investigation on damages to frozen soil sites during the West Kunlun Mountains Pass earthquake with Ms 8.1 in 2001 shows that the frozen soil in the seismic area is composed mainly of moraine, alluvial deposit, diluvial deposit and lacustrine deposit with the depth varying greatly along the earthquake rupture zone. The deformation and rupture of frozen soil sites are mainly in the form of coseismic fracture zones caused by tectonic motion and fissures,liquefaction, seismic subsidence and collapse resulting from ground motion. The earthquake fracture zones on the surface are main brittle deformations, which, under the effect of sinlstral strike-slip movement, are represented by shear fissures, tensional cracks and compressive bulges. The distribution and configuration patterns of deformation and rupture such as fissures, liquefaction, seismic subsidence and landslides are all related to the ambient rock and soil conditions of the earthquake area. The distribution of earthquake damage is characterized by large-scale rupture zones, rapid intensity attenuation along the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Highway, where buildings distribute and predominant effect of rock and soil conditions.     

A discussion on Corioli force effect and aflershock activity tendency of the M=8.1 Kunlun Mountain Pass earthquake on Nov.14, 2001

Following the theory and definition of the Corioli force in physics, the Corioli force at the site of the M=8.1 Kunlun Mountain Pass earthquake on November 14, 2001, is examined in this paper on the basis of a statistical research on relationship between the Corioli force effect and the maximum attershock magnitude of 20 earth-quakes with M≥7.5 in Chinese mainland, and then the variation tendency of attershock activity of the M=8.1 earthquake is discussed. The result shows: a) Analyzing the Corioli force effect is an effective method to predict maximum attershock magnitude of large earthquakes in Chinese mainland. For the sinistral slip fault and the reverse fault with its hanging wall moving toward the right side oftbe cross-focus meridian plane, their Corioli force pulls the two fault walls apart, decreasing frictional resistance on fault plane during the fault movement and releasing elastic energy of the mainshock fully, so the maximum magnitude of aftershocks would be low. For the dextral slip fault, its Corioli force presses the two walls against each other and increases the frictional resistance on fault plane, prohibiting energy release of the mainshock, so the maximum magnitude of attershocks would be high.b) The fault of the M--8. l Kunlun Mountain earthquake on Nov. 14, 2001 is essentially a sinistral strike-slip fault,and the Corioli force pulled the two fault walls apart. Magnitude of the induced stress is about 0.06 MPa. Alter a comparison analysis, we suggest that the attershock activity level will not be high in the late period of this earth-quake sequence, and the maximum magnitude of the whole aftershocks sequence is estimated to be about 6.0.     

Earthquake accelerogram simulation with statistical law of evolutionary power spectrum

By using the technique for evolutionary power spectrum proposed by Nakayama and with reference to the Kameda formula, an evolutionary spectrum prediction model for given earthquake magnitude and distance is established based on the 80 near-source acceleration records at rock surface with large magnitude from the ground motion database of western U.S.. Then a new iteration method is developed for generation of random accelerograms non-stationary both in amplitude and frequency which are compatible with target evolutionary spectrum. The phase spectra of those simulated accelerograms are also non-stationary in time and frequency domains since the interaction between amplitude and phase angle has been considered during the generation. Furthermore, the sign of the phase spectrum increment is identified to accelerate the iteration. With the proposed statistical model for predicting evolutionary power spectra and the new method for generating compatible time history, the artificial random earthquake accelerograms non-stationary both in amplitude and frequency for certain magnitude and distance can be provided.     

The Experimental Simulation of Rocks on Load/Unload Response Ratio for Earthquake Prediction

The load/unload experiments on rock failure under pressure have been carried out in Material Test System (MTS) in the Laboratory for Non-linear Mechanics of Continuous Media (LNM), Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and load/unload response ratio (LURR) values with strain as response (i.e. inverse elastic constant as response rate) have been obtained. The experimental results are in accordance with theoretical results and those in real earthquakes: LURR rises just before rock failure. So LURR can be used as the precursor of rock failure and earthquake prediction.     

Seismic Inventory Simulation and Conformance Test Based on the Monte Carlo Method——A Case Study of the Fenhe-Weihe Belt

Artificial earthquake catalogue simulation is one of the ways to effectively improve the incompleteness of the existing earthquake catalogue,the scarcity of large earthquake records and the improvement of seismological research.Based on the Poisson distribution model of seismic activity and the Gutenberg-Richter magnitude-frequency relationship, the Monte Carlo method which can describe the characteristics of the stochastic nature and the physical experiment process is used.This paper simulates the future seismic catalogues of the Fenhe-Weihe seismic belt of different durations and conducts statistical tests on them. The analysis shows that the simulation catalogue meets the set seismic activity parameters and meets the Poisson distribution hypothesis,which can obtain a better simulated earthquake catalogues that meets the seismic activity characteristics.According to the simulated earthquake catalogues,future earthquake trends in this region are analyzed to provide reference for seismic hazard analysis.     

The effect of different intensity measures and earthquake directions on the seismic assessment of skewed highway bridges

In this study the probable seismic behavior of skewed bridges with continuous decks under earthquake excitations from different directions is investigated.A 45° skewed bridge is studied.A suite of 20 records is used to perform an Incremental Dynamic Analysis(IDA) for fragility curves.Four different earthquake directions have been considered:-45°, 0°, 22.5°, 45°.A sensitivity analysis on different spectral intensity measures is presented; efficiency and practicality of different intensity measures have been studied.The fragility curves obtained indicate that the critical direction for skewed bridges is the skew direction as well as the longitudinal direction.The study shows the importance of finding the most critical earthquake in understanding and predicting the behavior of skewed bridges.     

Research Progress on the Problem of Fluid,Heat and Energy Distribution near the Earthquake Source Area

As the basic problems in seismology, fluid, heat and energy distribution near earthquake sources during earthquake generation have been the leading subjects of concern to seismologists. Currently, more and more research shows fluid around earthquake source areas, which plays an important role in the process of earthquake preparation and generation. However, there is considerable controversy over the source of fluid in the deep crust. As for the problem of heat around earthquake source areas, different models have been proposed to explain the stress heat flow paradox. Among them, the dynamic weakening model has been thought to be the key to solving the heat flow paradox issue. After large earthquakes, energy distribution is directly related to friction heat. It is of timely and important practical significance to immediately implement deep drilling in-site surveying to gain understanding of fluid, friction heat and energy distribution during earthquake generation. The latest international progress in fluid, heat and energy distribution research has been reviewed in this paper which will bring important inspiration for the understanding of earthquake preparation and occurrence.