Thin-section analysis as a tool to aid identification of palaeoearthquakes on the “slow”, active Geleen Fault, Roer Valley Graben

We analyzed thin sections from two palaeoseismic trenches across the low-slip-rate Geleen Fault in the Belgian Maas River valley to help identifying the most recent large palaeoearthquake on this fault segment. In the first trench we sampled silty sediment below and above a prehistoric stone pavement that was supposedly at or near the surface at the time of the event, and subsequently thrown down. The samples below show a well-developed in situ argillic Bt soil horizon in parent sediment containing remnants of stratification, whereas the sediment above is a structureless colluvium reworked at least partly from Bt-horizon material. Below the stone pavement, we also found evidence of contorted stratification, which is in agreement with macroscopic observations of both the sediment and the stone pavement itself, and which is attributed to co-seismic soft-sediment deformation. In the second trench, we sampled a sequence of vaguely discernible soil horizons in the hanging-wall, interpreted as a buried soil profile (Bt, E, and possibly A horizons), overlain by a featureless deposit. Thin-section analysis supports the colluvial nature of the latter, and also provides evidence that both the base of this layer and the top of the poorly developed A horizon below have occupied a shallow position in a soil profile. A sample from the same depth in the footwall is composed of very different material. Instead of colluvium, we find patches of Bt soil, most likely representing the same pedogenic level as the in situ Bt horizon at larger depth in the hanging-wall, but displaced and subsequently degraded. Furthermore, thin sections confirm that vertical structures cutting this Bt horizon are sand dykes. These dykes could be traced macroscopically upward to the base of the colluvium. In both trenches, we have thus identified a stratigraphic boundary in the hanging-wall, close to the surface, separating an in situ soil below from colluvium above. We interpret this limit and the overlying colluvium as the event horizon and the colluvial wedge, respectively, of a surface-rupturing palaeoearthquake. In addition, in both cases we found evidence of soft-sediment deformation (related to liquefaction) contemporaneous with the event within the stratigraphic resolution.     

四川汶川MS 8.0大地震地表破裂带的遥感影像解析

2008年5月12日发生于四川盆地西部龙门山断裂带的汶川MS 8.0级大地震造成巨大的人员伤亡和财产损失,并形成了空间上基本连续分布的地表破裂带（地震断层）。根据地表破裂带的解译标志及影像特征,我们充分利用震后中国科学院航空遥感飞机所获取的高分辨率航空遥感图像以及我国台湾福卫-2卫星遥感图像进行详细解译分析,并结合震后的多次野外科学考察与验证,初步查明了四川汶川MS 8.0级大地震所产生地表破裂带的空间分布特征。遥感解译分析表明汶川大地震产生的地表破裂带总计长约300 km,其几何学特征十分复杂,主要沿先存的NE走向活动断裂带呈不连续展布;变形特征以逆冲挤压为主兼具右旋走滑分量。按同震地表破裂带所在断裂带位置,可将其分为两条： 中央地表破裂带：沿映秀-北川断裂带分布,从西南开始呈北东向延伸至平武县水观乡石坎子北东一带,长约230 km,最大垂直位移量达6.0 m左右,最大右旋水平位移达5.8 m;山前地表破裂带：沿灌县-安县断裂带分布,由都江堰市向峨乡一带开始呈北东向延伸至安县雎水镇一带,长约70 km,以逆冲挤压为主,最大垂直位移量可达2.5 m。此外,遥感图像分析还表明上述地表破裂带与地质灾害分布在空间上具有十分密切的相关性,因此,挤压逆冲-走滑型地震断层的致灾效应研究是未来应该加以重视的研究课题。     

Deformation Patterns of an Accretionary Wedge in the Transition Zone from Subduction to Collision Offshore Southwestern Taiwan

Swath bathymetry data and seismic reflection profiles have been used to investigate details of the deformation pattern in the area offshore southwestern Taiwan where the Luzon subduction complex encroaches on the passive Chinese continental margin. Distinctive fold-and-thrust structures of the convergent zone and horst-and-graben structures of the passive margin are separated by a deformation front that extends NNW-ward from the eastern edge of the Manila Trench to the foot of the continental slope. This deformation front gradually turns into a NNE–SSW trending direction across the continental slope and the Kaoping Shelf, and connects to the frontal thrusts of the mountain belt on land Taiwan. However, the complex Penghu submarine canyon system blurs the exact location of the deformation front and nature of many morphotectonic features offshore SW Taiwan. We suggest that the deformation front offshore SW Taiwan does not appear as a simple structural line, but is characterized by a series of N–S trending folds and thrusts that terminate sequentially in an en-echelon pattern across the passive Chinese continental slope. A number of NE–SW trending lineaments cut across the fold-and-thrust structures of the frontal accretionary wedge and exhibit prominent dextral displacement indicative of the lateral expulsion of SW Taiwan. One of the prominent lineaments, named the Yung-An lineament, forms the southeastern boundary of the upper part of the Penghu submarine canyon, and has conspicuous influence over the drainage pattern of the canyon     

Determination of the Critical Value of Deflection for Embedded Cylindrical Structures

An embedded cylinder is a large-diameter cylinder embedded in a soil foundation. The state of failure of such an embedded cylindrical structure shows large deflection instead of slide and overturn of the traditional gravity type of structure placed on a rubble base or foundation base. The critical value of deflection of the embedded cylindrical structure, which is the maximum allowable deflection for stability calculation of the cylinder, is a vital control value. Through investigation on deflection and soil pressures on an embedded cylinder by model experiments, the variations of the angle of rotation θ of a cylinder with effective anti-overturning ratio η and moment MH of thrust are discussed. On the basis of experimental study, the critical value of deflection of the cylindrical structure is proposed in the paper. Meanwhile, the formulas for calculating deflection of cylinders are derived.     

Fault Characteristics in Longmen Mountain Thrust Belt,Western Sichuan Foreland Basin,China

Through field geological survey,the authors found that abundant thrust faults developed in the Longmen (龙门) Mountain thrust belt.These faults can be divided into thrust faults and strike-slip faults according to their formation mechanisms and characteristics.Furthermore,these faults can be graded into primary fault,secondary fault,third-level fault,and fourth-level fault according to their scale and role in the tectonic evolution of Longmen Mountain thrust belt.Each thrust fault is composed of several secondary faults,such as Qingchuan (青川)-Maowen (茂汶) fault zone is composed of Qiaozhuang (乔庄) fault,Qingxi (青溪) fault,Maowen fault,Ganyanggou (赶羊沟) fault,etc..The Longmen Mountain thrust belt experienced early Indosinian movement,Anxian (安县) movement,Yanshan (燕山)movement,and Himalayan movement,and the faults formed gradually from north to south.     

面积平衡法与川东大池干推覆带区域滑脱面预测

本文详细介绍了面积平衡法的原理与方法,并将该方法应用于川东大池干构造的解释。利用面积平衡法,本文预测出在该地区可能有三个较大的区域滑脱面,它们分别位于3.53km处的中三叠统(由石膏、盐岩和泥页岩组成),7.79km处的下寒武统(由页岩、石膏和岩盐层组成),以及8.67km处的下寒武统(由页岩、石膏和岩盐层组成)地层之中。根据以上滑脱面的分析结果,作者认为大池干构造可以解释为滑脱褶皱和断层转折褶皱两种成因模式。在滑脱褶皱模式中,主滑脱面为8.67km处的非能干层;在断层转折褶皱模式中,该地区被认为具有上下两个滑脱面,其上滑脱面为3.53km处的非能干层,而其下滑脱面为7.79km处的非能干层。两种模式所对应的面积深度直线都具有较好的相关性,表明两种构造解释都具有内部岩层一致性,剖面达到平衡,故具有相对的合理性。     

抗滑桩设计推力计算方法研究

滑坡推力是抗滑桩设计推力的重要依据,工程中通常使用剩余推力法来计算滑坡推力。为了比较准确合理地计算出抗滑桩的设计推力,提出了在剩余推力法基础上的一种新的抗滑桩设计推力取值方法。分析极限平衡状态下和工程安全要求下各条块的剩余下滑力,选择合理的桩位,使得抗滑桩位于滑坡体的抗滑段;然后调整桩后滑体的剩余下滑力,其调整量一方面保证桩前桩后滑体满足工程安全要求,另一方面则作为抗滑桩设计推力的修正依据,其过程由程序实现。通过实例证明了该方法的合理性。同时对今后抗滑桩设计推力的合理取值提供了参考作用。     

准噶尔盆地西北缘走滑断层特征及油气地质意义

准噶尔盆地西北缘前陆冲断带构造样式复杂多样,除规模较大的逆断层外,还发育一系列北西向的走滑断层。以高分辨率三维地震资料为基础,对断裂体系分析表明克拉玛依—百口泉地区的走滑断层可分为花状走滑断层和简单走滑断层两类,二者在成因、剖面特征等方面具有明显差别。研究结果认为走滑断层对油气的运聚成藏具有重要的双重控制作用,即能作为有效的运移通道,又能够起遮挡作用而形成圈闭。     

The Glarus thrust: excursion guide and report of a field trip of the Swiss Tectonic Studies Group (Swiss Geological Society, 14.–16. 09. 2006)

This excursion guide results form a field trip to the Glarus nappe complex organized by the Swiss Tectonic Studies Group in 2006. The aim of the excursion was to discuss old and recent concepts related to the evolution of the Glarus thrust. The major aspects were (i) the interplay between deformation, fluid flow and geochemical alteration, (ii) episodic versus continuous deformation and fluid flow, and (iii) the link between large-scale structures, microstructures, and geochemical aspects. Despite 150 years of research in the Glarus nappe complex and the new results discussed during the excursion, there exist controversies that still are unsolved.