LATE QUATERNARY FAULTED LANDFORMS AND FAULT ACTIVITY OF THE HUASHAN PIEDMONT FAULT

Based on the 1︰50000 active fault geological mapping, combining with high-precision remote imaging, field geological investigation and dating technique, the paper investigates the stratum, topography and faulted landforms of the Huashan Piedmont Fault. Research shows that the Huashan Piedmont Fault can be divided into Lantian to Huaxian section (the west section), Huaxian to Huayin section (the middle section) and Huayin to Lingbao section (the east section) according to the respective different fault activity. The fault in Lantian to Huaxian section is mainly contacted by loess and bedrock. Bedrock fault plane has already become unsmooth and mirror surfaces or striations can not be seen due to the erosion of running water and wind. 10~20m high fault scarps can be seen ahead of mountain in the north section near Mayu gully and Qiaoyu gully, and we can see Malan loess faulted profiles in some gully walls. In this section terraces are mainly composed of T₁ and T₂ which formed in the early stage of Holocene and late Pleistocene respectively. Field investigation shows that T₁ is continuous and T₂ is dislocated across the fault. These indicate that in this section the fault has been active in the late Pleistocene and its activity becomes weaker or no longer active after that. In the section between Huaxian and Huayin, neotectonics is very obvious, fault triangular facets are clearly visible and fault scarps are in linear distribution. Terrace T₁, T₂ and T₃ develop well on both sides of most gullies. Dating data shows that T₁ forms in 2~3ka BP, T₂ forms in 6~7ka BP, and T₃ forms in 60~70ka BP. All terraces are faulted in this section, combing with average ages and scarp heights of terraces, we calculate the average vertical slip rates during the period of T₃ to T₂, T₂ to T₁ and since the formation of T₁, which are 0.4mm/a, 1.1mm/a and 1.6mm/a, and among them, 1.1mm/a can roughly represent as the average vertical slip rate since the middle stage of Holocene. Fault has been active several times since the late period of late Pleistocene according to fault profiles, in addition, Tanyu west trench also reveals the dislocation of the culture layer of(0.31~0.27)a BP. 1~2m high scarps of floodplains which formed in(400~600)a BP can be seen at Shidiyu gully and Gouyu gully. In contrast with historical earthquake data, we consider that the faulted culture layer exposed by Tanyu west trench and the scarps of floodplains are the remains of Huanxian M_S8½ earthquake. The fault in Huayin to Lingbao section is also mainly contacted by loess and mountain bedrock. Malan loess faulted profiles can be seen at many river outlets of mountains. Terrace geomorphic feature is similar with that in the west section, T₁ is covered by thin incompact Holocene sand loam, and T₂ is covered by Malan loess. OSL dating shows that T₂ formed in the early to middle stage of late Pleistocene. Field investigation shows that T₁ is continuous and T₂ is dislocated across the fault. These also indicate that in this section fault was active in the late Pleistocene and its activity becomes weaker or no longer active since Holocene. According to this study combined with former researches, we incline to the view that the seismogenic structure of Huanxian M_S8½ earthquake is the Huashan Piedmont Fault and the Northern Margin Fault of Weinan Loess, as for whether there are other faults or not awaits further study.