Linking stress field deflection to basement structures in southern Ontario: Results from numerical modelling

Analysis of stress measurement data from the near-surface to crustal depths in southern Ontario show a misalignment between the direction of tectonic loading and the orientation of the major horizontal principal stress. The compressive stress field instead appears to be oriented sub-parallel to the major terrane boundaries such as the Grenville Front, the Central Metasedimentary Belt boundary zone and the Elzevir Frontenac boundary zone. This suggests that the stress field has been modified by these deep crustal scale deformation zones. In order to test this hypothesis, a geomechanical model was constructed using the three-dimensional discontinuum stress analysis code 3DEC. The model consists of a 45 km thick crust of southern Ontario in which the major crustal scale deformation zones are represented as discrete faults. Lateral velocity boundary conditions were applied to the sides of the model in the direction of tectonic loading in order to generate the horizontal compressive stress field. Modelling results show that for low strength (low friction angle and cohesion), fault slip causes the stress field to rotate toward the strike of the faults, consistent with the observed direction of misalignment with the tectonic loading direction. Observed distortions to the regional stress field may be explained by this relatively simple mechanism of slip on deep first-order structures in response to the neotectonic driving forces.