Experimental Research on the Load／Unload Response Ratio （LURR） Theory

Implementing acoustic emission experiments with large rock samples, LURR (Load/Unload Response Ratio) theory was studied. The loading conditions in the experiments were designed to simulate the complicated loading process of underground rocks. The damages emerging inside the rock samples were recorded by the acoustic emission technique during the loading process. The experimental results were consistent with prediction by LURR theory. Integrating the changing processes of LURR value Y and the location process of acoustic emission events showed agreement between the variation of LURR value Y and the damage evolution inside the rocks. Furthermore, the high value of Y emerged before the complete breakdown of materials. Therefore, the damage evolution of rock specimen can be quantitatively analyzed with LURR theory, thus the failure of the rock materials and the earthquake occurrence may be predicted. The experimental results gave a further verification of LURR theory.     

加卸载响应比(LURR)理论的实验研究

利用大尺度岩石试件破坏声发射实验，对加卸载响应比(Load/Unload Response Ratio)理论进行了实验研究。实验采用的加载条件力求能够模拟地下岩石的复杂受力过程。在加载过程中，岩石试件内部出现的损伤用声发射技术进行了记录。实验数据经过分析之后所得的结论与加卸载响应比理论预测的结果相符合。把加卸载响应比值Y的变化情况与声发射事件定位的过程相对比，也可以进一步看出岩石材料内部的损伤发展过程与加卸载响应比Y值的变化具有一致性。而高Y值的异常情况出现，又是在材料发生最终破坏之前，所以，可以用加卸载响应比理论定量地分析岩石试件损伤演化情况，从而对岩石材料的破坏及地震做出预测。实验结果再一次验证了加卸载响应比理论。     

Simulation of the Load-Unload Response Ratio and Critical Sensitivity in the Lattice Solid Model

— The Load-Unload Response Ratio (LURR) method is an intermediate-term earthquake prediction approach that has shown considerable promise. It involves calculating the ratio of a specified energy release measure during loading and unloading where loading and unloading periods are determined from the earth tide induced perturbations in the Coulomb Failure Stress on optimally oriented faults. In the lead-up to large earthquakes, high LURR values are frequently observed a few months or years prior to the event. These signals may have a similar origin to the observed accelerating seismic moment release (AMR) prior to many large earthquakes or may be due to critical sensitivity of the crust when a large earthquake is imminent. As a first step towards studying the underlying physical mechanism for the LURR observations, numerical studies are conducted using the particle based lattice solid model (LSM) to determine whether LURR observations can be reproduced. The model is initialized as a heterogeneous 2-D block made up of random-sized particles bonded by elastic-brittle links. The system is subjected to uniaxial compression from rigid driving plates on the upper and lower edges of the model. Experiments are conducted using both strain and stress control to load the plates. A sinusoidal stress perturbation is added to the gradual compressional loading to simulate loading and unloading cycles and LURR is calculated. The results reproduce signals similar to those observed in earthquake prediction practice with a high LURR value followed by a sudden drop prior to macroscopic failure of the sample. The results suggest that LURR provides a good predictor for catastrophic failure in elastic-brittle systems and motivate further research to study the underlying physical mechanisms and statistical properties of high LURR values. The results provide encouragement for earthquake prediction research and the use of advanced simulation models to probe the physics of earthquakes.     

Load-Unload Response Ratio (LURR), Accelerating Moment/Energy Release (AM/ER) and State Vector Saltation as Precursors to Failure of Rock Specimens

— In order to verify some precursors such as LURR (Load/Unload Response Ratio) and AER (Accelerating Energy Release) before large earthquakes or macro-fracture in heterogeneous brittle media, four acoustic emission experiments involving large rock specimens under tri-axial stress, have been conducted. The specimens were loaded in two ways: monotonous or cycling. The experimental results confirm that LURR and AER are precursors of macro-fracture in brittle media. A new measure called the state vector has been proposed to describe the damage evolution of loaded rock specimens.     

关于加卸载响应比理论运用于地震预测的几点思考

加卸载响应比理论已在地震预测中得到广泛应用，但也面临挑战。本对加卸载响应比理论及方法进行了分析，并提出该理论几个可能的研究方面：(1)根据固体潮应力变化值给定每个小地震Benio盯应变在加卸载响应比计算中的权重；(2)考虑地震之前应力空间分布，确定加卸载响应比可能升高的区域形状，进而确定加卸载响应比计算中小震资料的选取范围；(3)将实测的小震震源机制与假定小震震源机制都相同时的加卸载响应比计算结果进行比较，研究测定的小震震源机制对加卸载响应比方法的改善情况；(4)研究加卸载响应比方法对不同震源机制类型地震的适用情况。     

The tempo-spatial evolution characteristics of the load/unload response ratio before strong earthquakes in California of America and its predicting implications

IntroductionThetheoryoftheload/unloadresponseratio(LURR)hasbeenproposedabouttenyears(YIN,YIN,1991).Thetheoreticalstudieshavebeendevelopedfromtheoreticalanalysistorockexperimentandnumericalsimulation(SHI,etal,1994;WANG,etal,1999).IncharacteristicsoftheLURRanomalies,atfirst,weonlyanalyzedthevariationoftheload/unloadresponseratio(LURR)versustimeinthefixedregions(YIN,etal,1994;YIN,etal,1995).Thenwestudiedthetempo-spatialevolutionfeaturesoftheLURRintheseismogenicprocessanddevelopedthe…     

2019年6月17日长宁MS6.0地震前地震活动和水位的加卸载响应比异常研究

加卸载响应比（LURR）方法是通过固体潮加卸载过程中的某一物理参数的响应差异探查区域应力场演化。本文将这一方法应用于2019年6月17日四川长宁M_S6.0地震,根据LURR时序演化探查震源区介质的应力状态变化,提取可能的震前异常信息。首先采用贝尼奥夫应变作为响应量计算LURR,通过固体潮在地震断层面的最优滑动方向上引起的库仑破坏应力变化来判断加载还是卸载,结果显示LURR值自2018年年初开始快速增加并在2018年年中达到峰值,此后异常持续至地震。在此基础上对该地区的大地形变和地下井水位资料进行了LURR分析,发现水富水平摆倾斜仪的东西和南北分量在LURR出现异常的同期发生明显偏转,而地震周边的地下井水位高值变化过程与长宁地震也有较好的对应关系。研究表明在长宁地震发生前,存在地震活动和地下水位的LURR异常,且异常时间与水富倾斜同步,暗示震源区介质存在明显的应力积累过程。     

Statistical Tests of Load-Unload Response Ratio Signals by Lattice Solid Model: Implication to Tidal Triggering and Earthquake Prediction

— Statistical tests of Load-Unload Response Ratio (LURR) signals are carried in order to verify statistical robustness of the previous studies using the Lattice Solid Model (Mora et al., 2002b). In each case 24 groups of samples with the same macroscopic parameters (tidal perturbation amplitude A, period T and tectonic loading rate k) but different particle arrangements are employed. Results of uni-axial compression experiments show that before the normalized time of catastrophic failure, the ensemble average LURR value rises significantly, in agreement with the observations of high LURR prior to the large earthquakes. In shearing tests, two parameters are found to control the correlation between earthquake occurrence and tidal stress. One is, A/(k T) controlling the phase shift between the peak seismicity rate and the peak amplitude of the perturbation stress. With an increase of this parameter, the phase shift is found to decrease. Another parameter, A T/k, controls the height of the probability density function (Pdf) of modeled seismicity. As this parameter increases, the Pdf becomes sharper and narrower, indicating a strong triggering. Statistical studies of LURR signals in shearing tests also suggest that except in strong triggering cases, where LURR cannot be calculated due to poor data in unloading cycles, the larger events are more likely to occur in higher LURR periods than the smaller ones, supporting the LURR hypothesis.     

含障碍体平直断层标本变形过程中群体微破裂事件的时空演化特征

设计了含圆柱形障碍体的平直断层物理模型，在概念上可模 拟断层面上与地震孕育相关的障碍体等强固区域. 开展了中等尺度岩石标本的双轴压缩实验 ，研究标本在变形过程中群体微破裂事件的时空演化. 结果表明：(1)由于标本预置断层两 盘与障碍体之间、以及断层两盘彼此之间复杂的相互作用，使得交替活动成为含障碍体平直 断层标本变形过程中最为显著的特征； (2)含障碍体平直断层标本能够发生动力学失稳的前 提条件是障碍体在外加载荷作用下首先发生破坏，微破裂群体在障碍体破坏前后显示不同的 时空演化特征；(3)含障碍体平直断层标本失稳前的总变形量较大，弹性变形阶段微破裂累 积频次呈指数增长. 而在其后的位移弱化阶段，在障碍体及围绕障碍体的围岩区域内微破裂 事件稀少，突发失稳发生在相对平静的背景之上；(4)不同构造组合变形过程中的微破裂群 体具有明显不同的b值，b值与构造相关的区域性差异是明显的.     

地震预报可能性的物理分析

分析了岩石的破裂过程,认为地震是非线性系统失稳的结果,加卸载响应比反映了岩体趋近应力峰值的程度,其异常仅标志着某地区具有发生地震的危险性,指出临震预报的困难在于地震往往发生在应力峰值之后,同时还讨论了临震预报的可能性。     

加卸载响应比的数值模拟

用数值模型来模拟和验证加卸载响应比（ＬＵＲＲＬｏａｄ／Ｕｎｌｏａｄ　ＲｅｓｐｏｎｓｅＲａｔｉｏ）理论．编制非均匀各向异性材料宏细观损伤破坏程序,模拟固体材料在损伤破坏时的加卸载过程,证实了加卸载响应比理论的正确性．结果表明,ＬＵＲＲ这一反映地球介质临近破坏的指标,也可以用来预测材料的破坏．同时讨论了一些参数（如均匀程度和脆性程序）对ＬＵＲＲ的影响,发现材料越呈脆性,或越均匀,ＬＵＲＲ值上升得越晚,曲线越陡．该结果对用ＬＵＲＲ指标预测地震具有一定启发．     

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.     

Acoustic Emissions Monitoring during Inelastic Deformation of Porous Sandstone: Comparison of Three Modes of Deformation

In some reservoirs, large deformations can occur during oil or gas production because of the effective stress change. For very porous rocks, these production operations can be sufficient to cause inelastic deformation and irreversible damage. Rock formations can undergo deformation by different mechanisms, including dilatancy or pore collapse. In the laboratory, it has been shown that the inelastic deformation and failure mode of porous rocks are pressure sensitive. Indeed, when subjected to an overall compressive loading, a porous rock may fail by shear localization, compaction localization, or by cataclastic compaction. Acoustic emission (AE) records provide important information to understand the failure mode of rocks: the spatial evolution of damage as well as the source mechanisms can be followed using this technique. In this paper, we present three different laboratory axisymmetric compression experiments, performed on Bleurswiller sandstone, which enable us to compare the acoustic emission signature of these three modes of deformation. Our data show that compaction localization and cataclastic compaction are characterized by similar acoustic signatures (in terms of AE sources characteristics and evolution of AE number), in comparison to the acoustic signature from shear localization. This implies similar micromechanisms involved during compaction bands formation and cataclastic compaction.     

Revisiting the Tidal Activation of Seismicity with a Damage Mechanics and Friction Point of View

— The Load Unload Response Ratio theory (LURR) puts forward the idea that the ratio of seismicity during times of increased tidal loading to times of decreased tidal loading takes on anomalously large values as the preparatory region of the earthquake approaches a critical state. We repeated the calculations of LURR for several earthquakes in California, for which results had been published, using estimates of the parameters which could be determined from the published work. We were unable to confirm any LURR ratio predictive significance. We test an alternative method of evaluating the influence of tidal stresses on earthquakes based on damage mechanics. As in rock mechanics experiments, it may be that anomalous activation of seismicity prior to large earthquakes occurs only during those time intervals when the applied stress exceeds values previously attained. We applied this approach to analyze the same data set used to test the LURR hypothesis, and it also failed to reveal any significant precursory indications. It may be that time-dependent failure processes such as self-driven nucleation occur on a time scale longer than the diurnal tide, thus destroying the expected synchronization.     

美国西部地区加卸载响应比的时空扫描及其地震趋势研究

加卸载响应比理论是近年来提出的地震预报新方法, 在中国大陆地区的实际地震预测中取得了较好的效果。 为了研究加卸载响应比理论是否适用于不同地质条件的地震, 是否具有普适性, 选择了典型的美国圣安德烈斯断层带及其周围地区的地震作为研究对象, 计算分析了美国西部地区加卸载响应比的变化情况, 并对该地区未来的地震趋势进行了研究。     

加卸载响应比在震后趋势估计和震前中短期预测中的应用

以加卸载响应比方法在青藏高原北部地区几次中强地震预报中的应用为例 ,讨论了天然地震序列下样本条件对加卸载响应比Y值的影响 ,探讨了该方法在震后趋势估计和震前中短期预测应用中的若干问题 ,以探索提高响应比方法预测地震的成功率 .     

祁连山地震带两次中强地震前的加卸载响应比异常

研究了祁连山地震带两次中强地震前的加卸载响应比异常特征，讨论了基于天然地震序列的样本条件对加卸载响应比计算结果的影响，提出处理序列中4．0级以上地震的新方法。     

拐折断层黏滑过程的实验研究

采用位移、应变和声发射等测量手段,研究了预置5°拐折断层的房山花岗岩样品的黏滑过程,分析了不同加载速率下5°拐折断层失稳的黏滑特征及相关物理场的演化过程。实验结果表明: 1)5°拐折断层的黏滑周期与加载速率在数值上呈负对数相关关系; 2)在不同的加载速率下,大多数的5°拐折断层失稳是双震事件, 2次子事件的间隔时间大多在100～200ms之间; 3)采用不同的观测手段,即使采样速率一致,其临震响应也存在差异性,如断层失稳前沿断层的应变测量结果呈现明显的应变弱化,断层位移则未见明显的变化; 4)断层黏滑过程中的声发射事件呈现明显的沿断层迁移的特征。认识强震的发生机理和余震特征需要进一步研究断层失稳过程的动力学信息。     

新疆中强地震前加卸载响应比时空演化特征分析与检验

加卸载响应比是一种刻画震源区介质损伤程度的物理学参数,它通过随时间的变化来反映地震孕育的过程来进行地震预测。通过对1990—1999年新疆地区部分中强地震前加卸载响应比时空演化特征进行分析,并基于该理论得到孕震积分的概念应用于震例中。结果表明:中强震震前在震中附近可能存在多个高加卸载响应比值区,它们大致围成椭圆状或环状,地震通常发生在异常高值波动或减弱的过程中;异常峰值至发震时间比理论时间要短,这可能表明新疆地区构造活动剧烈,孕震周期较短。     

2012年天津地区三次地震前水位对固体潮振幅响应计算分析

2012年在天津及其周边地区发生了唐山4.8级, 宝坻4.0级和宝坻3.5级三次地震。 本文收集整理了天津地区固体潮反映较好的宝坻井、 王3井、 高村井以及张道口井2012年的水位观测数据和气压数据。 采用卷积回归和多项式拟合方法, 对水位观测数据进行气压效应及趋势项的去除, 并对水位数据进行数字滤波处理, 增强水位固体潮信号。 在对数据进行以上有效预处理后, 采用类似于Nakai拟合模型, 以每两天数据为一组, 分别对不同窗口长度滤波处理后的水位数据进行体应变固体潮响应振幅因子比的计算。 计算结果表明, 三次地震前比值均出现明显高值变化。 经比较当窗长选取96 h和120 h进行滤波时计算效果最为明显, 其异常成组出现, 并且变化幅度较大。 由以上这四口井水位对固体潮响应振幅因子比在三次地震发生前后的变化分析, 地震前由于应力的积累, 比值会出现高值变化, 小震活动对应力的积累具有缓解释放作用, 并且结合地震活动以及震源机制解可以对应力的积累-释放过程有一定的了解与印证。