Surface Rupture and Co-seismic Displacement Produced by the Ms 8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake of May 12th, 2008, Sichuan, China： Eastwards Growth of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

An earthquake of Ms 8 struck Wenchuan County,western Sichuan,China,on May 12~(th), 2008 and resulted in long surface ruptures (>300 km).The first-hand observations about the surface ruptures produced by the earthquake in the worst-hit areas of Yingxiu,Beichuan and Qingchuan, ascertained that the causative structure of the earthquake was in the central fault zones of the Longmenshan tectonic belt.Average co-seismic vertical displacements along the individual fault of the Yingxiu-Beichuan rupture zone reach 2.5-4m and the cumulative vertical displacements across the central and frontal Longmenshan fault belt is about 5-6 m.The surface rupture strength was reduced from north of Beichuan to Qingchuan County and shows 2-3 m dextral strike-slip component.The Wenchuan thrust-faulting earthquake is a manifestation of eastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau under the action of continuous convergence of the Indian and Eurasian continents.     

Analysis of the Wenchuan Ms8.0 Earthquake’s Co-seismic Stress and Displacement Change by Using the Finite Element Method

The variation of in situ stress before and after earthquakes is an issue studied by geologists. In this paper, on the basis of the fault slip dislocation model of Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake, the changes of co-seismic displacement and the distribution functions of stress tensor around the Longmen Shan fault zone are calculated. The results show that the co-seismic maximum surface displacement is 4.9 m in the horizontal direction and 6.5 m in the vertical direction, which is almost consistent with the on-site survey and GPS observations. The co-seismic maximum horizontal stress in the hanging wall and footwall decreased sharply as the distance from the Longmen Shan fault zone increased. However, the vertical stress and minimum horizontal stress increased in the footwall and in some areas of the hanging wall. The study of the co-seismic displacement and stress was mainly focused on the long and narrow region along the Longmen Shan fault zone, which coincides with the distribution of the earthquake aftershocks. Therefore, the co-seismic stress only affects the aftershocks, and does not affect distant faults and seismic activities. The results are almost consistent with in situ stress measurements at the two sites before and after Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake. Along the fault plane, the co-seismic shear stress in the dip direction is larger than that in the strike direction, which indicates that the faulting mechanism of the Longmen Shan fault zone is a dominant thrust with minor strike-slipping. The results can be used as a reference value for future studies of earthquake mechanisms.     

Does vertical seismic force play an important role for the failure mechanism of rock avalanches? A case study of rock avalanches triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake of May 12, 2008, Sichuan,China

The Wenchuan earthquake triggered 15,000 rock avalanches, rockfalls and debris flows, causing a large number of causalities and widespread damage. Similar to many rock avalanches, field investigations showed that tensile failure often occurred at the back edge. Some soil and rock masses were moved so violently that material became airborne. The investigation indicates that this phenomenon was due to the effect of a large vertical seismic motion that occurred in the meizoseismal area during the earthquake. This paper analyses the effect of vertical earthquake force on the failure mechanism of a large rock avalanche using the Donghekou rock avalanche as an example. This deadly avalanche, which killed 780 people, initiated at an altitude of 1,300 m and had a total run-out distance of 2,400 m. The slide mass is mainly composed of Sinian limestone and dolomite limestone, together with Cambrian slate and phyllite. Static and dynamic stability analysis on the Donghekou rock avalanche has been performed using FLAC finite difference method software, under the actual seismic wave conditions as recorded on May 12, 2008. The results show that the combined horizontal and vertical peak acceleration caused a higher reduction in slope stability factor than horizontal peak acceleration alone. In addition, a larger area of tensile failure at the back edge of the avalanche was generated when horizontal and vertical peak acceleration were combined than when only horizontal acceleration was considered. The force of the large vertical component of acceleration was the main reason rock and soil masses became airborne during the earthquake.     

四川汶川Ms 8.0级地震的地表变形与同震位移

四川汶川Ms 8.0级强烈地震与青藏高原东部松潘-甘孜地块东向挤出导致的龙门山活动断裂右旋斜冲运动存在动力学成因联系。沿龙门山中央北川-映秀断裂发育长度超过250km的地震变形带,由地震陡坎、地震鼓包、地震破裂、地震断层组成,形成了较大的同震位移。在震中区映秀观测到的最大同震位移为7.6m,由右旋走滑位移6.1m和垂直位移4.6m 2个分量组成;虹口地区的右旋走滑位移为2.7m,垂直位移为4.6m,右旋斜冲总位移为5.3m;北川地区的右旋走滑位移为5.7m,垂直位移为3.4m,右旋斜冲总位移为6.6m;平通地区的右旋走滑位移为3.2m,垂直位移为3.0m,右旋斜冲总位移为4.4m。龙门山前缘的汉旺-漩口断裂及龙门山后缘的茂县-汶川断裂、青川断裂也发生了显著的同震断裂活动,但同震位移小于等于1.0m。根据同震位移实测数据和构造会聚速率的GPS观测资料,估算龙门山地区8.0级地震的复发周期为1150~2950年。     

四川汶川Ms 8.0地震地表破裂构造初步调查与发震背景分析

5月16-24日对川西汶川大地震震中区的发震断裂地带进行的实地考察和初步测量,获得了宝贵的地表变形和同震位移最数据资料,证实汶川地震属于逆冲断裂型地震,主破裂沿映秀-北川断裂带发育,前山地区滑灌县-安县断裂也有地表破裂,同震位移量在3~5m.汶川地震产牛的地表破裂构造和运动性质显示明显分段特性,映秀-北川段以挤压逆冲为主,而北川以北段则伴有显著的右旋走滑分量.     

Co-seismic Faults and Geological Hazards and Incidence of Active Fault of Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake,Sichuan,China

There are two co-seismic faults which developed when the Wenchuan earthquake happened. One occurred along the active fault zone in the central Longmen Mts.and the other in the front of Longmen Mts.The length of which is more than 270 km and about 80 km respectively.The co-seismic fault shows a reverse flexure belt with strike of N45°-60°E in the ground,which caused uplift at its northwest side and subsidence at the southeast.The fault face dips to the northwest with a dip angle ranging from 50°to 60°.The...     

汶川地震(Ms 8.0)地表破裂及其同震右旋斜向逆冲作用

2008年5月12日14时28分,青藏高原东缘龙门山地区发生了震惊世界的汶川地震（MS 8.0）,地震不仅造成巨大的人员伤亡和财产损失,并形成了迄今为止空间上分布最为复杂、长度最大的逆冲型同震地表破裂带。通过多次野外考查表明,汶川地震（MS 8.0）在龙门山断裂带上至少使两条NE走向、倾向NW的映秀-北川断裂和灌县-安县断裂同时发生地表破裂,并沿映秀-北川断裂产生的地表破裂带长度约275 km,以逆冲运动伴随右旋走滑为其破裂特征,最大垂直位移量约11 m,最大右旋走滑位移量至少约12 m;沿灌县-安县断裂产生的地表破裂带长度约80 km,表现为纯逆冲运动的破裂特征,最大垂直位移量约4 m;另外发育一条长约6 km呈NW走向连接于映秀-北川破裂带和汉旺破裂带的小鱼洞破裂带,以左旋走滑兼有逆冲运动为特征。地表破裂基本沿袭早先活动断裂带上,并使早先抬高的地貌更加抬高,表明龙门山地区地震在同一断裂带上重复发生过,并且无数次地震活动（包括类似汶川MS 8.0地震的强震）的累积,逐渐形成了现今的龙门山。根据同震断裂面以及断裂面上的擦痕分析表明,汶川地震是由两次破裂事件叠加而成,初期破裂以逆冲运动为主,后期破裂以右旋走滑为主,这种破裂过程与地震波数据反演结果（陈运泰等,2008;Ji, 2008;王为民等,2008）一致。在地表破裂带南段（映秀—清平段）叠加了两次不同性质的破裂过程,北段（北川—南坝段）只反映了第二次破裂事件的过程。利用长期滑移速率与汶川地震同震位移对比,估算出在龙门山断裂带上类似汶川地震（MS 8.0）的强震复发周期为3000~6000 a。通过对比研究,西昆仑山、阿尔金山和东昆仑山与龙门山具有很相似的转换挤压构造特征,斜向逆冲作用是青藏高原周缘山脉快速崛起的主要机制。     

Dextral-Slip Thrust Faulting and Seismic Events of the Ms 8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake,Longmenshan Mountains,Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

Dextral-slip thrust movement of the Songpan-Garze terrain over the Sichuan block caused the Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake of May 12, 2008 and offset the Central Longmenshan Fault (CLF) along a distance of-250 km. Displacement along the CLF changes from Yingxiu to Qingchuan. The total oblique slip of up to 7.6 m in Yingxiu near the epicenter of the earthquake, decreases northeastward to 5.3 m, 6.6 m, 4.4 m, 2.5 m and 1.1 m in Hongkou, Beichuan, Pingtong, Nanba and Qingchuan, respectively. This offset apparently occurred during a sequence of four reported seismic events, EQ1-EQ4, which were identified by seismic inversion of the source mechanism. These events occurred in rapid succession as the fault break propagated northeastward during the earthquake. Variations in the plunge of slickensides along the CLF appear to match these events. The Mw 7.5 EQ1 event occurred during the first 0-10 s along the Yingxiu-Hongkou section of the CLF and is characterized by 1.7 m vertical slip and vertical slickensides. The Mw 8.0 EQ2 event, which occurred during the next 10-42 s along the Yingxiu-Yanziyan section of the CLF, is marked by major dextral-slip with minor thrust and slickensides plunging 25°-35° southwestward. The Mw 7.5 EQ3 event occurred during the following 42-60 s and resulted in dextral-slip and slickensides plunging 10° southwestward in Beichuan and plunging 73° southwestward in Hongkou. The Mw 7.7 EQ4 event, which occurred during the final 60-95 s along the Beichuan-Qingchuan section of the CLF, is characterized by nearly equal values of dextral and vertical slips with slickensides plunging 45°-50° southwestward. These seismic events match and evidently controlled the concentrations of landslide dams caused by the Wenchuan earthquake in Longmenshan Mountains.     

四川汶川Ms 8.0级地震同震变形特征和分段性

汶川地震发育2条地表破裂带,一条沿中龙门山活动断裂带分布,另一条沿前龙门山活动断裂带分布,前者长超过200km,后者长约80km。同震变形在地表表现为逆冲膝折带,走向N45～60°E,形成公路路面隆起和农田陡坎。逆冲膝折带西北侧抬高,东南侧下降。在剖面上冲断带倾向北西,倾角50～60°。膝折带两侧相对高差沿映秀－北川断裂一般为2.5～3.0m,沿都江堰－汉旺断裂为1.5～1.1m。沿中龙门山活动断裂带,同震变形运动方式具有明显的分段性,映秀－擂鼓镇段,表现为逆冲,走滑现象不明显;北川－青川段既有逆冲又有右旋走滑分量。沿前龙门山活动断裂带,同震变形运动方式主要表现为逆冲,走滑位移和分段性不明显。     

地震震源与灾害评估分析:中国四川2008年5月12日Ms 8.0汶川地震

汶川5月12日8.0级地震在构造上起因于印度板块与欧亚板块以每年约5 cm的速度聚敛,并因此而引起青藏高原的地壳物质向四川盆地及中国东南大陆运移.主震震源及余震活动集中于以龙门山为中轴的一条长约350 km、宽约100 km的地震活动带.震源深度一般分布丁地壳脆性-韧性转换边界以上约10～20 km区间的地壳震源层之中,属浅源构造地震.主要震源机制与龙门山构造运动方式密切相关,以其地壳厚度向西急剧加厚、重力梯度带、高波速比(Vp/Vs～2.2)等深部异常及逆冲断层兼具走滑性质的地质构造为特征.在震源辐射、路径传播和场地效应研究的基础上,分别计算并比较了岩石和土壤条件下的地震响应谱,特别强调了土壤条件下的场地放大效应;同时对与地震安全性有关的一些问题如地质灾害、地震频谱设计、地震早期预警系统及中、长期至短期地震预报等进行了探讨;特别提供了一个由加权平均计算、以岩石条件下震波衰减模式为基础的地震频谱设计参考实例.地震构造与动力学研究可融人工程地质与环境工程等学科发展.经历汶川地震考验的一些新近设计和建设的工程项目可为今后改进工程建筑规范与标准提供重要而有益的参考.地震预报是当今一大难题,但需探索研究,不可懈怠.地震减灾与预防足目前比较切合实际的安全举措.     

汶川Ms8级地震形成的擦痕形迹及其意义探讨

2008年5月12日14时28分(北京时间)中国四川省汶川县境内发生里氏80级地震。北川-映秀断裂是汶川Ms8级地震的发震断裂之一,以逆(右行)走滑活动为主,延伸长约220 km,活动强度大于其他两条断裂。主震在北川-映秀地表破裂带局部地点形成清晰的擦痕,它的位置和规模可能是深部破裂滑动量峰值在地表的响应。根据断层擦痕反映的应力场及位移与破裂长度关系等特征,将北川-映秀破裂带分为虹口段、北川段、南坝段。虹口段长度约22~45 km,同震位移量约45 m,σ1呈NWW-NW向,至少经历了三期活动,第三期逆冲活动强度最大,改造前两期逆(右行)走滑活动,它们的形成可能均与本次主震相关;北川段长约90~100 km,同震位移量约35 m,σ1呈NWW向近水平,活动强度弱于虹口第三期;南坝段长约35~50 km,同震位移量约25 m,以NWW向近水平挤压为特征,σ1方位角与中、南段相差约180°,活动强度与南段前两期相近。