Effective stress analysis of seismic site response

A procedure is presented which allows site response analyses to be performed with any general multidimensional finite element analysis package. Numerical results which corrorate the theory are presented. Also, as an illustration of the procedure, results of an effective stress analysis for the scismic response and liquefaction of a horizontally layered saturated sand deposit are presented.     

Partition of Ni between olivine and sulfide: the effect of temperature,f_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} } and f_{{\text{S}}_{\text{2}} }

The experimental distribution coefficient for Ni/ Fe exchange between olivine and monosulfide (K_D3) is 35.6±1.1 at 1385° C, \(f_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} } = 10^{ - 8.87} ,f_{{\text{S}}_{\text{2}} } = 10^{ - 1.02} \) , and olivine of composition Fo96 to Fo92. These are the physicochemical conditions appropriate to hypothesized sulfur-saturated komatiite magma. The present experiments equilibrated natural olivine grains with sulfide-oxide liquid in the presence of a (Mg, Fe)-alumino-silicate melt. By a variety of different experimental procedures, K _D3 is shown to be essentially constant at about 30 to 35 in the temperature range 900 to 1400° C, for olivine of composition Fo97 to FoO, monosulfide composition with up to 70 mol. % NiS, and a wide range of \(f_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} } \) and \(f_{{\text{S}}_{\text{2}} } \) .     

Optical observations of the gravitational lens SBS1 520+530 at the Ma $$\overset{\lower0.5em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\smile}$}}{l} $$ danak Observatory

Observations of the gravitationally lensed quasar SBS 1520+530 obtained in 2000–2001 on the 1.5-m telescope of the Ma $\overset{\lower0.5em\hbox{$\overset{\lower0.5em\hbox{ danak Observatory (Uzbekistan) are presented. The photometric algorithms used to observe the components of SBS 1520+530 are discussed. The images have a resolution of 0.5″–0.6″, enabling us to detect the lensing galaxy in the R and I bands and to measure its luminosity and coordinates. The results of photometric observations of components A and B of SBS 1520+530 are presented; the light curves show variability on various time scales from a few weeks to a year. A gravitational-lens model for SBS 1520+530 is constructed utilizing all currently available data.     

深厚饱和软土场地中透镜体对上部结构地震响应的影响

工程场地中透镜体对地震动具有明显的影响,且饱和场地与相应干土场地的地震响应具有明显的差别,而目前对于深厚饱和软土场地中透镜体对地震响应的影响还鲜有研究。采用有限元-间接边界元耦合法,建立饱和场地中非线性土-结构动力相互作用模型,对深厚饱和软土场地中透镜体的宽度、厚度和埋深对上部结构动力响应的影响进行了系统地分析,并着重讨论了土骨架-孔隙水耦合作用的影响。研究表明,深厚饱和软土场地中的透镜体可能会明显改变上部结构的动力响应;透镜体的宽度、厚度和埋深对上部结构动力响应有不同程度的影响,且与干土场地中规律存在明显差异;土骨架-孔隙水耦合作用对上部结构动力响应的影响显著。     

复合地基对场地地震反应的影响

复合地基在我国土木工程领域应用广泛。这类场地的地震反应如何呢？这对于结构设计的地震动输入是一个重要的问题。本文使用二维有限元分析程序--FLUSH,计算不同输入波和不同置换率情况下的地表加速度峰值和加速度反应谱,并围绕置换率对场地地震反应的影响进行了分析讨论。     

P,T, f_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} } and f_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}} during metamorphism of calcareous sediments in the Waterville-Vassalboro area,south-central Maine

In a regional metamorphic terrain where six isograds have been mapped based on mineral reactions that are observed in metacarbonate rocks, the P-T conditions and fugacities of CO₂ and H₂O during metamorphism were quantified by calculations involving actual mineral compositions and experimental data. Pressure during metamorphism was near 3,500 bars. Metamorphic temperatures ranged from 380° C (biotite-chlorite isograd) to 520° C (diopside isograd). \(f_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) and \(f_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) / \(f_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}}\) in general is higher in metacarbonate rocks below the zoisite isograd than in those above the zoisite isograd. Calculated \(f_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) and \(f_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}}\) are consistent with carbonate rocks above the zoisite isograd having equilibrated during metamorphism with a bulk supercritical fluid in which \(P_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) + \(P_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}}\) = P _total. Calculations indicate that below the zoisite isograd, however, \(P_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) + \(P_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}}\) was less than P_total, and that this condition is not due to the presence of significant amounts of species other than CO₂ and H₂O in the system C-O-H-S. Calculated \(P_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) /( \(P_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) + \(P_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}}\) ) is low (0.06–0.32) above the zoisite isograd. The differences in conditions above and below the zoisite isograd may indicate that the formation of zoisite records the introduction of a bulk supercritical H₂O-rich fluid into the metacarbonates. The results of the study indicate that \(f_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) and \(f_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}}\) are constant on a thin section scale, but that gradients in \(f_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }\) and \(f_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}}\) existed during metamorphism on both outcrop and regional scales.     

Weathering Processes in the Min Jiang: Major Elements, {}^{87}{\text{Sr/}}{}^{86}{\text{Sr}},\;\delta {}^{34}{\text{S}}_{{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}} } ,\;{\text{and}}\;\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}} }

We investigated the dissolved major elements, $ {}^{87}{\text{Sr/}}{}^{86}{\text{Sr}},\;\delta {}^{34}{\text{S}}_{{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}} } ,\;{\text{and}}\;\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}} } $ composition of the Min Jiang, a headwater tributary of the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River). A forward calculation method was applied to quantify the relative contribution to the dissolved load from rain, evaporite, carbonate, and silicate reservoirs. Input from carbonate weathering dominated the major element composition (58–93%) and that from silicate weathering ranged from 2 to 18% in unperturbed Min Jiang watersheds. Most samples were supersaturated with respect to calcite, and the CO₂ partial pressures were similar to or up to ～5 times higher than atmospheric levels. The Sr concentrations in our samples were low (1.3–2.5 μM) with isotopic composition ranging from 0.7108 to 0.7127, suggesting some contribution from felsic silicates. The Si/(Na^* + K) ratios ranged from 0.5 to 2.5, which indicate low to moderate silicate weathering intensity. The $ \delta {}^{34}{\text{S}}_{{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}} } \;{\text{and}}\;\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}} } $ for five select samples showed that the source of dissolved sulfate was combustion of locally consumed coal. The silicate weathering rates were 23–181 × 10³ mol/km²/year, and the CO₂ consumption rates were 31–246 × 10³ mol/km²/year, which are moderate on a global basis. Upon testing various climatic and geomorphic factors for correlation with the CO₂ consumption rate, the best correlation coefficients found were with water temperature (r ² = 0.284, p = 0.009), water discharge (r ² = 0.253, p = 0.014), and relief (r ² = 0.230, p = 0.019).     

An experimental study of $$ ^{{{\text{Fe}}^{2 + } {-}{\text{Mg}}}} K_{\text{D}} $$ between orthopyroxene and rhyolite: a strong dependence on H2O in the melt

The effect of temperature, pressure, and dissolved H₂O in the melt on the Fe²⁺–Mg exchange coefficient between orthopyroxene and rhyolite melt was investigated with a series of H₂O fluid-saturated phase-equilibrium experiments. Experiments were conducted in a rapid-quench cold-seal pressure vessel over a temperature and pressure range of 785–850 °C and 80–185 MPa, respectively. Oxygen fugacity was buffered with the solid Ni–NiO assemblage in a double-capsule assembly. These experiments, when combined with H₂O-undersaturated experiments in the literature, show that \( ^{{{\text{Fe}}^{2 + } {-}{\text{Mg}}}} K_{\text{D}} \) between orthopyroxene and rhyolite liquid increases strongly (from 0.23 to 0.54) as a function of dissolved water in the melt (from 2.7 to 5.6 wt%). There is no detectable effect of temperature or pressure over an interval of 65 °C and 100 MPa, respectively, on the Fe²⁺–Mg exchange coefficient values. The data show that Fe-rich orthopyroxene is favored at high water contents, whereas Mg-rich orthopyroxene crystallizes at low water contents. It is proposed that the effect of dissolved water in the melt on the composition of orthopyroxene is analogous to its effect on the composition of plagioclase. In the latter case, dissolved hydroxyl groups preferentially complex with Na⁺ relative to Ca²⁺, which reduces the activity of the albite component, leading to a more anorthite-rich (calcic) plagioclase. Similarly, it is proposed that dissolved hydroxyl groups preferentially complex with Mg²⁺ relative to Fe²⁺, thus lowering the activity of the enstatite component, leading to a more Fe-rich orthopyroxene at high water contents in the melt. The experimental results presented in this study show that reversely zoned pyroxene (i.e., Mg-rich rims) in silicic magmas may be a result of H₂O degassing and not necessarily the result of mixing with a more mafic magma.     

Effect of surface wave inversion non-uniqueness on 1D seismic ground response analysis

Surface wave methods are increasingly being used for geotechnical site characterization. The methodology is based on the dispersive characteristic of Rayleigh waves in vertically heterogeneous medium. Experimental dispersion curve is inverted to obtain one-dimensional shear-wave velocity profile by inverse problem solution. Uncertainty associated with this surface wave inversion has drawn much attention. Inverse problem solution can provide different equivalent shear-wave velocity profiles, which may lead to different seismic site response analysis. In this study, a neighborhood algorithm has been used for inversion of dispersion curve to get a set of equivalent shear-wave velocity profiles. These equivalent velocity profiles are then used for 1D ground response analysis for different input motion record of the same earthquake at different epicentral distances. Results show significant variation in amplification spectrum in terms of maximum amplification as well as peak frequency. The extent of this uncertainty largely depends on the characteristics of the ground motion records at different epicentral distances. A linear variation is observed between mean coefficients of variation of amplification spectrum and epicentral distance of ground motion records. A gradual increase in mean value of peak frequency and peak amplification with the epicentral distance is also observed.     

Pressure-Temperature Evolution of a Late Palaeozoic Paired Metamorphic Belt in North-Central Chile (34{degrees}-35{degrees}30'S)

In the Chilean Coastal Cordillera, two units, the Western andEastern Series, constitute coeval parts of a Late Palaeozoicpaired metamorphic belt dominated by siliciclastic metasediments.The Western Series also contains rocks from the upper oceaniccrust and represents an accretionary prism. Omnipresent high-pressureconditions are reflected by Na–Ca-amphibole and phengitein greenschists. Peak PT conditions of 7·0–9·3kbar, 380–420°C point to a metamorphic gradient of11–16°C/km. Three unique occurrences of blueschistyield deviating conditions of 9·5–10·7 kbar,350–385°C and are interpreted as relics from the lowermostpart of the basal accretion zone preserving the original gradientof 9–11°C/km along the subducting slab. Pervasiveductile deformation related to basal accretion occurred nearpeak PT conditions. Deformation and PT evolution of the metapsammopeliticrocks is similar to that of the metabasites. However, a raregarnet mica-schist yields peak PT conditions of 9·6–14·7kbar, 390–440°C reflecting a retrograde stage aftercooling from a high-temperature garnet-forming stage. It isconsidered to be an exhumed relic from the earliest siliciclasticrocks subducted below a still hot mantle wedge. A retrogradeoverprint of all rock types occurred at 300–380°C.Continuous reactions caused crystal growth and recrystallizationwith abundant free water mostly under strain-free conditions.They record a pressure release of 3–4 kbar without erasingpeak metamorphic mineral compositions. The Eastern Series lacksmetabasite intercalations and represents a less deformed retro-wedgearea. In the study area it was entirely overprinted at a uniformdepth at 3 ± 0·5 kbar with temperatures progressivelyrising from 400°C to 720°C towards the coeval Late Palaeozoicmagmatic arc batholith. The interrelated pattern of PT datapermits a conceptual reconstruction of the fossil convergentmargin suggesting a flat subduction angle of 25° with continuousbasal accretion at a depth of 25–40 km and a short mainintrusion pulse in the magmatic arc. The latter was accompaniedby the formation of a thermal dome in the retro-wedge area,which remained stable relative to the vertically growing accretionaryprism characterized by cyclic mass flow. KEY WORDS: paired metamorphic belt; greenschist; blueschist; central Chile; thermobarometry     

Impact of uncertainty in remote sensing DEMs on topographic amplification of seismic response and Vs 30

Arabian Journal of Geosciences - Impact of topography on spatial variation of seismic response is well-observed synthetically, experimentally, and visually during seismic events. Numerical and...     

竖向地震动对斜坡场地非线性地震反应的影响

国内外规范中推荐或强制规定竖向地震动取为剪切反应谱的1/2～2/3,但该规定如何改进使其更合理已成为一重要课题。首先,对其研究现状简单总结,给出了可处理辐射阻尼、地震动相位特性、计算高效的二维波动显式有限元等效线性化程序ELPSV编制的必要性,然后进行了分析。初步研究表明,竖向地震动强度对周期在0.3 s以下的地表剪切反应谱有一定的影响,而高于0.3 s部分影响轻微。竖向地震动强度对斜坡场地的竖向地震反应及地表竖向反应谱影响显著,按规范的取值将偏于不安全。受地形条件影响,坡顶剪切地震反应会比坡脚反应要大,而竖向地震反应并不明显。土层边界面的地震反应要比周围反应要低,交界面效应明显。软斜坡场地地震反应特性除场地竖向地震反应自下而上先增加后减小的规律外,其他情形与硬斜坡场地的规律基本一致。该结果定量反映了竖向地震动的影响程度,为斜坡场地上考虑竖向地震动的建（构）筑结构的抗震设计提供了有益的基础。     

Effect of adjoining structures on seismic response of tunnels

In this paper the seismic behaviour of buried concrete tunnels is studied using the finite element method. The numerical tool employed is the well-known soil–structure interaction computer program FLUSH and thus analyses are carried out in the frequency domain. The seismic environment is supposed to consist of vertically propagating shear and compression waves that reproduce artificial accelerograms of a broad frequency content at selected control points. The effect of near or adjacent massive structures, such as those of nuclear power plants, is evaluated showing their influence on tunnel response. The results calculated for acceleration levels, internal structural loads, response spectra, etc., are analysed and compared either with those obtained from soil free-field response or with others computed using an alternative simplified methodology, providing useful information for preliminary design purposes.     

Soil height randomness influence on seismic response: Case of an Algiers site

The paper deals with the effect of the depth to bedrock randomness on the seismic response of an Algiers site in time and frequency domains. Stochastic soil profile seismic analysis is carried out via Monte Carlo simulations coupled to the stiffness matrix method. The soil height is assumed to be a random variable with a log-normal distribution. The stochastic behavior of extreme ground acceleration and its response spectrum, transfer function, fundamental frequency, maximum amplitude, short- and mid-period amplification factors are derived from 1000 samples, as a parametric study is performed accounting for the influence of the coefficient of variation of the depth to bedrock. As the study herein considers a SH wave propagation pattern (SH stands for shear horizontal), the accelerations under study correspond to the E–W and N–S horizontal directions. The seismic acceleration corresponds to the Boumerdes earthquake (Algeria, May 21, 2003, M_w = 6.5). The probability density functions of the output parameters are derived using the maximum entropy principle, and compared to the log-normal distribution.The soil height heterogeneity causes an increase in the fundamental frequency of the soil profile, as well as a wider frequency content, in such a way that a larger number of structures are concerned by the resonance phenomenon.     

Bayesian analysis of data and model uncertainty in 3D seismic travel-time tomography

We present a probabilistic analysis of seismic travel-time equations using the Bayesian Method. The assessment of models and data is crucial in 3D seismic travel-time tomography, and a method quantitatively assess the quality of both the data and the model is necessary in order to attain the most realistic results. The Bayesian method that we propose here is more effective than the frequentist approach, both in analysis time and uncertainty minimization, when processing large sets of tomographic data.     

Application of Binary Permeability Fields for the Study of $${\hbox {CO}_{2}}$$ Leakage from Geological Carbon Storage in Saline Aquifers of the Michigan Basin

The feasibility of geological carbon storage (GCS) sites depends on their capacity to retain safely \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\). While deep saline formations and depleted gas/oil reservoirs are good candidates to sequester \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\), gas/oil reservoirs typically have a limited storage capacity compared to ideal targets (\(\sim \) 1 Mt/year) considered for \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\) disposal (Celia et al. in Water Resour Res 51(9):6846–6892, 2015. doi: 10.1002/2015WR017609). In this respect, deep saline aquifers are considered more appropriate formations for GCS, but present the disadvantage of having limited characterization data. In particular, information about the continuity of the overlying sealing formations (caprock) is often sparse if it exists at all. In this work, a study of \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\) leakage is conducted for a candidate GCS site located in the Michigan Basin, whose sealing properties of the caprock are practically unknown. Quantification of uncertainty on \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\) leakage from the storage formation is achieved through a Monte Carlo simulation approach, relying on the use of a computationally efficient semi-analytical leakage model based upon the solution derived by Nordbotten et al. (Environ Sci Technol 43(3):743–749, 2009), which assumes leakage occurs across “passive” wells intersecting caprock layers. A categorical indicator Kriging simulator is developed and implemented to represent the caprock sealing properties and model the permeability uncertainty. Binary fields of caprock permeability are generated and exhibit mostly low permeability, with sparsely-occurring local high permeability areas where brine and \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\) may leak out of the storage formation. In addition, the feasibility of extending the use of the semi-analytical model to large-area leakage pathways is studied. This work advances a methodology for preliminary uncertainty quantification of \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\) leakage at sites of GCS with little or no information on the sealing properties of the caprock. The implemented analysis shows that, for the considered site, \({\hbox {CO}_{2}}\) leakage may not be negligible even for relatively low (\(\sim \) 1%) probabilities of finding permeable inclusions in the caprock and highlights the importance of being able to characterize caprock sealing properties over large areas.     

Melting Behaviour of Model Lherzolite in the System CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-FeO at 0{middle dot}7-2{middle dot}8 GPa

Fe–Mg exchange is the most important solid solution involvedin partial melting of spinel lherzolite, and the system CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–FeO(CMASF) is ideally suited to explore this type of exchange duringmantle melting. Also, if primary mid-ocean ridge basalts arelargely generated in the spinel lherzolite stability field bynear-fractional fusion, then Na and other highly incompatibleelements will early on become depleted in the source, and themelting behaviour of mantle lherzolite should resemble the meltingbehaviour of simplified lherzolite in the CMASF system. We havedetermined the isobarically univariant melting relations ofthe lherzolite phase assemblage in the CMASF system in the 0·7–2·8GPa pressure range. Isobarically, for every 1 wt % increasein the FeO content of the melt in equilibrium with the lherzolitephase assemblage, the equilibrium temperature is lower by about3–5°C. Relative to the solidus of model lherzolitein the CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ system, melt compositionsin the CMASF system are displaced slightly towards the alkalicside of the basalt tetrahedron. The transition on the solidusfrom spinel to plagioclase lherzolite has a positive Clapeyronslope with the spinel lherzolite assemblage on the high-temperatureside, and has an almost identical position in P–T spaceto the comparable transition in the CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–Na₂O(CMASN) system. When the compositions of all phases are describedmathematically and used to model the generation of primary basalts,temperature and melt composition changes are small as percentmelting increases. More specifically, 10% melting takes placeover 1·5–2°C, melt compositions are relativelyinsensitive to the degree of melting and bulk composition, andequilibrium and near-fractional melting yield similar melt compositions.FeO and MgO are the oxides that exhibit the greatest changein the melt with degree of melting and bulk composition. Theamount of FeO decreases with increasing degree of melting, whereasthe amount of MgO increases. The coefficients for Fe–Mgexchange between the coexisting crystalline phases and melt,K_dFe–Mg^xl–liq, show a relatively simple and predictablebehaviour with pressure and temperature: the coefficients forolivine and spinel do not show significant dependence on temperature,whereas the coefficients for orthopyroxene and clinopyroxeneincrease with pressure and temperature. When melting of lherzoliteis modeled in the CMASF system, a strong linear correlationis observed between the mg-number of the lherzolite and themg-number of the near-solidus melts. Comparison with meltingin the CMASN system indicates that Na₂O has a strong effecton lherzolite melting behaviour only at small degrees of melting. KEY WORDS: CMASF; lherzolite solidus; mantle melting     

Effect of loading duration on uncertainty in creep analysis of clay

Some studies suggest that creep parameters should be determined using a greater quantity of creep test data to provide more reliable prediction regarding the deformation of soft soils. This study aims to investigate the effect of loading duration on model updating. One‐dimensional consolidation data of intact Vanttila clay under different loading durations collected from the literature is used for demonstration. The Bayesian probabilistic method is used to identify all unknown parameters based on the consolidation data during the entire consolidation process, and their uncertainty can be quantified through the obtained posterior probability density functions. Additionally, the optimal models are also determined from among 9 model candidates. The analyses indicate that the optimal models can describe the creep behavior of intact soft soils under different loading durations, and the adopted method can evaluate the effect of loading duration on uncertainty in the creep analysis. The uncertainty of a specific model and its model parameters decreases as more creep data are involved in the updating process, and the updated models that use more creep data can better capture the deformation behavior of an intact sample. The proposed method can provide quantified uncertainty in the process of model updating and assist engineers to decide whether the creep test data are sufficient for the creep analysis.     

Time Markers for the Evolution and Exhumation History of a Late Palaeozoic Paired Metamorphic Belt in North-Central Chile (34{degrees}-35{degrees}30'S)

A multi-method geochronological approach is applied to unravelthe dynamics of a paired metamorphic belt in the Coastal Cordilleraof central Chile. This is represented by high-pressure–low-temperaturerocks of an accretionary prism (Western Series), and a low-pressure–high-temperatureoverprint in the retro-wedge with less deformed metagreywackes(Eastern Series) intruded by magmas of the coeval arc. A pervasivetransposition foliation formed in metagreywackes and interlayeredoceanic crust of the Western Series during basal accretion nearmetamorphic peak conditions (350–400°C, 7–11kbar) at 292–319 Ma (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar phengite plateau ages).⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar UV laser ablation ages of phengite record strain-freegrain growth and recrystallization with a duration of 31–41Myr during a pressure release of 3–4 kbar. During earlyaccretion the main intrusion in the arc occurred at 305 Ma (Pb–Pbevaporation; zircon) and the Eastern Series was overprintedby a short high-temperature metamorphism at 3 kbar, 296–301Ma (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar muscovite plateau ages). Fission-track ages ofzircon (206–232 Ma) and of apatite (80–113 Ma) aresimilar in both series, indicating synchronous cooling duringdistinct periods of exhumation. Early exhumation (period I)during continuing basal accretion proceeded with mean ratesof 0·19–0·56 mm/yr, suggesting that erosionin a tectonically active area was an important unroofing mechanism.At the same time mean rates were 0·03–0·05mm/yr in the Eastern Series, where crustal thickening was minor.A shallow granite intruded into the Western Series at 224 Ma,at the end of basal accretion activity, when exhumation ratesdecreased to 0·04–0·06 mm/yr in both seriesduring period II (100–225 Ma). Major extension, basinformation and local bimodal dyke intrusion at 138 Ma were accompaniedby mean cooling rates of 1–2°C/Myr. Accelerated coolingof 3–5°C/Myr at 80–113 Ma suggests a mid-Cretaceousconvergence event (period III). After 80 Ma cooling rates decreasedto 1–2°C/Myr (period IV). The pressure–temperature–deformation–timeinformation for subduction, basal accretion and exhumation inthe accretionary wedge of central Chile illustrates that theseprocesses reflect a continuous cyclic mass flow that lastednearly 100 Myr, while the retro-wedge remained stable. Afterthe cessation of accretion activity a similarly long periodof retreat of the subducting slab occurred; this ended withrenewed convergence and shortening of the continental margin. KEY WORDS: exhumation rates; Ar/Ar geochronology; fission-track geochronology; Chile; paired metamorphic belt