Interaction of a Dynamic Rupture on a Fault Plane with Short Frictionless Fault Branches

Spontaneous bilateral mode II shear ruptures were nucleated on faults in photoelastic Homalite plates loaded in uniaxial compression. Rupture velocities were measured and the interaction between the rupture front and short fault branches was observed using high-speed digital photography. Fault branches were formed by machining slits of varying lengths that intersected the fault plane over a range of angles. These branches were frictionless because they did not close under static loading prior to shear rupture nucleation. Three types of behavior were observed. First, the velocity of both rupture fronts was unaffected when the fault branches were oriented 45° to the main slip surface and the length of the branches were less than or equal to ~0.75 R₀* (where R₀* is the slip-weakening distance in the limit of low rupture speed and an infinitely long slip-pulse). Second, rupture propagation stopped at the branch on the compressive side of the rupture tip but was unaffected by the branch on the tensile side when the branches were ~1.5 R₀* in length and remained oriented 45° to the principle slip surface. Third, branches on the tensile side of the rupture tip nucleated tensile ``wing tip' extensions when the branches were oriented at 70° to the interface. Third, when the branches were oriented at 70° to the interface, branches on the tensile side of the rupture tip nucleated tensile ``wing-crack' extensions. We explain these observations using a model in which the initial uniaxial load produces stress concentrations at the tips of the branches, which perturb the initial stress field on the rupture plane. These stress perturbations affect both the resolved shear stress driving the rupture and the fault-normal stress that controls the fault strength, and together they explain the observed changes in rupture speed.     

2014年云南鲁甸M_W6.1地震:一次共轭破裂地震

烈度与余震分布显示2014年云南鲁甸MW6.1(MS6.5)地震的发震构造较复杂.为深入了解鲁甸地震的发震断层与破裂特征,本文考虑了单一断层破裂和共轭断层破裂的情况,对震中距250km范围内的近震资料(宽频带资料和强震资料)和远震体波资料进行了反演,得到了鲁甸地震的破裂过程,探讨了滑动分布与余震分布之间的关系.根据反演得到的滑动分布、震源时间函数和波形拟合,认为鲁甸地震是一次在北西向主压应力与北东向主张应力的统一应力场下发生的两条共轭断层先后破裂的一次复杂地震事件.在破裂开始后0~2s,破裂主要发生在ENE—WSW向(近东西向)的断层上,随后NNW—SSE向(近南北向)断层开始破裂,释放了大部分的地震矩.由于近南北向断层南段(即震中以南)的破裂规模较大,且以左旋走滑为主,对近东西向断层的西段起到了一定程度的解锁作用,可能是震中以西无明显主震破裂但存在密集余震分布的主要原因.     

Influence of Outcrop Scale Fractures on the Effective Stiffness of Fault Damage Zone Rocks

We combine detailed mapping and microstructural analyses of small fault zones in granodiorite with numerical mechanical models to estimate the effect of mesoscopic (outcrop-scale) damage zone fractures on the effective stiffness of the fault zone rocks. The Bear Creek fault zones were active at depths between 4 and 15 km and localize mesoscopic off-fault damage into tabular zones between two subparallel boundary faults, producing a fracture-induced material contrast across the boundary faults with softer rocks between the boundary faults and intact granodiorite outside the boundary faults. Using digitized fault zone fracture maps as the modeled fault geometries, we conduct nonlinear uniaxial compression tests using a novel finite-element method code as the experimental “laboratory” apparatus. Map measurements show that the fault zones have high nondimensional facture densities (>1), and damage zone fractures anastamose and intersect, making existing analytical effective medium models inadequate for estimation of the effective elastic properties. Numerical experiments show that the damage zone is strongly anisotropic and the bulk response of the fault zone is strain-weakening. Normal strains as small as 2% can induce a reduction of the overall stiffness of up to 75%. Fracture-induced effective stiffness changes are large enough to locally be greater than intact modulus changes across the fault due to juxtaposition of rocks of different lithologies; therefore mesoscopic fracturing is as important as rock type when considering material or bimaterial effects on earthquake mechanics. These results have important implications for earthquake rupture mechanics models, because mesoscopic damage zone fractures can cause a material contrast across the faults as large as any lithology-based material contrast at seismogenic depths, and the effective moduli can be highly variable during a single rupture event.     

Rupture mechanism and source parameters of Umbria-Marche mainshocks from strong motion data

A long sequence of earthquakes causing few casualties and considerable damage in a wide zone struck Central Italy starting on September 26, 1997. Theearthquakes are characterized by normal faulting mechanism, with a NE-SW(anti-Apenninic direction) tension axis. In this paper we analyze the accelerometric recordings collected by the accelerograph stations belonging to the National Accelerograph Network. About 10 stations were triggered by the mainshocks of the sequence. In particular, a small size foreshock and the two mainshocks that occurred on September,26 (00:33(GMT) M_W = 5.7 and 09:40 M_W = 6.0) have been recorded by two digital 3-C accelerometers located at near source distances (within 30 km from the faults). These records are relevant to investigate the detail of therupture kinematics, due to the close epicentral distance and azimuthallocation relative to the fault orientation and geometry. Using a trial and error approach we modeled the source mechanism through the fit of the arrival times, the apparent source time duration, the main polarization features and the entire waveforms of the recorded signals, in order to get some insight on the rupture evolution, the location of the fracture origin point and the fault geometry. Based on this fault kinematic model, inferences on fault slip distribution are obtained by modeling the S acceleration waveform, comparing the ray theory synthetics with 1–5 Hz band filtered ground velocity records.The final model shows that the seismic ruptures occurred along two adjacent,sub-parallel, low angle dipping normal faults. Ruptures bothnucleated from the fault bottom and propagated up-dip, showing differentrupture velocity and length. The presence of a transfer zone (barrier)can be suggested by the mainshocks rupture evolution. This transfer zonehas probably controlled the amplitude increase of local stressreleased by the first rupture at its NW edge which triggered about 9 hourslater the second rupture. The inferred model was used to compute the predictedground acceleration in the near source range, using a hybridstatistical-deterministic approach.A similar trial and error method has been also applied to the October 14, 199715:23 earthquake (M_W = 5.6). The inferred kinematic model indicates a rupture nucleating from the faultbottom and propagating up-dip, toward the SE direction. Thus the three mainshocks ruptured distinct fault segments, adjacent and slightly offsetfrom one to another.     

High-resolution structure-from-motion models covering 160 km-long surface ruptures of the 2021 MW 7.4 Madoi earthquake in northern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The 22 May 2021 M_W 7.4 Madoi, Qinghai, China earthquake presented a rare opportunity to apply the modern unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography method in extreme altitude and weather conditions to image surface ruptures and near-field effects of earthquake-related surface deformations in the remote Tibet. High-resolution aerial photographs were acquired in the days immediately following the mainshock. The complex surface rupture patterns associated with this event were covered comprehensively at 3–6 cm resolution. This effort represents the first time that an earthquake rupture in the interior of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has been fully and systematically captured by such high-resolution imagery, with an unprecedented level of detail, over its entire length. The dataset has proven valuable in documenting subtle and transient rupture features, such as the significant mole-tracks and opening fissures, which were ubiquitous coseismically but degraded during the subsequent summer storm season. Such high-quality imagery also helps to document with high fidelity the fractures of the surface rupture zone (supplements of this paper), the pattern related to how the faults ruptured to the ground surface, and the distribution of off-fault damage. In combination with other ground-based mapping efforts, the data will be analyzed in the following months to better understand the mechanics of earthquake rupture related to the fault zone rheology, rupture dynamics, and frictional properties along with the fault interface.     

1996年3月19日新疆阿图什6.9级地震震源破裂特征的研究

通过对1996年3月19日新疆阿图什6．9级地震余震分布特征的研究，分析了这次地震震源破裂过程．并结合柯坪断裂带的构造运动、区域应力场的分布特征以及1972年以来该带的另外3次6级地震的余震分布方向，探讨了柯坪断裂带附近地区不同构造部位震源破裂扩展方向与强震活动的迁移方向．结果表明，本次地震震源破裂为明显的单侧破裂．柯坪断裂带的阿图什震区和柯坪震区，余震分布具有一定规律性，震源破裂基本都为单侧破裂；震源断错以逆断层为主．区内主要受NW向压应力。不同地段强震震源破裂扩展具有明显的区域特征，强余震分布方向是应力集中的体现，它标志着同一构造断裂带附近近期强震活动的迁移方向．在柯坪断裂带上这种规律更为明显。     

UAV Remote Sensing Information Acquisition and Analysis of MS5.4 Earthquake in Baicheng County,Xinjiang

以2021年3月24日新疆维吾尔自治区阿克苏地区拜城县M_S5.4地震为例,利用无人机进行灾区航拍,结合现场调查完成灾区地表破裂情况、建筑物毁坏程度、道路毁坏程度无人机遥感灾情获取与分析。研究结果表明,此次拜城地震产生长约5 km的地表破裂带,主破裂带具有左旋走滑特征,与主压应力场方向一致;受地震动、地表破裂、场地类型及土壤成分等因素影响,地表破裂带周边老旧砖木结构房屋不同程度受损,乡村道路不同程度破坏;此次地震造成的地表破裂和震害分布情况受断裂带控制。     

Geological Observations of Damage Asymmetry in the Structure of the San Jacinto, San Andreas and Punchbowl Faults in Southern California: A Possible Indicator for Preferred Rupture Propagation Direction

We present new in situ observations of systematic asymmetry in the pattern of damage expressed by fault zone rocks along sections of the San Andreas, San Jacinto, and Punchbowl faults in southern California. The observed structural asymmetry has consistent manifestations at a fault core scale of millimeters to meters, a fault zone scale of meters to tens of meters and related geomorphologic features. The observed asymmetric signals are in agreement with other geological and geophysical observations of structural asymmetry in a damage zone scale of tens to hundreds of meters. In all of those scales, more damage is found on the side of the fault with faster seismic velocities at seismogenic depths. The observed correlation between the damage asymmetry and local seismic velocity structure is compatible with theoretical predictions associated with preferred propagation direction of earthquake ruptures along faults that separate different crustal blocks. The data are consistent with a preferred northwestward propagation direction for ruptures on all three faults. If our results are supported by additional observations, asymmetry of structural properties determined in field studies can be utilized to infer preferred propagation direction of large earthquake ruptures along a given fault section. The property of a preferred rupture direction can explain anomalous behavior of historic rupture events, and may have profound implications for many aspects of earthquake physics on large faults.     

直下型断层的破裂速度对盆地地震效应的影响

首先基于有限断层破裂下的运动学震源模型,对比验证了三维谱元法对于近场地震动的模拟精度。 进而通过含盆地模型与不含盆地的一维水平成层模型的地震动强度之间和放大系数分布特征之间的对比,详细研究了直下型断层的破裂速度对盆地地震效应的影响。结果表明,盆地的存在会显著改变近断层地震动的分布特征,同时盆地内不同分量强地震动的分布特征变化较大。断层破裂速度对盆地地震效应影响显著,随破裂速度的增大盆地地震动强度逐渐增加,但不同分量上地震动强度的增加速率显著不同,受盆地效应的影响,放大系数表现出与强地震动不同的分布特征。盆地放大系数整体表现出随破裂速度的增加而减小的趋势,但不同分量放大系数所受影响程度差异明显。同时,盆地内地震动强烈放大区域的位置也受破裂速度的显著影响,但其总体上集中在断层两侧区域及垂直于破裂方向的盆地边缘附近。      

Variations of the specific barrier model—part II: effect of isochron distributions

The specific barrier model (SBM) is a particular case of a composite earthquake source model where the seismic moment is distributed in a deterministic manner on a rectangular fault plane on the basis of moment and area constraints. It is assumed that the fault surface is composed of an aggregate of subevents of equal diameter, the ‘barrier interval’. Furthermore, the subevents are assumed to rupture randomly and statistically independent of one another as the rupture front sweeps the fault plane. In the formulation of the far-field source spectrum of the SBM the ‘arrival time’ of the seismic radiation emitted by each subevent is specified via a probability density function (PDF). In the SBM the subevents are assumed to be of equal sizes (an assumption relaxed in a companion paper, referred to as Part I) and the PDF of ‘arrival times’ is assumed to be uniform. In this study we investigate the effects of different PDFs of ‘arrival times’ on the far-field source spectrum of the SBM. Different PDFs of ‘arrival times’ affect the source spectra primarily at the intermediate frequency range (between the first and second corner frequencies). Such effects become more pronounced as the earthquake magnitude increases. The far-field spectrum of seismic energy observed/recorded at a site depends on the location of the site relative to the causative fault plane, the location of rupture initiation (hypocenter) and the onset times of the rupturing subevents. All the above factors are effectively taken into account by the ‘isochrons’, which vary with source-site geometry. We investigate the selection of the appropriate PDF of seismic energy arrival times at a given site by computing isochrons for a grid of stations surrounding the earthquake fault, represented by the SBM. We show that only for stations located in a direction normal to the fault plane is the assumption of uniform PDF of ‘arrival times’ valid. At other sites non-uniform PDFs of ‘arrival times’ are observed. We identify and categorize the prevalent types of PDFs by directivity (forward vs. backward vs. neutral) and source-site distance (near-fault vs. far-field), show examples in which we group the stations accordingly. We investigate the effects of the different PDF-groups on the SBM source spectrum. Selection of the appropriate PDF for a given source-site configuration when simulating strong ground motions using the SBM in the context of the stochastic method is expected to yield more self-consistent, and physically realistic simulations.     

A method for non-parametric damage detection through the use of neural networks

A neural network-based approach is presented for the detection of changes in the characteristics of structure-unknown systems. The approach relies on the use of vibration measurements from a ‘healthy’ system to train a neural network for identification purposes. Subsequently, the trained network is fed comparable vibration measurements from the same structure under different episodes of response in order to monitor the health of the structure. The methodology is applied to actual data obtained from ambient vibration measurements on a steel building structure that was damaged under strong seismic motion during the Hyogo-Ken Nanbu Earthquake of 17 January 1995. The measurements were done before and after repairs to the damaged frame were made. A neural network is trained with data after the repairs, which represents ‘healthy’ condition of the building. The trained network, which is subsequently fed data before the repairs, successfully identified the difference between the damaged storey and the undamaged storey. Through this study, it is shown that the proposed approach has the potential of being a practical tool for a damage detection methodology applied to smart civil structures. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于高分辨率合成孔径雷达影像建筑物成像几何结构的震害特征分析

传统的利用震后单幅合成孔径雷达(SAR)影像对建筑物的震害特征分析大多基于街区范围, 很少基于其成像几何结构． 本文基于高分辨率SAR影像上的建筑物成像几何结构, 分析了建筑物单体的震害特点, 建立了利用距离向线性灰度累加的方法提取规则未倒塌建筑物的叠掩区和阴影区及倒塌建筑物的倒塌区, 并在此基础上进行各几何特征区域的纹理特征, 如同质度、 不相似度和熵的计算及其组合特征分析, 由此建立了基于SAR影像建筑物成像几何结构的震害分析方法． 采用该方法对2010年玉树M_S7.1地震震后玉树县城区的高分辨率SAR影像进行分析, 结果表明: 叠掩、 阴影和二次散射亮线是进行建筑物震害解译的有效几何结构特征, 其中叠掩区和阴影区的影像纹理特征具有较好的震害识别能力; 与传统的简单特征统计方法相比, 考虑建筑物SAR影像成像几何结构的特征统计法, 可以显著提高建筑物的震害识别能力.      

断层阶区对产生超剪切地震破裂的促进作用

地震时若断层发生超剪切破裂,地震灾害会显著加剧.因此研究超剪切破裂的形成机理有着非常重要的科学意义.本文利用动力有限单元方法,模拟断层破裂从初始断层跳跃传播到另一条平行的次级断层(断层阶区)时破裂速度的变化情况,并分析断层阶区几何特征等物理参数对产生超剪切地震破裂的促进作用.计算结果表明,断层阶区的诸多物理因素(如:重叠长度、相隔距离以及摩擦系数等)都会对破裂的传播速度产生影响.在一定条件下,破裂传播速度会由在初始断层上的亚剪切波速度,转换为在次级断层上的超剪切波速度.在破裂速度转换过程中,断层间隔起着重要作用,当断层阶区中两断层垂直间隔距离小到一定程度时,破裂跳跃阶区后,破裂速度不会发生变化.所以对于分段断层(可视为一种特殊的断层阶区),由于其断层垂直间隔为0,也就不会出现破裂速度变化的现象,模拟结果对此也进行了证实.然而,若断层间隔太大,当其距离超过一定的限度后,破裂通常无法跨越断层阶区继续传播,而是终止在初始断层上.模拟结果还表明,初始断层与次级断层之间的重叠距离也十分重要,只有当断层阶区中两平行断层之间的重叠部分达到一定长度后,断层的破裂速度才有可能发生转换.此外,计算结果显示,破裂过程中断层面上的应力变化可能是破裂传播速度发生转换的直接原因.最后,模拟还发现,当破裂跨越断层阶区发生速度转换时,破裂需要停顿一定的时间,以便积聚足够的能量来实现破裂速度的增快.     

Parkfield,California, Earthquake of June 1966: Interpretation of the strong motion records

A detailed seismological interpretation of the strong motion records was attempted for the 1966 Parkfield earthquake, California. Velocity and displacement traces integrated from the corresponding recorded accelerograms were found most valuable in studying the earthquake mechanism and wave forms. A double-couple right-lateral strike — slip mechanism (along the San Andreas fault) is consistent with the recorded direct S-waves originating from the hypocentre. High energy arrivals observed on the velocity traces are interpreted as S-waves (‘stopping phases’) that originated at the termination of the rupture towards the south-east of the San Andreas fault. A double-couple left-lateral strike–slip mechanism is suggested as the cause of this rupture termination. From particle velocity diagrams of the stopping phases in the horizontal plane, the rupture length was found to be between 20 and 28 km. Corresponding rupture velocities are estimated to be 2·5 ± 0·1 and 3·1 ± 0·5 km/s. The inference from the strong motion records is that Love waves were more excited at the south-western than the north-eastern side of the fault, whereas the Rayleigh waves were more energetic at the north-eastern than the south-western side of the fault.     

2010年青海玉树Ms7.1地震近断层地面运动估计

2010年4月14日在我国青海省玉树藏族自治州发生了M_s7.1级地震.地震给当地群众的生命财产带来巨大损失,其中最严重的破坏发生在震中东南的玉树县城.我们利用反演远场地震波形得到的震源破裂模型和Crust2.0提供的当地的地壳模型,计算了近断层地面运动（速度场和位移场）,再现了地震发生时当地的地面运动图像.根据这个图像,震源的单侧破裂过程导致了明显的多普勒效应.地震波自震中向四周扩散开去,但沿着断层向东南方向传播的地震波的幅度更大、波峰更密.玉树县城恰好位于地面静态位移较大的区域,也位于较强烈的位移波和速度波穿越的地带.与实际的地面运动相比,虽然我们的计算还不够精确,但无容置疑,破裂过程导致的多普勒效应是玉树县城遭受严重破坏的主要原因.     

利用断裂带首波分析甘孜—玉树断裂带拉张盆地结构特征

对断裂带及附近区域地层精细结构的描述是理解地震孕育和发生过程的基础.不同板块或块体边界在构造或区域应力作用下,常常会形成速度间断面和低速的断裂带,间断面和低速带的存在会产生特殊的断裂带地震波,比如断裂带首波和围陷波,并会影响地震的物理过程、破裂速度和破裂方向等.本文主要利用2010年4月14日M_W6.9玉树地震后布设的流动地震台站,对沿着甘孜—玉树断裂带传播的断裂带首波进行识别和分析.分析结果表明,在甘孜—玉树断裂带的不同区域均观测到了断裂带首波,在西段的结隆拉张盆地附近的3个台站沿断裂带界面的平均纵波速度差异值在5%～8%,而其他区域的平均速度差异为1%～3%.通过台站位置分布和断裂带首波特征关系,初步分析了断裂带拉张盆地的结构,结果显示结隆盆地的长度为～40km,宽度为5.35～5.97km,深度不超过5km,在地表浅层形成了一个低速区,分别与巴颜喀拉块体(NE)和羌塘块体(SW)产生了两个物性差异界面,但没有延伸到主震和余震区震源深度.我们的结果表明结合密集台阵资料,通过断裂带首波特征分析可以为断裂带精细结构及几何特征提供一种新的技术方法和途径.     

Nonplanar Faults: Mechanics of Slip and Off-fault Damage

Stress interactions and sliding characteristics of faults with random fractal waviness in a purely elastic medium differ both qualitatively and quantitatively from those of faults with planar surfaces. With nonplanar fault models, solutions for slip diverge as resolution of the fractal features increases, and the scaling of fault slip with fault rupture dimension becomes nonlinear. We show that the nonlinear scaling of slip and divergence of solutions arise because stresses from geometric interactions at irregularities along nonplanar faults grow with increasing slip and produce backstresses that progressively impede slip. However, in real materials with finite strength, yielding will halt the growth of the interaction stresses, which will profoundly affect slip of nonplanar faults. We infer that in the brittle seismogenic portion of the Earth’s crust, off-fault yielding occurs on pervasive secondary faults. Predicted rates of stress relaxation with distance from major faults with random fractal roughness follow a power-law relationship that is consistent with reported clustering of background seismicity up to 15 kilometers from faults.     

Imaging the rupture process of the 10 January 2018 MW7.5 Swan island,Honduras earthquake*

The 10 January 2018 M_W7.5 Swan island, Honduras earthquake occurred on the Swan island fault, which is a transform plate boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates. Here we back-project the rupture process of the earthquake using dense seismic stations in Alaska, and find that the earthquake ruptured at least three faults (three stages) for a duration of ~40 s. The rupture speed for the longest fault (stage 3) is as fast as 5 km/s, which is much faster than the local shear wave velocity of ~4 km/s. Supershear rupture was incidentally observed on long and straight strike-slip faults. This study shows a supershear rupture that occured on a strike-slip fault with moderate length, implying that supershear rupture might commonly occur on large strike-slip earthquakes. The common occurrence of supershear rupture on strike-slip earthquakes will challenge present understanding of crack physics, as well as strong ground motion evaluation in earthquake engineering.     

Characterization of Damage in Sandstones along the Mojave Section of the San Andreas Fault: Implications for the Shallow Extent of Damage Generation

Following theoretical calculations that suggest shallow generation of rock damage during an earthquake rupture, we measure the degree of fracture damage in young sedimentary rocks from the Juniper Hills Formation (JHF) that were displaced 21 km along the Mojave section of San Andreas Fault (SAF) and were not exhumed significantly during their displacement. In exposures adjacent to the fault, the JHF typically displays original sedimentary fabrics and little evidence of bulk shear strain at the mesoscopic scale. The formation is, however, pervasively fractured at the microscopic scale over a zone that is about a 100 m wide on the southwest side of the SAF near Little Rock. The abundance of open fractures, the poor consolidation, and the shallow inferred burial depth imply that the damage was generated close to the surface of the Earth. The spatial correlation of this damage with a seismically active trace of the SAF suggests that it was generated by SAF slip events that by assumption were of a seismic nature throughout the displacement history of the JHF. Thus the JHF provides a very shallow upper bound for the generation of brittle damage in a seismic fault zone. The fracture fabric is characterized by preferred orientations of fractures that split grains between contact points and is consistent with overall deformation under directed compression. However, the available results cannot be used to distinguish between proposed off-fault damage mechanisms. Fracture orientations are compatible with a maximum compressive stress oriented at a high angle to the fault at about 10 m, and at a lower, more variable angle farther away from the fault. The fracture distribution and fabric are consistent with observations made of the microscale damage characteristics of the Hungry Valley Formation in the northwestern section of the SAF in the Mojave, and with previous observations of exhumed, ancestral strands of the SAF.     

2008年汶川大地震中北川地区极重震害的物理机制研究

2008年汶川特大地震中北川地区受灾特别严重,而该地区远离汶川主震震中超过100多千米.尽管汶川地震发生已近10年,但这种不正常现象一直困扰着地学工作者,至今没有给出合理的解答.为此,本文利用有限单元方法模拟汶川地震的主要发震断裂带（即：映秀—北川断层）的自发破裂动力学过程.模型中,几乎平直的映秀—北川断裂带在高川地区发生拐折,形成高川右弯.模拟结果显示,破裂沿着映秀—北川断裂带向东北方向前行,当破裂前端到达高川右弯时,破裂形态发生剧烈变化,破裂传播速度由亚剪切破裂突然转化为超剪切破裂.与断层阶区促进超剪切破裂明显不同的是,这种超剪切破裂形态的转化不需要时间停顿.由于超剪切地震破裂的产生,破裂辐射的地震波发生相长干涉,形成马赫波,地震动被大大放大.计算给出的强地面运动峰值加速度在北川地区不仅数值高,而且高值区分布范围广,造成了北川地区的震害特别严重.模拟结果还表明,若高川右弯不存在（即映秀—北川断层面为平直）,则北川地区的断层不会形成超剪切破裂;如果高川右弯附近断层的不连续程度较大,则破裂会被终止;这些情况下,北川地区的震害都没有那么严重.所以,高川右弯的几何形状对于超剪切破裂的形成起着决定性作用,也是造成远离震中的北川地区震害特别严重的主要原因.因此,分析发震断层几何对于研究震源动力学过程及震害评估等有着非常重要的科学意义和实际应用价值.