Breaking Up: Comminution Mechanisms in Sheared Simulated Fault Gouge

The microstructural state and evolution of fault gouge has important implications for the mechanical behaviour, and hence the seismic slip potential of faults. We use 3D discrete element (DEM) simulations to investigate the fragmentation processes operating in fault gouge during shear. Our granular fault gouge models consist of aggregate grains, each composed of several thousand spherical particles stuck together with breakable elastic bonds. The aggregate grains are confined between two blocks of solid material and sheared under a given normal stress. During shear, the grains can fragment in a somewhat realistic way leading to an evolution of grain size, grain shape and overall texture. The ‘breaking up’ of the fault gouge is driven by two distinct comminution mechanisms: grain abrasion and grain splitting. The relative importance of the two mechanisms depends on applied normal stress, boundary wall roughness and accumulated shear strain. If normal stress is sufficiently high, grain splitting contributes significantly to comminution, particularly in the initial stages of the simulations. In contrast, grain abrasion is the dominant mechanism operating in simulations carried out at lower normal stress and is also the main fragmentation mechanism during the later stages of all simulations. Rough boundaries promote relatively more grain splitting whereas smooth boundaries favor grain abrasion. Grain splitting (plus accompanying abrasion) appears to be an efficient mechanism for reducing the mean grain size of the gouge debris and leads rapidly to a power law size distribution with an exponent that increases with strain. Grain abrasion (acting alone) is an effective way to generate excess fine grains and leads to a bimodal distribution of grain sizes. We suggest that these two distinct mechanisms would operate at different stages of a fault’s history. The resulting distributions in grain size and grain shape may significantly affect frictional strength and stability. Our results therefore have implications for the earthquake potential of seismically active faults with accumulations of gouge. They may also be relevant to the susceptibility of rockslides since non-cohesive basal shear zones will evolve in a similar way and potentially control the dynamics of the slide.     

辉长岩摩擦实验中断层泥的剪切组构及成因

模拟断层泥的摩擦实验对地震的成核及断层带变形组构的研究具有重要意义。文中对辉长岩摩擦实验中的断层泥变形组构及形成机理进行了研究 ,以期从实验室角度来理解地壳深部断层活动的性质和特点。断层泥剪切组构中的边界剪切带 ,R1,Y剪切面比较发育 ,T裂隙次之 ;R2 ,P ,X剪切面不发育。R1面与边界面的夹角较小 ,平均在 1 1°左右 ,为单剪变形过程中达到破裂极限状态时形成的 1组库仑破裂面。分析表明R1面密度随正应力的增加而明显增高。而在相同的正应力下 ,随温度的增高 ,R1面的密度也有增加的趋势。当温度高于 5 0 0℃时 ,断层带内的斜长石出现塑性变形特征 ,R1剪切面与矿物的压性面理组成典型的S -C组构     

断层泥在孕震过程中的作用

本文用粘弹性理论,探讨了老断层失稳扩展型地震的孕育过程中,断层泥的作用问题.得到了如下结果:即使区域背景场和扰动场保持不变,断层局部应力场仍会因断层泥的蠕变而变化.其中切向应力分量σ0_ηη(t),在其它所有分量都缓慢衰减的同时缓慢增大.一旦这个应力分量在断层尖端附近的极大值点,积累至大于岩石的断裂强度,断层的失稳扩展便会从这点发生.与空腔断层相比,断层泥使σ0_ηη(t)的突变过程变成了缓慢渐近过程,并使σ0_ηη(t)的渐近值有所降低,因而会推迟和减少地震的发生.文中还讨论了断层失稳扩展方向等问题.      

THE GEOLOGICAL AND ROCK MECHANICAL DISTINCTION EVIDENCE BETWEEN STICK-SLIP AND CREEP IN HOST ROCK SEGMENTS OF FAULT

Paleo-seismic and fault activity are hard to distinguish in host rock areas compared with soft sedimentary segments of fault. However, fault frictional experiments could obtain the conditions of stable and unstable slide, as well as the microstructures of fault gouge, which offer some identification marks between stick-slip and creep of fault. We summarized geological and rock mechanical distinction evidence between stick-slip and creep in host rock segments of fault, and analyzed the physical mechanisms which controlled the behavior of stick-slip and creep. The chemical composition of fault gouge is most important to control stick-slip and creep. Gouge composed by weak minerals, such as clay mineral, has velocity weakening behavior, which causes stable slide of fault. Gouge with rock-forming minerals, such as calcite, quartz, feldspar, pyroxene, has stick-slip behavior under condition of focal depth. To the gouge with same chemical composition, the deformation mechanism controls the frictional slip. It is essential condition to stick slip for brittle fracture companied by dilatation, but creep is controlled by compaction and cataclasis as well as ductile shear with foliation and small fold. However, under fluid conditions, pressure solution which healed the fractures and caused strength recovery of fault, is the original reason of unstable slide, and also resulted in locking of fault with high pore pressure in core of fault zone. Contrast with that, rock-forming minerals altered to phyllosilicates in the gouges by fluid flow through degenerative reaction and hydrolysis reaction, which produced low friction fault and transformations to creep. The creep process progressively developed several wide shear zones including of R, Y, T, P shear plane that comprise gouge zones embedded into wide damage zones, which caused small earthquake distributed along wide fault zones with focal mechanism covered by normal fault, strike-slip fault and reverse fault. However, the stick-slip produced mirror-like slide surfaces with very narrow gouges along R shear plane and Y shear plane, which caused small earthquake distributed along narrow fault zones with single kind of focal mechanism.     

关于Coulomb应力变化/扰动作用下的Dieterich余震触发机制的广义解

基于单自由度弹簧-滑块模型,滑移速率和状态相依赖的摩擦关系可用于对断层内部地震成核和断层失稳过程的定量化描述.Dieterich(1994)余震触发理论模型首次给出中强震后区域应力场受到静态应力扰动后所导致的区域地震活动性的时空变化特征,近期研究也表明Dieterich理论模型可进一步推广至依赖时间的地震预测模型的建立.本文从简单直观的断层群体化概念模型出发,推导出了包括静态剪应力和正应力扰动作用下广义Dieterich解.同Dieterich经典解相比,广义Coulomb应力变化:ΔCFF^G=Δτ－(μ₀－α)Δσ取代了Dieterich方程中原有的剪切应力扰动Δτ.从而表明余震发生率R同作用于断层上的正应力的变化(扰动)有着密切的相关性.进一步,我们讨论了传统Coulomb应力变化(扰动)模型在地震预测过程中可能存在的局限性.以1976年M_S7.8唐山大地震的主余震序列为例,采用本文中得到的结果,并结合视时窗分段方法,拟合了该地区地震活动性的时间演化过程.结果表明,除Coulomb应力变化(扰动)的影响外,主震前后加载于断层上的剪应力速率变化可对早期余震发生率产生很大影响.     

2001年8.1级昆仑山大震破裂过程及对2008年汶川8.0级大震孕育发生影响的研究

本文用三维流变非连续变形(块体边界)与有限元(块体内)相结合(DDA+FEM)的方法,在青藏高原及其东侧四川盆地,鄂尔多斯块体地区三维构造块体相互制约的大环境中,考虑了龙门山断裂带东西两侧地势、地壳厚度和分层的明显变化,及断裂带东侧四川盆地及鄂尔多斯块体坚硬地壳阻挡的影响,通过用GPS资料做位移速率边界约束和震源机制约...     

Internal structures and high-velocity frictional properties of a bedding-parallel carbonate fault at Xiaojiaqiao outcrop activated by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

This paper reports internal structures of a bedding-parallel fault in Permian limestone at Xiaojiaqiao outcrop that was moved by about 0.5 m during the 2008 M_W7.9 Wenchuan earthquake. The fault is located about 3 km to the south from the middle part of Yingxiu-Beichuan fault, a major fault in the Longmenshan fault system that was moved during the earthquake. The outcrop is also located at Anxian transfer zone between the northern and central segments of Yingxiu-Beichuan fault where fault system is complex. Thus the fault is an example of subsidiary faults activated by Wenchuan earthquake. The fault has a strike of 243° or N63°E and a dip of 38°NW and is nearly optimally oriented for thrust motion, in contrast to high-angle coseismic faults at most places. Surface outcrop and two shallow drilling studies reveal that the fault zone is several centimeters wide at most and that the coseismic slip zone during Wenchuan earthquake is about 1 mm thick. Fault zone contains foliated cataclasite, fault breccia, black gouge and yellowish gouge. Many clasts of foliated cataclasite and black gouge contained in fault breccia indicate multiple slip events along this fault. But fossils on both sides of fault do not indicate clear age difference and overall displacement along this fault should not be large. We also report results from high-velocity friction experiments conducted on yellowish gouge from the fault zone using a rotary shear low to high-velocity frictional testing apparatus. Dry experiments at normal stresses of 0.4 to 1.8 MPa and at slip rates of 0.08 to 1.35 m/s reveal dramatic slip weakening from the peak friction coefficient of around 0.6 to very low steady-state friction coefficient of 0.1-0.2. Slip weakening parameters of this carbonate fault zone are similar to those of clayey fault gouge from Yingxiu-Beichuan fault at Hongkou outcrop and from Pingxi fault zone. Our experimental result will provide a condition for triggering movement of subsidiary faults or off-fault damage during a large earthquake.     

Internal structure of Longmenshan fault zone at Hongkou outcrop,Sichuan, China,that caused the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

This paper reports the internal structures of the Beichuan fault zone of Longmenshan fault system that caused the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, at an outcrop in Hongkou, Sichuan province, China. Present work is a part of comprehensive project of Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, trying to understand deformation processes in Longmenshan fault zones and eventually to reproduce Wenchuan earthquake by modeling based on measured mechanical and transport properties. Outcrop studies could be integrated with those performed on samples recovered from fault zone drilling, during the Wenchuan Earthquake Fault Scientific Drilling (WFSD) Project, to understand along-fault and depth variation of fault zone properties. The hanging wall side of the fault zone consists of weakly-foliated, clayey fault gouge of about 1 m in width and of several fault breccia zones of 30–40 m in total width. We could not find any pseudotachylite at this outcrop. Displacement during the Wenchuan earthquake is highly localized within the fault gouge layer along narrower slipping-zones of about 10 to 20 mm in width. This is an important constraint for analyzing thermal pressurization, an important dynamic weakening mechanism of faults. Overlapping patterns of striations on slickenside surface suggest that seismic slip at a given time occurred in even narrower zone of a few to several millimeters, so that localization of deformation must have occurred within a slipping zone during coseismic fault motion. Fault breccia zones are bounded by thin black gouge layers containing amorphous carbon. Fault gouge contains illite and chlorite minerals, but not smectite. Clayey fault gouge next to coseismic slipping zone also contains amorphous carbon and small amounts of graphite. The structural observations and mineralogical data obtained from outcrop exposures of the fault zone of the Wenchuan earthquake can be compared with those obtained from the WFSD-1 and WFSD-2 boreholes, which have been drilled very close to the Hongkou outcrop. The presence of carbon and graphite, observed next to the slipping-zone, may affect the mechanical properties of the fault and also provide useful information about coseismic chemical changes.     

高温高压下红河断裂带断层泥力学性质的研究

断层泥在室温高压下的应力-应变曲线呈非线性、线性等阶段性变形,在高温高压下则呈非线性变形,两者均表现出渐进破坏。含水量、矿物成分和温压条件对变形特征和破坏强度有重要影响。曲线的初始弹性模量小于有效弹性模量。断层泥在温度T≥400℃和σ_3≥300MPa时发生岩化,据此岩化温压条件可估计出未岩化断层泥存在深度将不超过10—15km。由于断层泥具渐进破坏特征,故在高温高压条件下断层泥有利于断层活动呈现稳滑     

断层泥极限粒度存在的可能机理及其意义

通过对济南辉长岩的双剪摩擦实验发现,在一定的正压力下,存在着相应的断层泥极限粒度。应用颗粒破碎理论及破裂表面能密度进行分析,并结合对模拟断层带的显微观察,作者认为,摩擦功的消耗由颗粒磨细向形成R_1等剪裂面的转变是断层泥极限粒度存在的可能机理。另外,文中还对应用断层泥极限粒度反演其主要形成期围压值的可行性作了初步论证。     

Triaxial testing of Lopez Fault gouge at 150 MPa mean effective stress

Triaxial compression experiments were performed on samples of natural granular fault gouge from the Lopez Fault in Southern California. This material consists primarily of quartz and has a self-similar grain size distribution thought to result from natural cataclasis. The experiments were performed at a constant mean effective stress of 150 MPa, to expose the volumetric strains associated with shear failure. The failure strength is parameterized by the coefficient of internal friction , based on the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion.Samples of remoulded Lopez gouge have internal friction =0.6±0.02. In experiments where the ends of the sample are constrained to remain axially aligned, suppressing strain localisation, the sample compacts before failure and dilates persistently after failure. In experiments where one end of the sample is free to move laterally, the strain localises to a single oblique fault at around the point of failure; some dilation occurs but does not persist. A comparison of these experiments suggests that dilation is confined to the region of shear localisation in a sample. Overconsolidated samples have slightly larger failure strengths than normally consolidated samples, and smaller axial strains are required to cause failure. A large amount of dilation occurs after failure in heavily overconsolidated samples, suggesting that dilation is occurring throughout the sample. Undisturbed samples of Lopez gouge, cored from the outcrop, have internal friction in the range =0.4–0.6; the upper end of this range corresponds to the value established for remoulded Lopez gouge. Some kind of natural heterogeneity within the undisturbed samples is probably responsible for their low, variable strength. In samples of simulated gouge, with a more uniform grain size, active cataclasis during axial loading leads to large amounts of compaction. Larger axial strains are required to cause failure in simulated gouge, but the failure strength is similar to that of natural Lopez gouge.Use of the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion to interpret the results from this study, and other recent studies on intact rock and granular gouge, leads to values of that depend on the loading configuration and the intact or granular state of the sample. Conceptual models are advanced to account for these descrepancies. The consequences for strain-weakening of natural faults are also discussed.     

Microstructural features of fault gouges from Tianjing-shan-Xiangshan fault zone and their geological implications

Detailed observation of the microstructural features of 11 fault gouge and 3 fault breccia samples collected from Tianjingshan-Xiangshan fault zone has revealed that fault gouge can be classified into 3 types: flow banded granular gouge, foliated gouge and massive gouge. The determination of the shape preferred orientation (SPO) of survivor grains in fault gouges indicates that the foliated gouge displays a profound SPO inclined to the shear zone boundary, similar to theP-foliation; flow banded granular gouge displays a SPO parallel to the shear zone boundary, while massive fault gouge and fault breccia display a random SPO. All these fault gouges fall in different fields of shear rate ternary diagram.     

断层泥的再生显微结构特征及其地震地质意义

三轴剪切摩擦实验后的断层泥与天然断层泥的再生显微结构特征研究表明，断层泥的显微结构特征与断层滑动方式之间有一定的关系，稳滑使断层泥变形均匀，产生低角度剪切（＜１４°）、布丁构造和颗粒碎裂流动。粘滑使断层泥局部发生强烈变形、高角度剪切（＞１４°）和碎粒出现随机裂纹等。断层泥的再生显微结构特征可用作鉴别古地震的存在     

Distribution of fault rocks in the fracture zone of the Nojima Fault at a depth of 1140 m: Observations from the Hirabayashi NIED drill core

Abstract Characteristics of deformation and alteration of the 1140 m deep fracture zone of the Nojima Fault are described based on mesoscopic (to the naked eye) and microscopic (by both optical and scanning electron microscopes) observations of the Hirabayashi National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED) drill core. Three types of fault rocks; that is, fault breccia, fault gouge and cataclasite, appear in the central part of the fault zone and two types of weakly deformed and/or altered rocks; that is, weakly deformed and altered granodiorite and altered granodiorite, are located in the outside of the central part of the fault zone (damaged zone). Cataclasite appears occasionally in the damaged zone. Six distinct, thin foliated fault gouge zones, which dip to the south-east, appear clearly in the very central part of the fracture zone. Slickenlines plunging to the north-east are observed on the surface of the newest gouge. Based on the observations of XZ thin sections, these slickenlines and the newest gouge have the same kinematics as the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake (Kobe earthquake), which was dextral-reverse slip. Scanning electron microscopy observations of the freeze-dried fault gouge show that a large amount of void space is maintained locally, which might play an important role as a path for fluid migration and the existence of either heterogeneity of pore fluid pressure or strain localization.     

Features and genesis of micro-nanometer-sized grains on shear slip surface of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

In coseismic surface rupture zones caused by the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, some thin-layered fault gouges with strong deformation were observed in different locations. In this paper, fault gouge samples were taken as research objects from the Bajiaomiao village in the south-west segment of the principal rupture and the Heshangping village and the Shaba village in the north-east segment of the principal rupture where larger displacements were measured. Fabric characteristics of the fault gouge samples and the morphologies and structures of micro-nanometer grains on Y-shear surfaces were then analyzed by using a stereoscope and SEM. Observation results showed that obvious Y- and R-shears and obvious scratches were well developed in coseismic gouges caused by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Micro-nanometer grains in the fault gouge of the Wenhcuan earthquake were formed mainly due to breaking, grinding, and powdering of fault slipping friction surface. Heat caused by fault slipping (maybe also including heat caused by thermal decomposition) played an important role in producing micro-nanometer sized grains. Existence occurrence state of micro-nanometer sized grains on fault slip surface includes singled grains and their complexes with shapes of ball, silkworm, pancake and mass. The structures mainly include dispersed and close-packed structures besides a few of striped and layered structures. All these structures were formed at the extreme unbalance conditions caused by rapid deforming during an earthquake. There always exist some voids between structures due to loosely contact. Only alienated grains are included in the stripped structure. But there are some singled grains with no deformation in dispersed and close-packed structures besides complexes of grains with morphologies of ball, silkworm, pancake and mass. The striped and close-packed structures are the results of plastic deformation, and the dispersed and layered structures are the results of brittle deformation whereas loose contact of different structures was caused mainly by discontinuous dynamic friction (fault stick-slipping). The structures of the micro-nanometer sized grains in coseismic fault gouge caused by the Wenchuan earthquake are the geological records of seismic fault slipping (it is not pseudotachylite), which could be used as an index of paleo-seismic events.     

Discussion on Characteristics of Crustal Deformation along the Zhangjiakou-Bohai Sea Seismotectonic Zone

INTRODUCTIONThe Zhangjiakou-Penglai fault zone has drawnextensive attentionfromseismologists and geologistssince it was determinedinthe1980’s(Zheng Binghua,et al.,1981).Ma Xingyuan,et al.(1989)consideredit asthe north boundaryof North China sub-block.Int…     

引潮力对显著地震触发作用与大震关系的机理讨论

初步讨论了引潮力对显著地震触发作用与大震关系的机理。 结果表明, 这一机理是比较复杂的。 地震发生时水平引潮力方位与地震断层面走向接近, 可能增加断层面上的剪应力, 有利于地震的发生; 水平引潮力方位与地震主张应力轴T轴接近, 可能减小断层面上的正应力, 从而减小断层面上的摩擦力, 也会有利于地震的发生。 所讨论的3个震例中有2个共同点: 其一为大震前显著地震发生时水平引潮力方位相互比较接近; 其二为显著地震破裂面走向和大震破裂面走向基本一致。     

TWO-DIMENSIONAL WHOLE CYCLE SIMULATION OF SPONTANE-OUS RUPTURE OF THE 2008 WENCHUAN EARTHQUAKE USING THE CONTINUOUS-DISCRETE ELEMENT METHOD

The May 12, 2008 M_S7.9 Wenchuan earthquake is ranked as one of the most devastating natural disasters ever occurred in modern Chinese history. The Longmenshan Fault(LMSF) zone is the seismogenic source structure, which consists of three sub-parallel faults, i.e., the Guanxian-Jiangyou Fault(GJF) in the frontal, the Yingxiu-Beichuan Fault(YBF) in the central fault and the Wenchuan-Maowen Fault(WMF) in the back of the LMSF. In this study, geological survey and seismic profiles are used to constrain the faults geometry and medium parameters. Three visco-elastic finite element models of the LMSF with different main faults are established. From the phase of interseismic stress accumulation to coseismic stress release and postseismic adjustment, the Wenchuan earthquake is simulated using Continuous-Discrete Element Method(CDEM). Modeling results show that before the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the GJF becomes unstable due to the interaction between its unique fault geometry and the tectonic stress loading. In the fault geometry model, the GJF is the most gently dipped fault among the three faults, which in return makes it having the smallest normal stress and the greatest shear stress. The continuous shear stress loading finally meets the fault failure criteria and the Wenchuan earthquake starts to initiate on the GJF at the depth of 15~20km. The earthquake rupture then propagated to the YBF. At the same time, due to the GJF and YBF rupture, the interseismic stress accumulation has been greatly reduced, causing the WMF failed to rupture. Although the stress accumulation in the WMF has been reduced significantly after the earthquake, yet it has not been released completely, which means that the WMF likely has with high seismic risk after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. We also find that the stress perturbation caused by gently dipping segment of the fault can promote the passive rupture in the steeply dipping segment, making the upper limit of dip angles larger than traditional assumption.     

板内地震填空与断层运动型式

根据人们对板缘地震填空的认识,本文用震级—断层长度的经验关系式分析了我国郯庐断裂带、张家口—烟台断裂带、鲜水河和塔里木盆地北缘等断裂带的地震活动与地质构造的关系。指出在板块内部同样存在着地震沿带逐渐“填满补齐”的现象。这种地震填空,主要发生在那些扭压型和剪滑型的断裂带上。一个基本连续的活动断裂带是板内地震填空所必需的地质条件。作者认为,板内地震填空与断层现代运动的不同型式(或状态)密切相关。一个活动断裂带由稳滑、相对闭锁到破裂位错正是地震空区形成、发展直至发生大地震的带内地震填空过程,与此相应的应变积累段、闭锁段和释放松动段在地质上的差别是:断面上新沉积物覆盖程度依次减小,断层泥粘结度逐次降低而其厚度依次增厚,因而对于那些全新世以来有过活动而断面上新沉积物覆盖较大的一类活断层尤应引起注意。     

ESR analysis of the Nojima fault gouge, Japan, from the DPRI 500 m borehole

Abstract Electron spin resonance (ESR) analyses of quartz grains in fault gouge were performed for a core sample taken from the Nojima Fault that moved during the 1995 Kobe earthquake (Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake). Distribution of radiation-induced defects in the gouge at a depth of 389.4 m was measured by extracting quartz grains from seven discrete positions within 30 mm of the fault plane on the granite side. The decrease in E'₁ and Al centers was observed within 2 mm of the fault plane, suggesting partial annealing due to faulting. Partial annealing even at that depth suggested that conventional ESR dating, which is based on the hypothesis of complete annealing during faulting, was not applicable. Theoretical calculations of the temperature rise and of the thermal annealing of defects have been made by assuming a simple annealing model of heat generation on the fault plane. Thermal energy was calculated to have been approximately 8 MJ/m² to explain the profile of the heat-affected region. Thermal energy was much larger than the one estimated from hydrothermal solution, and corresponded to the frictional heat calculated for a normal stress of 20 MPa, a displacement of 2 m, and a frictional coefficient of 0.2.