剪切带的流体－岩石相互作用

作为大陆岩石圈中的应变局部化带，剪切带中一般都渗透着大量流体。流体的来源与剪切带所处的构造背景、流变域和水文条件有关，而剪切带中流体的流动则受岩石的渗透率、孔隙度、孔隙性质、流体的扩散和渗透能力、环境的温压条件、应力或载荷的梯度等因素所制约。剪切带中流体的成分、通量及赋存状态或流动方式，直接影响着岩石的流变。由应变局部化及力学失稳所引起的化学不平衡和由流体与岩石的相互作用，使剪切带岩石的矿物成分和化学成分发生调整，其变异程度取决于原岩的性质、剪切的温压条件和流体的成分及通量等。由于流体的渗透流动和流体与岩石的相互作用使剪切带的体积有所变化，体积变化过程是一种自组织行为。较大的体积亏损，意味着剪切带中渗透过大量的流体，这对剪切带的流变行为、化学行为和成矿作用都有深刻的影响。     

应用砼的流变性计算砼的灌注参数

应用流体力学、流变学的理论，方法和施工实测数据，建立水下灌注理导管埋深，砼在灌注系统的流动阻力与导管内附加砼柱间的数学表达式，以指导水下灌注施工在最优灌注参数下进行。     

“地球动力学”的研究现状与展望——第32届国际地质大会研究成果综述

第32届国际地质大会通过按地域和构造作用过程等形式划分11个专题会场,展示了地球动力学的研究成果。其成果主要包括特提斯域构造演化及其不同阶段的块体裂解、拼合及后期改造的细节过程,地质历史中的超大陆分布和成因,俯冲—碰撞带深部构造和变质机制,安第斯山(Andes)缓倾角平坦式俯冲过程及其地壳变形和岩浆作用的响应,显微构造对动力作用过程的影响和控制,地壳和上地幔熔融、流变学和动力学意义,大洋岩石圈构造与演化,大陆地盾区构造和再活动,稳定大陆区地震,空间大地测量学和现代板块运动等方面。这些研究成果充分显示了地球动力学研究具有多学科、多手段(如古地磁、超深钻、地球物理、大地测量和GPS等)、多尺度(宏观、微观)和多时期、全面、综合、并逐步接近定时、定位和定量地探索和研究的特点,它从地球(主要为上地幔和地壳)的组成、结构构造入手,逐步认识地球(主要为地球岩石圈)的演化和动力学。     

3-D rheologic model of earthquake preparation (II): Strain field and its applications

Introduction Based on the elastic theory of the hard inclusion (Dobrovolskii, 1991), we developed an inclusion theory of rheologic medium, and applied the results of bulk-strain field of a rheologic inclusion model to explain the spatial-temporal evolution process of earthquake precursors (SONG, et al, 2000). In the former paper (SONG, et al, 2003), we derived the viscoelastic displacement field of the rheologic inclusion model on the basis of the analytic expression of displacement field o…     

Determination of the elastic modulus set of foliated rocks from ultrasonic velocity measurements

Ultrasonic measurements of compressional and shear wave velocities under hydrostatic pressure up to 70 MPa were carried out on cylindrical specimens cored across and along the foliation planes. Our measurements revealed that the foliation of the metamorphic rocks induces a clear velocity anisotropy between two orthogonal directions; faster along the foliation plane and slower across the plane in most rock types. All velocity components monotonically increase with the confining pressure, probably due to the closure of microcracks distributed in rock specimens. We determined the complete set of dynamic moduli of foliated metamorphic rocks with two assumptions; transverse isotropy due to the foliation and ellipsoidal seismic energy propagation from a point source. The calculated elastic moduli referring to different directions could be valuable for the design of various engineering structures in planar textured rock mass.     

Reduction of ground vibration by means of barriers or soil improvement along a railway track

Trains running in built-up areas are a source to ground-borne noise. A careful design of the track may be one way of minimizing the vibrations in the surroundings. For example, open or infilled trenches may be constructed along the track, or the soil underneath the track may be improved. In this work, the influence of the track design and properties on the level of ground vibration due to a vehicle moving with subsonic speed is examined. A coupled finite element-boundary element model of the track and subsoil is employed, adopting a formulation in the moving frame of reference following the vehicle. The computations are carried out in the frequency domain for various combinations of the vehicle speed and the excitation frequency. The analyses indicate that open trenches are more efficient than infilled trenches or soil stiffening–even at low frequencies. However, the direction of the load is of paramount importance. For example, the response outside a shallow open trench may change dramatically when horizontal load is applied instead of vertical load.     

Stress‐dependent elastic wave velocity of microfractured sandstone

A model for the stress‐dependent elastic wave velocity response of fractured rock mass is proposed based on experimental evidence of stress‐dependent fracture normal and shear stiffness. Previously proposed models and previous experimental studies on stress‐dependent fracture stiffness have been reviewed to provide a basis for the new model. Most of the existing stress‐dependent elastic wave velocity models are empirical, with model parameters that do not have clear physical meanings. To propose the new model, the rock mass is assumed to have randomly oriented microscopic fractures. In addition, the characteristic length of microfractures is assumed to be sufficiently short compared to the rock mass dimensions. The macroscopic stress‐dependent elastic wave velocity response is assumed to be attributed to the stress dependency of fracture stiffness. The stress‐dependent fracture normal stiffness is defined as a generalized power law function of effective normal stress, which is a modification of the Goodman's model. On the other hand, the stress dependency of fracture shear stiffness is modeled as a linear function of normal stress based on experimental data. Ultrasonic wave velocity responses of a dry core sample of Berea sandstone were tested at effective stresses ranging from 2 to 55 MPa. Visual observation of thin sections obtained from the Berea sandstone confirms that the assumptions made for microstructure of rock mass model are appropriate. It is shown that the model can describe the stress‐dependent ultrasonic wave velocity responses of dry Berea sandstone with a set of reasonable material parameter values. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Development of large‐scale seismites in Upper Cretaceous fluvial sandstones in a fault‐proximal setting

Large‐scale soft‐sediment deformation structures occur within fluvial sandstone bodies of the Upper Cretaceous Wahweap Formation in the Kaiparowits basin, southern Utah, USA. These structures represent an exceptional example of metre‐scale fault‐proximal, seismogenic load structures in nearly homogenous sandstones. The load structures consist of two types: large‐scale load casts and wedge‐shaped load structures. Large‐scale load casts penetrate up to 4·5 m into the underlying sandstone bed. Wedge‐shaped load structures include metre‐scale, parallel, sub‐vertical features and decimetre‐scale features along the periphery of the large‐scale load casts or other wedge‐shaped load structures. Wedge‐shaped load structures contain well‐developed, medial cataclastic shear deformation bands. All load structures contain pervasive well‐defined millimetre‐thick to centimetre‐thick internal laminae, oriented parallel to the outside form of the load structures and asymptotic to deformation bands. Both types of load structures formed because of an inverted density profile, earthquake‐triggered liquefaction and growth of irregularities (a Rayleigh–Taylor instability) on the sandstone–sandstone erosional contact. The internal laminae and deformation bands formed during deformation and clearly demonstrate polyphase deformation, recording a transition from liquefied to hydroplastic to brittle modes of deformation. Decimetre‐scale wedge‐shaped load structures on the edge of the large‐scale load casts probably formed towards the end of a seismic event after the sediment dewatered and increased the frictional contact of grains enough to impart strength to the sands. Metre‐scale wedge‐shaped load structures were created as the tips of downward foundering sediments were driven into fractures, which widened incrementally with seismic pulsation. With each widening of the fracture, gravity and a suction effect would draw additional sediment into the fracture. Superimposed laminae indicate a secondary syndeformational origin for internal laminae, probably by flow‐generated shearing and vibrofluidization mechanisms. Large‐scale and wedge‐shaped load structures, polyphase deformation and secondary laminae may characterize soft‐sediment deformation in certain fault‐proximal settings.