Analytical study of ground motion caused by seismic wave propagation across faulted rock masses

Studying seismic wave propagation across rock masses and the induced ground motion is an important topic, which receives considerable attention in design and construction of underground cavern/tunnel constructions and mining activities. The current study investigates wave propagation across a rock mass with one fault and the induced ground motion using a recursive approach. The rocks beside the fault are assumed as viscoelastic media with seismic quality factors, Q_p and Q_s. Two kinds of interactions between stress waves and a discontinuity and between stress waves and a free surface are analyzed, respectively. As the result of the wave superposition, the mathematical expressions for induced ground vibration are deduced. The proposed approach is then compared with the existing analysis for special cases. Finally, parametric studies are carried out, which includes the influences of fault stiffness, incident angle, and frequency of incident waves on the peak particle velocities of the ground motions.     

Age and early metamorphic history of the Sanbagawa belt: Lu–Hf and P–T constraints from the Western Iratsu eclogite

Two distinct age estimates for eclogite-facies metamorphism in the Sanbagawa belt have been proposed: (i) c.  120–110 Ma based on a zircon SHRIMP age for the Western Iratsu unit and (ii) c.  88–89 Ma based on a garnet–omphacite Lu–Hf isochron age from the Seba and Kotsu eclogite units. Despite the contrasting estimates of formation ages, petrological studies suggest the formation conditions of the Western Iratsu unit are indistinguishable from those of the other two units—all ∼20 kbar and 600–650 °C. Studies of the associated geological structures suggest the Seba and Western Iratsu units are parts of a larger semi-continuous eclogite unit. A combination of geochronological and petrological studies for the Western Iratsu eclogite offers a resolution to this discrepancy in age estimates. New Lu–Hf dating for the Western Iratsu eclogite yields an age of 115.9 ± 0.5 Ma that is compatible with the zircon SHRIMP age. However, petrological studies show that there was significant garnet growth in the Western Iratsu eclogite before eclogite facies metamorphism, and the early core growth is associated with a strong concentration of Lu. Pre-eclogite facies garnet (Grt1) includes epidote–amphibolite facies parageneses equilibrated at 550–650 °C and ∼10 kbar, and this is overgrown by prograde eclogite facies garnet (Grt2). The Lu–Hf age of c.  116 Ma is strongly skewed to the isotopic composition of Grt1 and is interpreted to reflect the age of the pre-eclogite phase. The considerable time gap ( c.  27 Myr) between the two Lu–Hf ages suggests they may be related to separate tectonic events or distinct phases in the evolution of the Sanbagawa subduction zone.     

流褶层及韧变带研究

流褶层与韧变带是地壳拉伸变形，顺层固态流变作用下的产物。流褶层是以原始层理为变形面或再经递进变形的褶皱变形岩层或岩石共生组合层位。韧变带具明显的层控性，受岩石成分和应变程度控制，不同环境和不同成分岩石的韧变带具有相异的组合型式和变形机制，井具有一定的递变规律。流褶层和韧变带可分属不同层位，但流褶层可实现向韧变带的转化。     

Alluvial architecture of the Holocene Rhine–Meuse delta (the Netherlands)

Ancient fluvial successions often act as hydrocarbon reservoirs. Sub‐surface data on the alluvial architecture of fluvial successions are often incomplete and modelling is performed to reconstruct the stratigraphy. However, all alluvial architecture models suffer from the scarcity of field data to test and calibrate them. The purposes of this study were to quantify the alluvial architecture of the Holocene Rhine–Meuse delta (the Netherlands) and to determine spatio‐temporal trends in the architecture. Five north–south orientated cross‐sections, perpendicular to the general flow direction, were compiled for the fluvial‐dominated part of the delta. These sections were used to calculate the width/thickness ratios of fluvial sandbodies (SBW/SBT) and the proportions of channel‐belt deposits (CDP), clastic overbank deposits (ODP) and organic material (OP) in the succession. Furthermore, the connectedness ratio (CR) between channel belts was calculated for each cross‐section. Distinct spatial and temporal trends in the alluvial architecture were found. SBW/SBT ratios decrease by a factor of ca 4 in a downstream direction. CDP decreases from ca 0·7 (upstream) to ca 0·3 (downstream). OP increases from less than 0·05 in the upstream part of the delta to more than 0·25 in the downstream delta. ODP is approximately constant (0·4). CR is ca 0·25 upstream, which is approximately two times larger than in the downstream part of the delta. Furthermore, CDP in the downstream Rhine–Meuse delta increases after 3000 cal yr BP. These trends are attributed to variations in available accommodation space, floodplain geometry and channel‐belt size. For instance, channel belts tend to narrow in a downstream direction, which reduces SBW/SBT, CDP and CR. Tectonics cause local deviations in the general architectural trends. In addition, the positive correlation between avulsion frequency and the ratio of local to regional aggradation rate probably influenced alluvial architecture in the Rhine–Meuse delta. The Rhine–Meuse data set can be a great resource when developing more sophisticated models for alluvial architecture simulation, which eventually could lead to better characterizations of hydrocarbon reservoirs. To aid such usage of the Rhine–Meuse data set, constraints for relevant parameters are provided at the end of the paper.     

Thin-section analysis as a tool to aid identification of palaeoearthquakes on the “slow”, active Geleen Fault, Roer Valley Graben

We analyzed thin sections from two palaeoseismic trenches across the low-slip-rate Geleen Fault in the Belgian Maas River valley to help identifying the most recent large palaeoearthquake on this fault segment. In the first trench we sampled silty sediment below and above a prehistoric stone pavement that was supposedly at or near the surface at the time of the event, and subsequently thrown down. The samples below show a well-developed in situ argillic Bt soil horizon in parent sediment containing remnants of stratification, whereas the sediment above is a structureless colluvium reworked at least partly from Bt-horizon material. Below the stone pavement, we also found evidence of contorted stratification, which is in agreement with macroscopic observations of both the sediment and the stone pavement itself, and which is attributed to co-seismic soft-sediment deformation. In the second trench, we sampled a sequence of vaguely discernible soil horizons in the hanging-wall, interpreted as a buried soil profile (Bt, E, and possibly A horizons), overlain by a featureless deposit. Thin-section analysis supports the colluvial nature of the latter, and also provides evidence that both the base of this layer and the top of the poorly developed A horizon below have occupied a shallow position in a soil profile. A sample from the same depth in the footwall is composed of very different material. Instead of colluvium, we find patches of Bt soil, most likely representing the same pedogenic level as the in situ Bt horizon at larger depth in the hanging-wall, but displaced and subsequently degraded. Furthermore, thin sections confirm that vertical structures cutting this Bt horizon are sand dykes. These dykes could be traced macroscopically upward to the base of the colluvium. In both trenches, we have thus identified a stratigraphic boundary in the hanging-wall, close to the surface, separating an in situ soil below from colluvium above. We interpret this limit and the overlying colluvium as the event horizon and the colluvial wedge, respectively, of a surface-rupturing palaeoearthquake. In addition, in both cases we found evidence of soft-sediment deformation (related to liquefaction) contemporaneous with the event within the stratigraphic resolution.     

A GPR study of subsidence-creep-fault processes in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

In 1983, inhabitants of the City of Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, began to observe a series of differential settlements causing damages to constructions along linear trends parallel to a system of regional faults. The same phenomenon occurs in others cities of the Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB), such as Celaya, Aguascalientes, and Querétaro, and is linked to a structurally controlled subsidence, caused by groundwater withdrawal, and the presence of geological faults. We define this subsidence type as Subsidence-Creep-Fault Processes (SCFP), based on the necessary elements for their generation, and we studied them through geophysical and geotechnical techniques. In Morelia, the geophysical investigations have been carried out using ground-penetrating radar (GPR). GPR profiles, perpendicular to the axis of the surface fault generated by the SCFP were carried out. The common-offset single-fold profiling was used, with a central frequency of 50 MHz. In all cases it has been possible to visualize a fault plane dividing two blocks, the presence of synthetic and antithetic faults, influence zones from 20 m to 40 m, and a maximum “net throw” of 4 m. Exploration trenches followed the same direction of the profiles obtained with GPR (perpendicular to the axis of the surface fault). These trenches exposed a fault plane dividing two blocks with different lithology, generating a maximum “net throw” of 4.40 m; as well they help in the determination of influence zones that varied from 14 m to 40 m.     

桃山铀矿田桃山断裂及其保矿作用

桃山铀矿田位于江西省中部,断裂构造发育,既有成矿构造,也有保矿构造,其中斜贯桃山矿田的桃山断裂即是一保矿构造,它形成于车免近时期,走向北东,倾向南东,右行正断,并具铰链断层性质,上盘地块掀斜下落,致使上盘成矿壳层向NW和NE倾斜,由于倾末端的侵蚀深度较小,保矿条件较好,加强这些地带的铀矿勘查和评价具有重要意义。     

鲁中南隆起区第四纪晚期断裂活动特征

根据野外调查，并综合前人的研究资料，对鲁中南地区第四纪晚期断裂活动进行了分析，研究表明，鲁中南隆起区第四纪断裂活动具有时空不均匀性，主要表现为第四纪时期断层活动强度变化和断裂活动的群集性以及第四纪晚期断裂活动段分布的局限性上。对于鲁中南地区而言，活动断层可以分为中更新世中期（500kaBP)至晚更新世初期（90kaBP)活断层和晚更新世中、晚期至全新世早期活断层两类；其中前一类（主要是中更新世断裂）断裂数量较多，分布较为广泛，而晚更新世晚期以来的活动断裂段的数量较少，分布较局限。它们对地震的控制能力不同，前者可控制5．5级左右的地震，而后一类可控制6－7级地震的发生。     

宁镇地区的限制性断层

宁镇山脉的褶皱带被一系列横断层分割为褶断段。横断层相邻的断块,无论是褶皱的形态、纵断层的数目、规模和断距等特征沿纵向跨越横断层均存在不连续性的跃变,表明这些横断层是早于褶皱或与之伴生的纵断层而存在,并对各断块内发育的地质构造起到限制作用。因横断层作为较早的边界,后期的挤压在被分割的各块段内可以是有差异的,导致宁镇褶皱带在总体上的一致性,分段上的有特殊性。