THE DELINEATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHALLOW GEOMETRY OF ACTIVE FAULT BASED ON TLS AND GPR: A CASE STUDY OF AN NORMAL FAULT ON THE NORTH MARGIN OF MAOYABA BASIN IN LITANG,WESTERN SICHUAN PROVINCE

It is crucial to reveal the surface traces and activity of active faults by obtaining high-precision microtopography and three-dimensional shallow geometry. However, limited by the traditional geological investigation methods in the field and geological condition factors, the measurement method on microtopography and shallow geometry of active fault is badly insufficient. In this study, the TLS and GPR are firstly used comprehensively to delineate the microtopography and shallow geometry of the normal fault scarp on the north margin of Maoyaba Basin in Litang. Firstly, the vertical displacements of two landforms produced by the latest two periods of normal faulting and the two-dimensional GPR profiles are obtained separately. Secondly, the three-dimensional measurement method of active fault based on TLS and GPR is preliminarily established. On this basis, three-dimensional model of fault scarp and three-dimensional images of subsurface geometry are also obtained. These data all reveal a graben structure at normal fault scarps. Thirdly, the fusion and interpretation of three-dimensional data from the surface and subsurface are realized. The study results show:1)the vertical displacements of the T₁ and T₂ terraces by the normal fault movement is 1.4m and 5.7m, the GPR profile shows a typical fault structure and indicates the existence of small graben structure with a maximum width of about 40m in the shallow layer, which further proves that it is a normal fault. 2)the shallow geometry of the normal fault scarp can be more graphically displayed by the three-dimensional radar images, and it also makes the geometry structure of the fault more comprehensive. The precise location and strike of faults F₁ and F₂ on the horizontal surface are also determined in the three-dimensional radar images, which further proves the existence of small graben structure, indicating the extensional deformation characteristics in the subsurface of the fault scarps. Furthermore, the distribution of small graben structure on the surface and subsurface is defined more precisely. 3)the integrated display of microgeomorphology and shallow geometry of normal fault scarp is realized based on the three-dimensional point cloud and GPR data. The fusion of the point cloud and GPR data has obvious advantages, for the spatial structure, morphological and spectral features from the point cloud can improve the recognition and interpretation accuracy of GPR images. The interpreted results of the GPR profiles could minimize the transformation of the surface topography by the external environment at the most extent, restore the original geomorphology, relocate the position and trend of faults on the surface and constrain the width of deformation zones under the surface, the geological structure, and the fault dislocation, etc. In a word, the TLS and GPR can quickly and efficiently provide the spatial data with multi-level and multi-visual for non-destructive inspection of the microgeomorphology and shallow structure for the active fault in a wide range, and for the detection of active fault in the complex geological environments, and it is helpful to improve the accuracy and understanding of the investigation and research on microtopography and shallow geometry of active faults. What's more, it also offers important data and method for more comprehensive identification and understanding of the distribution, deformation features, the behaviors of active faults and multi-period paleoseismicity. Therefore, to continuously explore and improve this method will significantly enhance and expand the practicability and application prospects of the method in the quantitative and elaborate studies of active faults.